ESPN completely overlooks Packers QB supporting cast

The Green Bay Packers' offense continues to get overlooked. What's new?

Jordan Love enters year one as the Packers' starting quarterback this season, and he will be surrounded by a new-look supporting cast.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently ranked all 32 supporting casts around the league. That just includes wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs.

Barnwell has the Packers 28th.

He noted that the average age of the Packers' wide receivers and tight ends is 23.4 years old.

Barnwell wrote: "That would see the team field the second-youngest corps of wide receivers and tight ends going back through 1990, behind only the 2017 Browns, who went 0-16."

We shouldn't confuse a lack of experience with a lack of talent. The Browns' leading receiver that season was a running back. Their top three wide receivers were Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins, and Corey Coleman (not including Josh Gordon, as he only played five games).

The Packers have far more receiving talent.

Louis, the Browns' best wide receiver in 2017, caught 45 passes for 562 yards and no touchdowns in his 32-game NFL career. Christian Watson had 523 yards and seven touchdowns in the final eight games last season.

But mentioning the Packers' supporting cast in the same sentence as the 0-16 Browns wasn't Barnwell's worst take in the piece.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell gets it horribly wrong about Packers offense

Lacking confidence in the Packers' receiving corps is somewhat understandable due to their lack of experience, but there's no denying the talent at running back.

However, Barnwell isn't convinced.

He wrote: "The saving grace for the Packers in previous years might have been their running back rotation, but they underwhelmed last season. Aaron Jones averaged 5.3 yards per carry, but the veteran fumbled five times on 272 touches, leading the team to push through a pay cut."

Averaging 5.3 yards per carry and setting a new career-high in rushing yards is underwhelming? Jones's receiving numbers were also the second-best of his career.

As for the pay cut, it's hard to believe Jones' five fumbles were to blame. It was a cap-saving move. Jones' 2023 cap hit was north of $20 million, so the Packers had to make a move to significantly lower it.

There's no doubt that the Packers' young supporting cast has it all to prove. The receivers are inexperienced. But 28th in the NFL? That's incredibly harsh, especially given their running back talent.

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