Green Bay Packers: Why fans should be optimistic for 2019

Green Bay Packers fans haven’t had the best of times over the past two seasons, but things could change as they enter the 2019 campaign.

The Green Bay Packers are one of the few franchises in the NFL that are generally run well with consistency. But the past two years with the 2017 and 2018 seasons have not been something that Packers fans have been used to.

In just the past two years, Packers fans have had to experience a long-time coach being fired, their star quarterback being hurt twice, losing a fan-favorite player and numerous articles coming out regarding the dysfunction within the team. By no means is this as bad as some other franchises, but Packer fans haven’t had a lot to get them excited recently — that is, until now. Before we get into all the things that Packers fans have to look forward to, we must dive deep into the not so good things that the Packers fans had to deal with.

Rarely, if ever, do teams hit the jackpot twice in a row on quarterbacks, but Green Bay did just that. Brett Favre was the man in Green Bay until the Packers put their trust in Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl win and it was impossible not to have faith in the Pack as long as he was at the helm.

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That, of course, was until that fateful week in October 2017 against the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers was rolling out of the pocket and got hit by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr, breaking his collarbone. What resulted that season was the Packers losing that games against the Vikings and finishing the season going 3-6 in their final nine outings.

Losing Rodgers for the season was basically the end of the hopes for the Packers and it should have with the poor quarterback play that came after Rodgers was injured. Brett Hundley was Rodgers’ backup and took his spot when Rodgers was injured. In six games, Hundley put up a 60.8 percent completion rate, 1,836 yards, nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Rodgers wasn’t only hurt in 2017, but also in the 2018 season as well. In Week 1 against the Bears, Rodgers hurt his leg. He ended up playing all season with the Packers — though at less than 100 percent — but Green Bay only ended up with a 6-9-1 record to finish the season.

Rodgers’ injury wasn’t the only bad thing about the 2018 season for the Green Bay Packers, however. The 2018 roster seemed as normal to every Packers fan, except for one thing — or player, rather. In the offseason, the Packers cut a long time fan favorite and Aaron Rodgers favorite, Jordy Nelson.

Nelson arguably was Rodgers’ favorite target from the time that Nelson joined the Packers. While with the Packers, he had three seasons of 85 or more receptions and one season in which he led the league in touchdowns. Not only was Nelson a team favorite but he was a fan favorite.

He was born in midwestern rural Kansas and played at Kansas State and, when the Packers drafted him, Nelson was a perfect fit for the small-town Packers. He was such a fan favorite with the Packers that a local minor league baseball team, the Wisconsin Timberrattlers, had a charity softball game headed by Nelson himself.

After all of that, there are some pretty bright signs of hope for the Packers fans. One of the new bright signs that fans have to look forward to is new general manager Brian Gutekunst.

His predecessor, Ted Thompson, was highly criticized by Packers fans for his lack of free agency spending The biggest free agent signing that Thompson made was Charles Woodson. Woodson was an all-time great player for the Packers, but besides an aging Julius Peppers and Jeff Saturday who ended his career in the NFL with one season with Green Bay, that was all the free agent movement to speak on. Things with Brian Gutekunst are a little different.

The 2019 offseason alone has been one that the Packers faithful haven’t been used to. The Gutekunst has been more aggressive than they ever were under Thompson in free agency. Green Bay signed multiple free agents this offseason in the form of Billy Turner, Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Adrian Amos. Every player, outside of maybe Turner, can make an immediate impact on the Packers in 2019.

The Packers also did well in the draft. Green Bay drafted Rashan Gary with their 12th pick, who could end up being a solid edge player, and also drafted safety Darnell Savage with a second first-round pick (trading up to get him) to play alongside Amos. Gutekunst also helped out Aaron Rodgers by drafting arguably the best interior offensive lineman in the nation, Elgton Jenkins, and taking an underrated tight end in Jace Sternberger.

Another big change for the Packers is one that fans might like. This past season, Green Bay fired longtime head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy was part of the Packers’ Super Bowl championship in 2011, but the McCarthy scheme and style got a little stale. Along with being stale, it seemed as though that McCarthy and Rodgers relationship was a bit strained.

Going into the offseason there were many rumors as to who the next Packers head coach would be and it’s fair to say the result was a bit of a surprise. Matt LaFleur was formally the offensive coordinator of the Tennesee Titans and performed well enough given the state of the Titans offensive weapons. However, he could be a pleasant surprise in Green Bay.

I’m not saying that the Packers are going to launch themselves into being Super Bowl favorites. However, the Packers will likely make the playoffs this season after missing the past two years and could do some damage. From LaFleur to Gutekunst with the new moves that have gone on in the Packers organazation, the Packers faithful should be happy