NFC North: Biggest question for each team in 2020

Green Bay Packers: Can the Pack match up with the power teams in the NFL?

Lost in all the speculation about the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the fact that the Green Bay Packers utilized the 2020 NFL draft on adding a different kind of element to the team.

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While the onus was on the franchise moving up a few spots in the first round to draft Utah State quarterback Jordan Love and once again securing the future of the quarterback position (via Zach Kruse of PackersWire.com), the remainder of the team’s eight selections put an onus on power football. And it’s an aspect that the defending NFC North champions failed miserably at in 2019.

Including a playoff split with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, Matt LaFleur’s club won 14 out of 18 contests. The four losses were to the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers and twice to the Niners. In those games, the Packers surrendered a disappointing 134 points (33.5 average), compared to only 239 points in their 14 victories – a mere 17.1 points per outing.

More significantly, it was the two losses to the San Francisco in which the Pack allowed 37 points and frankly were physically pushed around by Kyle Shanahan’s team. So why not try beating the 49ers at their own game?

Hence, LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst added a running back (A.J. Dillon), a blocking tight end (Josiah Deguara) and three offensive linemen (6 Jon Runyan, Jake Hanson and Simon Stepaniak) – the latter three in the sixth round – in April’s draft.