It's easy to forget the fact that the Green Bay Packers finished third inside their own division in 2024. Their 11-6 record looks good on the surface, but it was not good enough to top the Lions or the Vikings in the NFC North standings last season.
Head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff head into Week 1 with higher expectations. They firmly believe they have the roster talent required to move up two spots inside their own division. That is one of the reasons why Packers.com beat writer Wes Hodkiewicz recently declared that Green Bay has the "highest ceiling" of any team in the NFC North.
That might seem like a bold call for a team that finished third last year but it's entirely justified. Packers fans looking for reasons to back that claim up should keep a close eye on the following three reasons why Green Bay might be in for a memorable campaign.
1. Jordan Love can be the best quarterback in the NFC North
The Packers offense will only go as far as their star quarterback takes them this season. Fortunately for fans in Green Bay, Jordan Love plays for their favorite franchise.
He may not be the perfect NFL signal caller, but there's plenty to like about the 26-year-old gun slinger. Love plays the quarterback position with real bravado. His desire to push the ball down the field is evident any time he drops back to pass. This year, the acquisition of Matthew Golden might finally give him a No. 1 wideout capable of helping him maximize those deep throws.
Love is clearly going to be more productive than J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings trust their young quarterback but he will inevitably experience growing pains in his first season as a starter. Bears' starter Caleb Williams might be further along, but he's got to do a lot of learning in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense. He should still be more flash than substance in his second year.
That leaves Love to duel things out with Jared Goff for the honor of being the top quarterback in the division. Goff is excellent at executing what Detroit asks him to do, but he lacks the off platform abilities that can make Love a transcendent offensive player. When in doubt, quarterback talent drives success in the modern NFL. If Love plays like the best quarterback in the NFC North then Green Bay could be in for a big season.
2. The physical running game
Love enjoys throwing the ball all over the field, but LaFleur bases a lot of his offensive game plan on his team's ability to run the ball between the tackles. That's where Josh Jacobs does his best work. Green Bay overworked their No. 1 running back last year but he proved he's able to carry a physical load on the inside.
That should position the Packers to take better advantage of play action in 2025. Interestingly, they shied away from playing that card frequently in 2024. A healthy Love and the aforementioned acquisition of Golden should help Green Bay increase their play action percentage and effectiveness this year.
Jacobs' ability to grind out yards can also help the Packers win tight games in inclimate weather. That's always important for a team that plays half their games at Lambeau Field. Sometimes the weather will not line up well for pristine aerial attacks. Jacobs can bludgeon opposing defenses in any weather condition.
The Lions are physical up front too, but Green Bay's commitment to the ground game will post Detroit and rest of the division major problems all season long. There's some concern about who the Packers' second running back will be but Jacobs will give them excellent production as long as he stays healthy.
3. Green Bay finally has a No. 1 edge rusher
Waiting to mention the Micah Parsons trade until the No. 3 spot on this list might be a classic example of burying the lead. GM Brian Gutekunst managed to solve his roster's biggest weakness in one transaction by nabbing the disgruntled edge rusher.
Adding Parsons to the defensive depth chart should allow everyone else to slot into a more comfortable work load. Rashan Gary as miscast as a No. 1 defensive end but should be one of the most productive No. 2 pass rushers in the NFL. Questions about the team's options at cornerback should also be eased by Parsons' ability to terrorize opposing quarterbacks.
There's no way around the fact that landing Parsons gives coordinator Jeff Hafley's defense the ceiling of a top-five unit in the league. That might be a bit too ambitious for them as they adjust to life with a premier pass rusher but landing in the top-10 should give Green Bay enough defensive balance to emerge as legitimate Super Bowl contenders.