The Green Bay Packers finished the season 11-6 and made the NFL Playoffs for the second season in a row. On the surface, this would appear to be a relatively successful season that most NFL fanbases would be pleased with. However, in Titletown, it is being viewed as a disappointment.
Regardless of whether this view is fair or not, the fact of the matter is that Green Bay struggled mightily against the best teams in the NFC. Unfortunately, in 2024, this included two teams within their own division.
The Packers finished 0-6 against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles (including the postseason) and just 1-5 against the rest of the division. These games showed fans, and the organization itself, just how far away they are from being true Super Bowl contenders.
The Green Bay Packers Have Reason to Be Optimistic
Despite the disappointing early exit from the NFL Playoffs, there is reason for optimism in Green Bay. Starting quarterback Jordan Love, it was revealed, was playing through injuries for most of the season. Despite this, he was still a productive quarterback and is under contract for the foreseeable future.
Additionally, the Packers have a surplus of funds that they will be able to spend this offseason on free agents to help improve their roster. What many fans fail to realize is that, over the last two seasons, Green Bay was the youngest team in the league. Despite this, they were able to make the postseason as the seventh seed in both years. Adding veterans will help cut down on the mistakes that plagued the team all year.
Finally, the two teams that finished ahead of the Packers in the NFC North, the Lions and Vikings, face many uncertainties and changes going into the offseason. Some of these questions are significant and the answers to them could result in changes that lead to their regression.
The Minnesota Vikings May Have to Pay Sam Darnold $40 Million a Year
As Packers fans are well aware, the Lions lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason. Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the Chicago Bears and Aaron Glenn is now the head coach of the New York Jets. How well the Lions play in 2025 could be largely determined with the success of the two coaches hired to replace them.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have a big question to answer at quarterback. Sam Darnold had a surprising Pro Bowl season while rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy missed the entire year with a torn ACL.
Darnold, a former top-three draft pick, had struggled as an NFL quarterback up until this season. His stellar year, though, has put him on the radar of quarterback-needy teams. It has also made Minnesota face the question of whether they should extend and keep him for the long-run or continue with their plan of moving on to McCarthy after one year.
According to ESPN, keeping Darnold will not be cheap. A recent article by NFL insider Dan Graziano states that the Vikings quarterback could be signed for three years and $120 million, with $75 million guaranteed.
Darnold completed 66.2% percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 102.5 passer rating last season.
Up until 2024, he had career averages of a 59.7% completion percentage, 2011 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and 78.3 passer rating per season.
