The Green Bay Packers have done a solid job of drafting and developing young talent under general manager Brian Gutekunst, but have not advanced past the NFC Divisional Round since the days of Aaron Rodgers under center.
After a one-and-done performance in the 2024 NFL postseason, can Packers’ fans expect the young talent on this roster to mature enough to become a Super Bowl contender in 2025?
It may seem like an unfair question to ask regarding Jordan Love after an injury-riddled 2024 campaign, but an objective fan would likely agree there was some regression from the Utah State product last year.
Love threw for over 700 fewer years and seven fewer touchdowns from his 2023 to 2024 seasons and played very poorly in the postseason against the Philadelphia Eagles — throwing for 212 yards, no scores, and three interceptions in a disappointing loss at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champs.
This performance felt like a big step backwards after annihilating the Cowboys in Dallas in his postseason debut and nearly pulling off a big upset on the road against the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 postseason.
Does some of Love’s regression require the context of playing through injuries last year? Yes, I believe that is totally fair.
Does his rough performance against a stingy Eagles’ defense in last year’s postseason deserve some context? Yes, but he did drop 260 yards and two scores against Philly in the season opener — which makes his poor performance in the playoffs feel a bit weak.
Does the Packers lack of a true go-to alpha receiver possibly limit Love from reaching his true potential as a passer? Yes, while I like some of the pass-catchers on the roster, it is fair to say they don’t have a receiver on the roster currently that feels like a top 25 option at the position.
I do believe 2025 could be a very telling year for Love. I expect the defense to continue to get better. Players like Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Xavier McKinney, and others should provide optimism about this unit possibly becoming an elite unit in the future.
The Packers also have a great head coach and playcaller in Matt LaFleur, which was evident by the coaching masterclass he put on when Malik Willis was pushed into starting duties with Love on the shelf.
Ultimately, Love’s turnovers in their postseason losses to the Niners and Eagles shouldn’t be ignored. If the Packers aren’t going to give Love an elite wide receiver, then he will have to be the reason Green Bay makes a deep postseason push.
