It's no secret that the Green Bay Packers dealt with a lot of injuries during the 2024 NFL season, which naturally exposed some weaknesses on the overall depth chart.
And it's the combination of those two things that at least one analyst believes could hinder Green Bay's chances to genuinely contend for a Lombardi Trophy during the upcoming campaign.
Recently, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin took a look at the top 10 betting favorites to win Super Bowl 60 and pinpointed each team's biggest "red flag" heading into the 2025 season, listing "depth and durability" as his primary concern for the Packers.
And he's not wrong.
On a side note, it's undoubtedly worth noting that Green Bay was one of three NFC North teams included in the breakdown, the only exclusion being the Chicago Bears. So, that's fun for Cheeseheads.
For those wondering, Benjamin went with "staffing shakeups" for the Detroit Lions and "quarterback uncertainty" for the Minnesota Vikings. But let's get back to his thoughts on the Packers.
Injuries hit the Packers hard on both sides of the ball last season
Here's exactly what he had to say about Green Bay:
"It was one thing for Jordan Love to battle multiple injuries in 2024; it was another for the quarterback to lose practically his entire receiving corps to various ailments by year's end," Benjamin said.
While quarterback Jordan Love technically only missed two games, sitting out Weeks 2 and 3, getting hurt at the tail end of Green Bay's Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil didn't do him any favors. He also left early in games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears.
It took him some time to get his rhythm back, and once he did, he put together a fantastic second half of the season, tossing zero interceptions over the final seven games of the year after throwing 11 in his first eight appearances.
Benjamin added: "The Packers did their best to bolster their depth this offseason, spending not one but two early draft picks on receiver help, but at the end of the day, Matt LaFleur needs his arsenal to stay on the field to ensure his steady rate of postseason bids continues. That includes on defense, where Nate Hobbs will be tasked with filling the shoes of the also-oft-banged-up Jaire Alexander."
Benjamin was certainly spot-on in his assessment of the Packers' receiving corps. Tight end Luke Musgrave missed 10 games. Romeo Doubs suffered a pair of concussions, and that's not to mention his one-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Jayden Reed didn't miss any action but was clearly slowed down at times by nagging injuries. And Christian Watson, of course, tore an ACL in the regular-season finale against the Bears, an injury that could very well cost him at least half of the 2025 season.
As mentioned, Green Bay did bolster the depth chart at wide receiver during the draft, taking Matthew Golden in Round 1 and Savion Williams in Round 3, both of whom could come in and contribute immediately.
But it wasn't only receivers that caught the injury bug on offense, as first-round lineman Jordan Morgan and third-round running back MarShawn Lloyd each suffered season-ending ailments. So, it'll be interesting to see how they bounce back.
Defensively, cornerback Jaire Alexander's absence was easily the most noteworthy, as the two-time Pro Bowler missed another 10 games, upping his total to 34 missed regular-season contests out of a possible 68 from 2021 to 2024.
The Packers obviously took care of that problem by releasing him. But free-agent acquisition Nate Hobbs has had some injury concerns of his own, missing 16 games over the past three seasons.
But it wasn't only Alexander who missed time for the Green Bay defense last year, as Carrington Valentine, Edgerrin Cooper, Devonte Wyatt, Quay Walker, and Evan Williams all missed at least two games.
It's also not overly encouraging that the Packers' most expensive acquisition this offseason, left guard Aaron Banks, sat out all of minicamp, as did the vast majority of the team's Day 3 rookies, the lone exception being sixth-round defensive tackle Warren Brinson.
There are obviously still two and a half months before Green Bay's regular-season opener against the Lions. So, excluding Watson, of course, those currently dealing with ailments have some time to heal.
But Benjamin's overall concern is valid. If the Packers are healthy, they will unquestionably compete for a spot in the postseason for the third straight season. But while they're stronger than they were a year ago, depth is still an issue at several positions. As such, starters staying healthy will be paramount to Green Bay's success in 2025.