After two straight trips to the NFL Playoffs, the Green Bay Packers were naturally already feeling some pressure to take yet another step forward during the upcoming 2025 campaign.
And now, that pressure is off the charts after Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst swindled Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys to acquire all-world edge rusher Micah Parsons. Once barely ranked among the top 10 teams in the league as far as Super Bowl 60 odds are concerned, the Packers are now ranked in the top five in that regard and trail only one team in the NFC, that being the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, we're not quite prepared to predict that Green Bay will win the Super Bowl. But we will give you a freebie here at the start by calling for Matt LaFleur & Co. to win the NFC North for the first time since 2021.
But we think that's bold enough in itself, as the NFC North could very well once again be the deepest overall division in the league. And yes, that's giving the Chicago Bears some credit, as they should be far better than they've been over the last few years. But that's enough of that.
Getting back to Green Bay, here are a few more bold predictions that we genuinely believe will play out and help the Packers take a big step forward in 2025.
3 bold predictions for the Packers entering 2025 season
Jordan Love will be an NFL MVP finalist
While Jordan Love's overall numbers took a dip last season from what they were in his first year as Green Bay's starter in 2023, it's important to remember that he missed two games after going down with a knee injury in Week 1 and really wasn't right for a while after making his return.
But once he was genuinely healthy, he was as consistent as could be during the second half of the season, throwing nine touchdowns against zero interceptions during the Packers' final seven regular-season games. He also had four consecutive games during that stretch in which he earned a passer rating of at least 107.7, with his highest being a 129.2 outing in a win over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving night.
A procedure to treat an injury to the thumb of his non-throwing hand a few weeks back shut down Love's preseason, but he'll be good to go in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions and seems primed for a monster campaign in 2025.
For one, he's got the strongest overall receiving corps that he's had since taking over as QB1, and that's at both wide receiver and tight end. And secondly, opposing defenses have no choice but to stay honest against the Green Bay passing game because of what running back Josh Jacobs brings to the table.
It may be a little too much to predict that Love will win NFL MVP, but we do see him at least being one of the finalists for the award come February. Expect big-time numbers from No. 10 this year.
Matthew Golden will win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
As Matthew Golden is the first wideout to be taken by the Packers in the first round of the NFL draft since Javon Walker in 2002, there's naturally plenty of pressure on the 22-year-old to come in and contribute immediately.
And that's exactly what we expect the former Texas Longhorn to do.
As it stands now, the rookie record for receptions in Green Bay belongs to Jayden Reed, who recorded 64 in 2023. And the rookie record for receiving yards belongs to Packers' Hall of Famer Billy Howton, who went for 1,231 in 1952. We're calling for both of these marks to fall in 2025.
And as such, we're also calling for Golden to take Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He'll certainly face some stiff competition from the likes of Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward, Omarion Hampton, Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, and others, but we love (pun fully intended) his chances.
Rashan Gary, not Micah Parsons, will lead the Packers in sacks in 2025
Yep, you read that right. Rashan Gary, not Micah Parsons, will lead the Packers in sacks in 2025.
Now, let's not get this twisted. Parsons will still reach double-digit sacks for the fifth consecutive year, even with all of the double-teams that he'll command.
But here's the thing. Over the past few years, it was Gary who was forced to deal with those double-teams, as he's clearly been the Packers' best pass-rusher. That is no longer the case. And that's not a knock by any means. That's just a fact, and I'm sure he'd admit that himself.
Now, with opposing offensive lines being forced to deal with everything Parsons brings to the table, Gary will have a lot more room with which to work. And as such, he's going to hit double-digit sacks for the first time in his career. It'll be a close race, for sure, but we're calling for a 13.5-12.5 win for Gary. And even if things go the other way, it's obviously still a win for the Packers as a whole, which is all that matters at the end of the day.