The Green Bay Packers believe they have the roster talent required to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season. That does not mean GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff don't have work to do before Week 1 rolls around. Several position groups could use an addition or two before the beginning of the regular season.
The good news is that Green Bay has the most important position in football figured out. Jordan Love may not be an MVP candidate but he is, at the very least, an above average starter with the upside to take over a high leverage game with his arm. Throw in backup Malik Willis and there's no work to be done in the team's quarterback room.
The same cannot be said for every premium position on the Packers' roster. In particular, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley needs to see some improvements on his side of the ball. Packers fans should be scouring the transaction wire for help at the following three positions.
1. Edge rusher
Gutekunst and his staff spent two draft picks on edge rushers but neither projects to be a high impact player during their rookie campaigns. If either Barryn Sorrell or Warren Brinson pops it should only be considered to be a nice surprise by the Packers' coaching staff.
Rashan Gary returns as the team's nominal No. 1 edge rusher but he's slightly overstretched in that role. That puts a lot of pressure on whoever Green Bay lines up as their other defensive end to become a double-digit sack guy in 2025.
Lukas Van Ness is going to get the first chance to fill that role but he's more of a grinder than a high-impact rusher from the perimeter. That is the sort of player Green Bay should be looking to add during the preseason.
Those sorts of players don't grow on trees. The Packers will likely need to settle on a one-trick pony who can only rush the quarterback on obvious passing downs. No team will be willing to let a well-rounded edge rusher at this late stage of the offseason.
Finding an impact edge rusher won't be easy for Gutekunst but it could be the difference between a Wild Card berth and a division title for Green Bay in 2025.
2. Cornerback
The Packers spent big on Nate Hobbs in free agency but they also let Jaire Alexander walk for nothing. The net result is the Packers' defense still looking to be short of one outside cornerback heading into the regular season.
The franchise has floated the idea that Hobbs might be deployed in that role but his best work in the NFL has come as a nickel. If the campaign started today then Green Bay would trot Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as their starters on the perimeter. Nixon can be counted on to be a quality starter but Valentine is a stretch to be anything more than a spot starter on the other side.
The good news for Green Bay is that there are potentially viable options at cornerback available on the free agent market. Former Packer Rasul Douglas could be a prime candidate to return to Green Bay for another tour of duty. If the franchise really wants to take a big swing they might roll the dice on Asante Samuel's checkered medical history.
Adding one veteran corner would do wonders to help upgrade Green Bay's pass defense. It's a move Gutekunst must make in the coming weeks.
3. Interior offensive line
Offensive guard is another spot where the Packers spent big in free agency. Aaron Banks was brought in to be a new starter on the inside. His arrival allows Elgton Jenkins to shift to center to fill the void created by Josh Myers' departure in free agency.
The starting options on the inside look good for the Packers but the depth behind them is shaky. That's where Green Bay should look to add one more quality during the preseason. If someone like John Williams or Travis Glover is forced into serious action it could be disastrous for Green Bay.
The one wild card on the roster is former first-round pick Jordan Morgan. The coaching staff seems to like him but paying big money to Banks was not a vote of confidence in his ability to play a big role this season. Pairing another veteran with him on the depth chart at guard would provide increased safety for Love.
Signing a reserve guard won't blow Packers fans away in the coming weeks but it's the sort of clever depth move that helps teams survive the guantlet of a grueling 17-game regular season. It is a transaction that should be high on Green Bay's shopping list in the coming weeks.