2023 went better than anyone could have hoped and Jordan Love and the O give the fans a lot to be excited about in the future.
The NFC also looks to be there for the taking next season, so time to turn the page and consider what moves the Packers should and should not make this offseason in order finally make it back to another Super Bowl.
1) TRANSFORM THE DEFENSE. 95% of Packer fans expected Purdy to drive the Niners to that game winning TD. The defense underperforming has been going on for far too long. Coaching-wise, other, better defensive coordinators are surely available. Don't be complacent. Bringing Barry back would be a mistake.
As for the personnel, there were 8 1st round picks but no difference makers on the D in this season. It is time to consider doing something other than just drafting defense in round 1 for the 12th time in the last 13 years and hoping the D plays better (see #3 below).
2) MOVE ON FROM THE FOLLOWING VETERANS: Thank you for your service, but Bakh, Dillon, Runyan, Savage and Campbell should all be permitted to continue their careers elsewhere for both performance and salary cap reasons. Any others besides JAGs like Degaura & Nijman?
3) TRADE FOR OR SIGN AN ESTABLISHED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OR TWO. GB needs to add players who can come in and immediately help on defense. It has two 2nd, two 3rd, and two 4th round picks in the upcoming draft. That is sufficient ammunition to add a veteran defensive player via trade. Or, make room under the cap and sign an Antoine Winfield, Jr. caliber player (if not Winfield himself) who plays both intelligently and with passion.
Whether it was Reggie White or Charles Woodson back in the day or Z or Rasul more recently, those who have played with the most fire and had the greatest impact on the defense have often come from outside the organization.
4) D0N'T REACH FOR A DB IN ROUND 1. GB picks 25th in round 1 and has obvious needs at CB and S. HaHa, Randall, King, Savage, and Stokes are all DBs who were drafted at around that same point in the draft ... due to need.
It would be better to get a plus offensive lineman, RB, EDGE, DT, or ILBer at 25 than to draft yet another DB out of desperation.
5) GET ANOTHER RB. Aaron Jones was fantastic down the stretch but he is turning 30. Wilson is just a guy and Dillon needs to move on.
If Gutey could find a young RB, especially one with some speed, to go along with the Tackles, TEs, and WRs he's hit on in the past two drafts, the offense would be in awesome shape going forward.
6) OPEN THE COMPETITION AT KICKER. Gute nailed much of the 2023 draft, but Carlson in round 6 was a costly failure (at least this season when he missed the most kicks in the NFL). GB has two 6th and two 7th round picks. Try again.
With the 5th most capital in the upcoming draft and what should be more room under the cap than was available this season, the Pack has every opportunity to improve the roster in an attempt to win it all next season. Moreover, with Barry purportedly no longer under contract, there is no excuse to not at least try and improve the coaching on the defensive side of the ball.
What else should be done to get the Pack back to the big game?