The Green Bay Packers were the NFC’s top seed in the NFL playoffs for the second straight season. And this year, they failed to reach the conference title game.
For the third consecutive year, the Green Bay Packers won the NFC North. And for the second straight season, they were the conference’s top seed in the playoffs. It’s been quite run for head coach Matt LaFleur, who has won 39 of his 49 regular-season games since being hired by the team in 2019.
But who could have envisioned a team that was the only club in the NFL in 2021 not to lose a game at home coming up flat in a 13-10 loss to the wild card San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs at Lambeau Field?
There are a lot of things that have to be dealt with off the field by general manager Brian Gutekunst, including major salary-cap issues (via Spotrac). All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is slated to be a free agent. And who knows what the future holds for veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Still, there are other areas that the organization must look at over the next few months.
3. The Green Bay Packers must build offensive line depth
Multiple lineup changes due to injuries certainly hurt this unit. Two-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari played and started Week 18 at Detroit but that was his lone appearance of 2021. Meanwhile, 2020 Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins played in only eight games and finished the season on injured reserve. And versatile Billy Turner missed four games during the regular season as well.
In each of the past two drafts, general manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the offensive line with three selections. But the Packers haven’t used a first-round selection on this area since 2011 (T Derek Sherrod). Could that change in April? Could the team invest in a veteran in free agency, as was the case with Turner in 2019, despite some salary cap concerns?