The Green Bay Packers do not feature one of the best collections of skill players in the NFL. Quarterback Jordan Love is asked to do more than many of his peers at the quarterback position. That does not mean ESPN was correct to rank the group as the No. 17 unit in all of the NFL.
For the purposes of clarity, ESPN's ranking was based on Green Bay's collection of talent at wide reciver, tight end and running back. Love and backup Malik Willis did not figure into the evaluation. Offensive line was the other position group that did not figure into this particular set of rankings.
As usual, ESPN got some pieces of their evaluation right while missing out on some others. This piece will walk through exactly what the media giant hit and what they missed. Packers fans should read on for a more nuanced look at how their skill position players are going to perform in 2025.
What ESPN got right about the Packers' skill players
Some Packers fans might not want to acknowledge that Josh Jacobs is not an elite NFL running back, but a close look at his statistics makes that an obvious conclusion. ESPN correctly dings the highly-paid runner for finishing 15th out of 23 NFL backs in success rate last season. His raw numbers were much better than any of his more nuanced, underlying metrics.
Proponents of the former Raiders star will correctly point out that he was overused by Green Bay last season. He put up solid yards per carry numbers but he was stuffed at the line of scrimmage far too often to keep the Packers' offense on schedule. Some additional time on the sidelines next year might allow him to improve his effiiciency in a way that adds explosiveness to head coach Matt LaFleur's ground game.
ESPN also nailed the easy shots they took regarding some of Green Bay's returning wide receivers. Dontayvion Wicks absolutely has to improve his hands if he's going to carve out a long-term home with the Packers. He was tied for last in catch score last year, along with notable draft bust Quentin Johnston. He has to take a big step forward in 2025.
Questions about Romeo Doubs' maturity as a player also justifiably pulled down the skill group's ranking. Getting suspended for one game and carping about his workload was not a good look for the talented wide receiver. It's fair to wonder where his head will be after watching his front office draft two new wideouts in the first three rounds of April's draft.
What ESPN got wrong about the Packers' skill players
The biggest miss by ESPN was their criticism of slot receiver Jayden Reed. They slated him for being inconsistent in 2024, but much of that blame should fall on LaFleur and his offensive coaching staff. His target share varied wildly from week to week and that weakness should be rectified with improved coaching this season.
ESPN gave Tucker Kraft credit for his breakout season but didn't price in the possibility that Luke Musgrave could bounce back from his injury-riddled campaign. It's easy to envision a scenario where Musgrave and Kraft give the Packers one of the best tight end duos in the NFL next season. That could be a massive boost for the team's rushing and passing attack.
Perhaps the biggest mistake of ESPN's piece was not being more optimistic about rookie wide receivers Matthew Golden or Savion Williams. Golden, in particular, gives Love the sort of potential No. 1 wideout he's never really gotten a chance to work with in his prime. Yes, it's difficult to forecast the production of rookie wideouts in the NFL but it's also true that a number of players have turned into immediate stars during their inaugural pro seasons.
So where should ESPN have ranked the Packers' skill players?
Ranking the group as the 17th best unit in the NFL isn't an egregious error but it does undersell the quality GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff have assembled. It is not a perfect collection of talent, but it also deserves to be ranked somewhere in the top-half of the league.
A more reasonable evaluation would have seen Green Bay's group of skill players ranked around the No. 10 mark in the NFL. It may lack the star receiver that some groups ahead of them possess, but there's more depth in the Packers' receiver room than they are getting credit for. If Golden pops as an immediate No. 1 option for Love then these rankings could look foolish by the time the postseason arrives.