Here we go. Eight long months after the Green Bay Packers' playoff dreams came crashing down in shambolic fashion, Week 1 is here.
And it has been a rollercoaster ride.
The Packers went through a mass exodus in free agency, with Rasheed Walker, Romeo Doubs, Quay Walker, and Malik Willis among the departures. General manager Brian Gutekunst also sent Rashan Gary and Dontayvion Wicks packing via trades.
Jeff Hafley is gone, replaced by Jonathan Gannon. So, too, is Gutekunst's right-hand man Jon-Eric Sullivan.
The Packers' eight-month wait is over. With Week 1 finally here, who were the biggest winners and losers from a tumultuous offseason?
Biggest winners and losers from the Packers' offseason
Winner: Matthew Golden
Green Bay has cleared the pathway for Matthew Golden's breakout season. Gutekunst made his vision clear for the wide receiver room, choosing not to re-sign Doubs before trading away Wicks. He then handed extensions to Christian Watson and Jayden Reed.
It vacates 131 targets in the Packers' offense, and Golden is by far the biggest beneficiary. With Reed still playing almost exclusively in the slot, Golden is now a starter alongside Watson in two-WR sets.
And Green Bay's 2025 first-round pick has made the most of his opportunities. He was arguably the MVP from training camp, and his stock is soaring ahead of the regular season.
Golden's lack of production last year can be blamed on a lack of opportunities. Not anymore. The Packers have pushed the door wide open for his breakout season.
Loser: Carrington Valentine
Carrington Valentine started 11 games for the Packers last season. He could begin Week 1 as the CB4.
While Keisean Nixon retained his spot in the lineup, Valentine has paid the price for the Packers' emphasis on upgrading the cornerback room. Second-round pick Brandon Cisse and free-agent addition Benjamin St-Juste have likely jumped ahead of him on the depth chart.
Cisse's arrival felt like bad news for Valentine at the time, but the depth chart shakeup has happened even faster than anyone could've anticipated. Valentine missed a chunk of training camp due to a hamstring injury. Cisse took advantage of the opportunity, and then some. The rookie seems to have taken the CB1 spot ahead of Nixon.
Entering a contract year, it's now increasingly likely this season will be Valentine's last in Green Bay. And snaps might not be easy to come by.
Winner: Jordan Morgan
Rasheed Walker started 48 games at left tackle for the Packers, but he has now gone. Considering his one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers is worth just $4 million, it would appear the Packers had no intention of bringing Walker back.
That's a strong vote of confidence in 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan, who is naturally a left tackle but had to shift around the offensive line for two years.
Morgan is finally at home in his most comfortable spot, and the early signs are encouraging. He has the light feet and athleticism to thrive while protecting Jordan Love's blindside. His work at left tackle in college made him a first-rounder in the first place. Morgan has enjoyed a strong summer, a sign that the best is yet to come.
Loser: Anthony Belton
It's a different story for Anthony Belton, the Packers' 2025 second-round pick.
Belton is facing the same problem Morgan did in his first two seasons. He's most comfortable playing tackle, but the door is slammed shut on a starting job there. The Packers experimented with Belton at right guard last season, where he made six starts, but the results weren't particularly encouraging.
The second-year lineman now finds himself in a tough spot. Belton is no longer a starter at right guard, but he has also struggled at tackle. It would appear he will be first off the bench should Morgan or Zach Bako-Bewele leave the field, but Belton would've had higher ambitions than being the swing tackle this season.
Winner: Jacob Monk
Jacob Monk is the presumed starter ahead of Belton at right guard. Nobody saw that coming.
Many viewed Monk as a cut candidate a year ago, but he started to turn things around in his first career start against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18. He played at center in that game, showing off his run-blocking ability while allowing zero sacks.
It caught the Packers' attention and led to opportunities at right guard this summer. Monk won the job surprisingly quickly. He still has a lot to prove, but his time has finally arrived.
Winner: MarShawn Lloyd
MarShawn Lloyd has dealt with the worst injury luck imaginable since entering the league. Those days are finally, hopefully, potentially over. Lloyd's offseason work with specialists appears to have paid off, as he made it through OTAs, minicamp, training camp, and the preseason without any setbacks, and he's now poised for a heavy workload in Week 1.
Lloyd looks as fast and explosive as ever, while showing off the receiving ability that will make him an X-factor in Matt LaFleur's offense.
And the Packers may need Lloyd more than they anticipated, given the uncertainty over Josh Jacobs' status. Lloyd will lead the backfield alongside trade pickup Kaleb Johnson while Jacobs is out.
Winner: Devonte Wyatt
Devonte Wyatt is a big winner. He landed a massive three-year, $57 million extension off the field, and on it, the Packers found him some help.
For much of last season, Wyatt was the only defensive lineman capable of helping Micah Parsons cause chaos in the backfield. His four sacks ranked third on the team behind Parsons and Rashan Gary, but Gary recorded zero in the final nine games. It was game over once the Packers lost Wyatt and Parsons to season-ending injuries.
Reinforcements have arrived. The Packers signed two-time Pro Bowler Javon Hargrave to start next to Wyatt, while third-round pick Chris McClellan can also play across the line. Add in some extra help off the edge with fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton (who also shifted inside a ton at training camp), and Wyatt finally doesn't have to do it alone.
The arrival of Hargrave and McClellan, in particular, should free up Wyatt to have an even bigger season.
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