Not every offseason move by the Green Bay Packers seems like a sure thing, but several are already showing positive results.
General manager Brian Gutekunst faced a tough task trying to match last year’s success. In 2023, he secured a strong deal in the Aaron Rodgers trade, drafted key players like Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft, Dontayvion Wicks, and Carrington Valentine, and helped assemble a promising young team around Jordan Love.
Jordan Love’s late-season surge reopened a Super Bowl window that had only just closed, prompting the Packers to focus on building a championship-caliber roster this offseason.
Though it’s only Week 3, Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur are already looking brilliant for their choices.
Offseason moves that already make the Packers look like geniuses
Signing Josh Jacobs
By halftime of the Packers’ season opener, fans were feeling some regret and longing for Aaron Jones to come back. Josh Jacobs had only managed four yards on six carries.
However, Jacobs has since reminded everyone why he was the NFL’s rushing champion two years ago, racking up 231 yards on 44 carries over the last six quarters. This includes an impressive 32-carry performance in last week’s win against the Indianapolis Colts.
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Jacobs is showing he can handle a heavy workload when needed. From the first two games, it’s easy to see why the Packers made the rare move of spending big to sign him, especially at running back. Jacobs remains one of the league’s top backs.
Though he won’t carry the ball 32 times every game, his current pace would push him near 2,000 rushing yards for the season, underscoring just how remarkable his start has been.
Signing Xavier McKinney
The day the Packers signed Josh Jacobs, they also added Xavier McKinney, making him the fourth-highest-paid safety in the NFL.
So far, that deal looks like a steal.
In just two weeks, McKinney is tied for the league lead with two interceptions, snagging picks against both the Eagles and Colts. He’s also contributed eight tackles and two pass defenses, quickly proving his value.
Xavier McKinney this season:
🟢 2 INTs (1 of just 2 players with multiple)
🟡 76 coverage snaps
🟢 8 receiving yards allowed
🟡 20.8 passer rating allowed pic.twitter.com/a8KuKINip2— PFF GB Packers (@PFF_Packers) September 21, 2024
“He’s kind of been the captain or the quarterback back there, and he’s doing a really nice job with it,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. “That’s exactly what I expected. He’s a fantastic football player. He can tackle, cover, play deep zones, and we even blitzed him last game. He’s incredibly versatile, and I think he’s off to a great start—I’m really, really happy he’s here.”
McKinney is the game-changer the Packers were craving in the secondary, and he’s made an outstanding start.
Hiring Jeff Hafley to replace Joe Barry
LaFleur finally heeded the fans’ calls for defensive changes, bringing in Jeff Hafley to replace Joe Barry as defensive coordinator.
While there are still areas to improve—such as a run defense that’s allowing 142 rushing yards per game—Hafley’s influence is already clear.
Green Bay has forced six turnovers in just two games, the most in the NFL. The team’s five interceptions are already just two shy of last year’s total of seven. Additionally, Hafley’s defense is excelling on third downs, allowing conversions at only 26.1 percent, the sixth-best rate in the league. Last year, the Packers ranked 28th in this category.
Though the Packers need to tighten up their run defense and bring more consistency to the pass rush, Hafley’s defense has shown promising signs. LaFleur made the right call.
