While the summer season brings much enjoyment to the average person, for an NFL fan, it represents a desolate wasteland where Sundays just aren't quite as vibrant as in the autumn months. However, with each passing day, we inch closer to the beginning of the 2023 NFL season, which officially kicks off on September 8 this year. Whether you've had your favorite team's tweet notifications turned on all summer or if you've decided to tune out all football news entirely, you'll be able to learn everything you need to know about your team going into the 2022-23 season right here. In today's article, I'll be discussing the Green Bay Packers. I'm working on season guidebooks for all 32 NFL teams, which will all be released within the next few weeks. To check out another team's guidebook, click here: https://www.bucketsquadsportsreports.com/nfl 2021 Season Recap The Packers got off to a slow start in their 2021 debut, getting smoked by the Saints 38-3. There was some external panic on behalf of Green Bay, but Aaron Rodgers continued to R-E-L-A-X and proceeded to win the next seven games and lead his team to a 13-4 regular season record. The Packers looked poised to make a Super Bowl run after Rodgers' MVP regular season, but they met his kryptonite in the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional round of the playoffs and wound up losing 13-10 in a defensive thriller. Statistically, Green Bay really wasn't all that impressive in 2021. But they managed to just keep winning throughout the season. With Rodgers under center, they'll enter 2022 as heavy favorites to win the otherwise weak NFC North for the fourth year in a row. Significant Roster Moves By far the most significant name on this list is Davante Adams, who decided to sign a long-term deal with the Raiders rather than risk being stranded in Green Bay without Rodgers somewhere down the road. It's going to be huge loss for the Packers' offense, as Rodgers and Adams had an extraordinary connection on the field. The other losses listed above shouldn't really be that impactful going into next season, but it is a little concerning that the Packers didn't do much through free agency to at least bolster some depth at certain positions. Instead, they turned to the draft to accomplish this. 2022 Draft Class The Packers had eleven picks in the 2022 draft and concentrated their selections on receivers, linebackers, and offensive and defensive linemen. With their two first-round picks, they took two defensive players from Georgia, who had by far the best defense in college football last year. Quay Walker will start immediately at inside linebacker while Devonte Wyatt will also gain lots of playing time at the edge position. While they still refused to use a first round pick on a wide receiver, they did take a couple guys relatively early who are definitely going to contribute in Green Bay's offensive scheme. The three offensive linemen selected won't be immediate starters, but will serve as solid role players to begin their pro careers. Season Schedule The Packers will take on the NFC East and the AFC East to go along with their six divisional games. Their other three opponents are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and Los Angeles Rams. With an opponent prior season win percentage of .478, Green Bay has the 11th easiest schedule in the NFL. Green Bay's primetime games include one Thursday night game versus Tennessee, three Sunday night games versus Chicago, at Buffalo, and at Philadelphia, and one Monday night game versus the Los Angeles Rams. They will also play in London against the New York Giants in Week 5. Depth Charts Offense Defense Special Teams The Packers return 18 of their 22 offensive and defensive starters from a season ago, which is above average for all teams in the league. Green Bay will be in good shape to pick up right where they left off in 2021 despite losing their star receiver in the offseason. With elite quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, it really doesn't matter that much who is lined up at receiver. The offense should keep rolling rather smoothly barring any significant injuries. Coaching Staff Matt LaFleur enters his fourth season as head coach of the Packers. Adam Stenavich enters his first season as offensive coordinator after joining the Packers with LaFleur in 2019 as offensive line coach. Joe Barry begins his second season as defensive coordinator while Rich Bisaccia will serve as special teams coordinator for his first season in Green Bay. Betting Odds Oddsmakers have set the regular season win total for Green Bay at 11 games. As of right now, the Packers are the most likely team to win the NFC North and the second most likely team to win the NFC. At +1000 to win the 2023 Super Bowl, they are tied for third among all teams in the league. Bucket Squad Predictions I like this Packers team a lot and think they'll easily repeat as division champs by season end. I'm not sure how they'll compare to the other NFC powerhouses, namely the Rams and Bucs, but they should have another excellent shot at making a Super Bowl run in 2022.
Aaron Rodgers' career is in its final stretch and it's unknown how many more seasons he'll want to play. He will likely have fewer off-the-field distractions to worry about in 2022 and, being just one season removed from a season MVP performance, it's clear he still has the ability to win a championship. I'm rooting for Rodgers to collect a second Super Bowl ring, but each year that goes by will make that a little less likely. Packers fans are probably just praying they don't meet the 49ers in the playoffs again this time. What do you think? Will Green Bay be better or worse than I'm projecting? What offseason moves made by the Packers surprised you the most? Leave a comment down below and be sure to check the "NFL" section of the website for more NFL team guidebooks as I finish them. Written by Nick Swatson
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