After narrowly scraping into a playoff spot a season ago, can the Green Bay Packers Lambeau Leap into another NFL postseason spot?
Finishing with a 9-7-1 record in arguably the NFL’s most competitive division, Green Bay was bounced in the Wild Card round by its NFC North foe, the Chicago Bears. Despite a 21-6 advantage heading into the fourth quarter, the Packers were unable to get it done, conceding 25 points in the final stanza and surrendering their lead.
Now, after an offseason of severe injury recoveries and some off-the-field controversy, head coach Matt LaFleur and his squad look forward to their week one matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
Green Bay Pegged as Middle of the Pack NFC Side Ahead of Week One
Mike Sando of “The Athletic” recited rankings from six anonymous NFL executives, asking each to rank teams 1–16 in both the AFC and NFC. For the Packers, their ranking appears heavily influenced by injuries to two key players from a season ago, as well as off-field issues involving an offensive starter.
Sando started by addressing the concerns mentioned and how the uncertainty among them affects the team’s stability ahead of kickoff.
“The Packers’ best players on both sides of the ball — tight end Tucker Kraft and pass rusher Micah Parsons — are rehabbing season-ending injuries,” said Sando. “Kraft could see his snaps limited early in the season, while Parsons will miss at least the first four games. Throw in Josh Jacobs’ arrest on domestic-violence charges, and the buzz is subdued.”
Jacobs’ situation is concerning for the Packers as the case continues to move along. Backup MarShawn Lloyd looks to be in line to be the starter in week one, barring a miraculous resolution involving Jacobs, who ranked 16th on PFN’s RB Impact Rankings last season.
Further securing the backfield, the Packers traded for former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson. The 23-year-old is entering just his second NFL season out of the University of Iowa. Despite being a standout with the Hawkeyes in college, the 6-foot-1 bruiser saw limited snaps during his rookie campaign with the Steelers.
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One of the defining moments in Johnson’s opening NFL season came in week two, when he attempted to return a kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks. Here, the ball carrier dropped the ball in the end zone, resulting in a Seattle touchdown, an instance Johnson believes contributed to his downfall in Pittsburgh.
Sports reporter Vince Lovergine posted an interview of the running back to X, sharing Johnson’s honest thoughts.
“At first, it was my mental errors that killed it for me. I feel like that kickoff killed me. From then on, it was just downhill from there,” said Johnson. “I give all the respect to the Steelers for giving me a chance, but now it’s Go, Pack, Go.”
#Packers new RB Kaleb Johnson on what went wrong in Pittsburgh.
“At first, it was my mental errors that killed it for me, the kick-off killed me… I give all the respect to the Steelers for giving me a chance but now its Go, Pack, Go.”#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/EXATYjkyOv
— Vince Lovergine (@Vince_Lovergine) September 1, 2026
In terms of the tight end position and giving Kraft a bit of a safety blanket, Green Bay signed another former Steeler in the form of Jonnu Smith. In Pittsburgh, the veteran operated in a three-tight-end system; this saw Smith catch just 38 passes for 222 yards.
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Second-year pro Barryn Sorrell seems to have won the job in Parsons’ absence as he fills in as a starter at the strongside linebacker position, according to the team’s initial depth chart.
Although the team has done its best to address issues at all three positions, one NFL executive remains unconvinced.
“I have concerns about their O-line, concerns about what they are doing at some of the skill positions, and we’ll see,” the executive told The Athletic. “I’m not super high on them. It’s a tough division, tough schedule.”
As a Week 1 divisional matchup looms, Green Bay will look to silence the doubters and open the 2026 campaign with a victory in Minnesota.
