3 crucial questions facing the Packers' offense this offseason

Coming down the home stretch of the 2023 season, the Green Bay Packers offense was dominant. Unfortunately, several factors got in the way of the Packers building on that success this past season, including injuries to Jordan Love and his receivers coming down with a severe case of the drops.

Yet, with all these issues, the 2024 Packers still won 11 games, and the future for the offense remains bright. After adding free agent Josh Jacobs, they fielded their best-run game in over two decades. Tight end Tucker Kraft showed great potential on his way to catching 50 passes for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. Not to mention, Matt LaFleur pulling on the strings as one of the best offensive minds in the game.

The offense does have some work to do, and this is shaping up to be a crucial offseason for the Packers if they hope to reach their potential as a legitimate Super Bowl threat.

Brian Gutekunst made a couple of free-agent signings, securing starting guard Aaron Banks and return specialist/gadget receiver Mecole Hardman. Relying mostly on the draft with the occasional dip into free agency, Gutekunst has done a commendable job maximizing the talent level of the Packers' roster.

There is still a long way to go before next season, and the approach Gutekunst takes over the next couple of months could significantly impact the offense moving forward. Today, we are looking at three important questions surrounding the short and long-term outlook of the offense.

Who will start at center in 2025?

After allowing Josh Myers to walk in free agency, Green Bay will have a new starting center next season. Myers agreed to a one-year deal worth just $2 million to join the New York Jets, indicating he had a very weak market despite being a four-year starter. His parting leaves plenty of room for improvement.

Dan Dalman, arguably the top free-agent center, signed a lucrative three-year deal with the Bears. Green Bay instead pursued Banks, who has played all but five snaps at left guard since the start of his NFL journey.

Green Bay could also look to address the center spot in the draft as they did when they took Myers to step in for Corey Linsley. However, putting faith in a rookie is inherently risky, so the only other option is to look internal. With 369 career snaps at center and regarded as one of the top center prospects during the 2019 draft cycle, Elgton Jenkins is the most likely replacement for Myers. That means removing Jenkins from his usual spot at left guard, where he has been named to two Pro Bowls, and replacing him with Banks. The Packers have long preached about putting their best five offensive linemen on the field, and right now, that would probably mean moving Jenkins to center.

Whatever direction the team decides to go in, this isn't a decision they can take lightly. Center carries a lot of responsibility as far as identifying defensive alignments and making pre-snap adjustments while also having outstanding chemistry with the quarterback.

Who is RB2?

Green Bay's run game is in good hands as long as Jacobs is around and healthy. Finishing the year as the league's sixth-leading rusher, Jacobs was responsible for a good portion of the offense, but had he sustained an injury, the offense may have gone on life support.

Outside of giving Jacobs a brief rest, the Packers did not have to rely heavily on any of their backup running backs. When given opportunities, Emanuel Wilson did a nice job as RB2 in 2024, finishing with 508 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 106 carries, though this increased workload was a direct result of injuries and ailments that tormented Marshawn Lloyd's rookie season. The third-round pick managed only six carries for 15 yards in a single appearance.

Preferring to have three running backs available on gameday, Green Bay signed Chris Brooks following his release from the Miami Dolphins. Even though Brooks averaged just a little over three touches per game, he distinguished himself as a good blocker and even played some fullback.

While the Packers probably hope Lloyd can bounce back to secure the RB2 spot in 2025, they still have to ensure the run game will remain effective if something happens to Jacobs. If the team wants to add more competition to the room, they could do so in the draft, though it would likely be a Day 3 pick.

What does the future hold for this WR group?

While many analysts and fans have been concerned about Green Bay finding a legit No. 1 wide receiver, Gutekunst is likely more concerned with who amongst this current group will still be on the roster in 2-3 years.

Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are both entering what could be their final seasons with the Packers. Watson will miss most of the next season recovering from a significant knee injury, which puts his future with the team in doubt, considering he hasn't had a healthy season since being drafted 34th overall in 2022. Meanwhile, it would not be shocking if Doubs wanted a change of scenery when his contract ends. He skipped multiple practices last season, reportedly because he was unhappy with his role on the offense.

That leaves Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, who were both first-team all-butterfingers in 2024, combining for 18 drops. This season was especially disappointing for Wicks coming off an offseason where he was labeled as a breakout candidate. Instead, he caught just 51.7 percent of the passes thrown his way and ended up with 166 fewer receiving yards than he had as a rookie.

Reed showed more promise in Year 2, leading the team in receptions and yards, but his impact plummeted during the second half of the season. After Week 10, he averaged just 29.6 receiving yards per game after averaging 68.9 through the first nine. Reed has been Green Bay's most consistent and dynamic receiver over the last two seasons, but the drops and lack of consistency need to improve.

Right now, it's hard to say if any of these receivers are worthy of a second contract. Reed makes the most sense at the moment, though there's still time for someone else to emerge.

Either way, the Packers are known for being a forward-thinking organization, so expect them to dedicate one or a few draft picks to add to the receiver room.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers offseason: 3 crucial questions facing the offense this year

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3 crucial questions facing the Packers' offense this offseason

Who will start at center in 2025?

Who is RB2?

What does the future hold for this WR group?

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