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Weak link that will sink Packers’ Super Bowl hopes during 2026 season
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- Weak link that will sink Packers’ Super Bowl hopes during 2026 season
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This has been a very challenging offseason for the Green Bay Packers , and only the most optimistic observer would say that the team is in better shape now than it was at the end of last season when the team lost its last five games.
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The biggest problem is that the Packers will not have superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons at the start of the season and the likelihood is that he will not be back before midseason. That's just an estimation, and if all things go well, perhaps Parsons will be in uniform by Week 6 or 7. However, it may not be until Week 10 or 11 that he returns from his torn ACL.
This is obviously a huge issue, as the Packers were 9-3-1 at the time Parsons left the lineup and they closed the year with four straight regular-season losses and then fell to the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card round. They suffered two bitter defeats to their ancient rivals, and that has stuck with the team throughout the offseason.
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In addition to the Parsons injury, the Packers suffered several defections in the offseason. Green Bay lost wideout Romeo Doubs , left tackle Rasheed Walker , linebacker Quay Walker , cornerback Nate Hobbs and offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins .
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None of those losses are going to doom the Packers by themselves, but the fact that they are replacing so many players and waiting for Parsons to return intact are all concerns. It is up to head coach Matt LaFleur to get this team on track and keep it there, and he at least has a solid quarterback in Jordan Love to help the team stay focused.
Love is coming off career bests in completion percentage (66.3) and passer rating (101.2). His 23-6 TD-interception ratio is a sensational figure to build off of going into the 2026 season.
New additions on defense must hold the line until Parsons returns
The Packers were unable to come up with enough big plays and stops in the final weeks of the season, and that's why they lost their grip on the NFC North title and had to settle for a Wild Card position. The Packers understand that the defense has to do a better job while the team waits for Parsons to return, and they have added defensive end Javon Hargrave from the Minnesota Vikings and Zaire Franklin from the Indianapolis Colts .
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The latter move became a necessity when Walker left through free agency to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders . Franklin is a tackling machine and he led the NFL in that category with 173 stops during the 2023 season. He can go sideline to sideline and make key tackles without letting ball carriers or receivers slip through his grasp.
The Packers also like Hargrave quite a bit as he was a two-time Pro Bowler during his run with the Vikings. They believe that pairing Hargrave with Devonte Wyatt will give the defense a pair of ends who can cause havoc and make a difference.
That would seem to be a fair conclusion if they had Parsons in the lineup, but the pair will have to prove they can cause problems for opposing offenses without their star edge rusher through the first half of the season.
LaFleur must keep it together after playoff failures
Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
The Packers have been a playoff team in six of LaFleur's seven seasons as Green Bay's head coach. However, they have lost their last two Wild Card games, and the defeat to the Bears in the postseason was especially galling because they had a 27-16 lead with less than seven minutes to play and let that lead turn into a 31-27 defeat.
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In addition to the personnel changes on defense, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is gone and Jonathan Gannon takes over that unit. Gannon will try to ensure that the Packers can handle their business in the final moments — something that the defense could not do during last year's stretch run.
The heat is on LaFleur to get the team back on track in the NFC North. The challenge is immense because the Bears are a major concern with Caleb Williams at quarterback, the Lions are likely to bounce back after a disappointing season and the Vikings will be solid if Kyler Murray fits in at quarterback.
The Packers expect to have a big-play offense even though they lost Doubs to the Patriots . They a solid No. 1 receiver in Christian Watson and game-changing speed in wideouts Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed . Tight end Tucker Kraft looks like he is in great shape after suffering a torn ACL in Week 9. This receiving crew could exceed expectations.
Running back Josh Jacobs had a troubling offseason due to off-the-field domestic abuse issues. While no formal charges by the Brown (Wis.) County District Attorney have been filed yet, the matter is still under investigation. If he misses time, it will clearly have a negative impact on the team's performance. Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 TDs last season.
Related: The failed 'experiment' that could still turn to gold for Jordan Love, Packers
