The Green Bay Packers plugged several roster holes in the offseason but also failed to address a handful of needs.
These needs could be exposed throughout the year unless general manager Brian Gutekust works his magic. If he doesn't, the Packers will need to lean on Jordan Love more than they'd probably like. Then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Of all the issues the Packers have, the quarterback position isn't one of them with Love in the mix. In fact, ESPN suggests that he could be a legitimate MVP candidate next season.
The Packers quietly paved the way for Jordan Love to have an MVP season
The ESPN staff came up with a list of 100 predictions for 2026 and drew up a list of 10 MVP candidates. Jordan Love made the cut. The reasoning is that he had the third-best QBR last year. On the other hand, ESPN argues that Green Bay would have to go pass-heavy for him to truly have a shot. Here's the skinny.
"Love quietly ranked third in QBR (72.7) last season behind only Maye and Brock Purdy," ESPN wrote. "In order for him to win MVP, the Packers would have to become more pass-heavy. But it would probably be a good move for Green Bay to do exactly that, so Love has a chance."
Matthew Stafford was the league MVP last year, and Drake Maye finished second in voting. Aside from these two, Love would have to compete with the likes of Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and long shots such as Trevor Lawrence and Dak Prescott. This is a long-winded way to say that No. 10 will face stiff competition.
Working in his favor is that he's got a well-rounded wide receiver corps even after the Dontayvion Wick trade and Romeo Doubs bolting to the New England Patriots. Specifically, Jayden Reed has shown steady progress (and just signed an extension), while the Packers are confident that Matthew Golden can make a substantial leap in Year 2. With Christian Watson serving as the No. 3, the 2020 first-round pick will have no shortage of weapons.
Another thing that could boost Love's MVP candidacy is that the Packers will have a relatively easy slate of games to start the season, with favorable matchups against teams like the New York Jets, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Dallas Cowboys. Granted, there's no such thing as a guaranteed win in the NFL, but Green Bay has more than enough talent on both sides of the ball to post a winning record in the first half of the season.
Jordan Love will also face roadblocks to become a legitimate MVP candidate
More often than not, MVP candidates have a pretty good supporting cast. And there's no doubt that Jordan Love will get plenty of help, but the Packers have a handful of roster voids that could end up hurting his candidacy. One of the biggest ones is that Green Bay may need to go pass-heavy out of necessity.
Josh Jacobs is dealing with off-field issues, while MarShawn Lloyd has yet to prove that he can stay healthy. That could lead the Packers to pass more, which would, in turn, make their offense more predictable. It's also worth noting that budding star Tucker Kraft is recovering from an ACL. He could suit up in the opener but may not be back at full strength.
Last but not least, the offensive line has a handful of question marks. That could most definitely make things difficult for Love. On defense, Micah Parsons probably won't be ready to start the year, and Green Bay doesn't truly have anyone who can step in during his absence.
When you add it all up, Jordan Love will have to make up for his team's shortcomings. If he pulls it off, he should most definitely be an MVP candidate.
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