The Philadelphia Eagles might be the NFC favorites, but one former NFL executive thinks another team is ready to make serious noise. Mike Tannenbaum just called the Green Bay Packers “absolutely loaded” and believes Jordan Love is about to have a breakout season. With their new first-round receiver and Love’s development, Green Bay could be the dark horse everyone’s sleeping on.
Why Does Mike Tannenbaum Think the Packers Are Ready to Explode?
Tannenbaum knows what he’s talking about when it comes to building NFL rosters. The former executive started his journey in 1994 as an intern with the New Orleans Saints, then moved to the Cleveland Browns before landing his big break in 1997. That’s when Bill Parcells brought him to the New York Jets, where he climbed the ladder from director of player contracts to become general manager and senior vice president of football operations.
While running the Jets, Tannenbaum helped the team win four playoff games and two AFC Championship games in one of the most successful periods in franchise history. After leaving New York in December 2012, he briefly worked as an agent at Priority Sports and Entertainment before the Miami Dolphins hired him as Executive Vice President of Football Operations in 2015.
Since leaving his front office role with Miami in 2018, Tannenbaum has become a major voice in football media. He’s now a prominent analyst for ESPN, founded “The 33rd Team”, and teaches at Columbia University, where he teaches a course called “Football Business Management: The Inner Workings of the NFL”. So when he talks about talent evaluation and team building, people listen.
That’s exactly what happened when Tannenbaum made headlines with his strong endorsement of Green Bay during a recent SportsCenter appearance. He didn’t just praise the Packers, he called them “absolutely loaded” and made a bold prediction about Love’s potential MVP-level play.
What Makes Jordan Love and Matthew Golden Such a Dangerous Combination?
“Jordan Love is going to get off to a great start,” Tannenbaum stated. “Finally, they’ve got a first-round receiver in Matthew Golden. That’s what this offense has been missing.
“If you take away a handful of throws from him where he had 11 interceptions last year, we could be talking about an MVP. This team is absolutely loaded. He’s gotten off to slow starts, but he’s going to get off to a better start, learn from his past, get Golden going, and they are going to be on fire,” he added.
The addition of Golden represents a major shift in Green Bay’s draft philosophy. After years of bypassing first-round wide receivers, the Packers selected Golden with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The move signals their commitment to giving Love the weapons he needs to succeed.
Golden’s path to Green Bay wasn’t straightforward. The transfer from Houston needed time to adjust to a new system and build chemistry with quarterback Quinn Ewers during his time with the Texas Longhorns. However, once he found his rhythm, Golden flourished in his lone season in Austin.
Remove two-way star Travis Hunter from the equation… here’s WR1 in the ’25 draft class. Matthew Golden, Texas.
Golden is the only guy in the class that moves like this!! Plus, great adjust skills when ball is in air and not enough credit for route savvy. pic.twitter.com/BcxW6uqi6k
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) March 24, 2025
The numbers from Golden’s 2024 season tell the story of why Green Bay was so eager to draft him. He led the team with 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns, showcasing the deep-threat ability and refined route running that earned him first-round draft status. Those skills are exactly what Tannenbaum believes will unlock Love’s potential and help the Packers make a serious run in the NFC.
Now in Green Bay, Tannenbaum believes Golden could be the key to helping Love and the Packers get over the hump in the NFC. With the Eagles expected to dominate and teams like Detroit and Washington getting attention, Green Bay might be the sleeper team that surprises everyone when the playoffs arrive.
