The Most Important Things for the Packers Young Offensive Players Is Progress
By GilMartin
The 2023 Green Bay Packers offense is what we expected it to be. There is talent, but it is inexperienced talent, so the quarterback, wide receivers and tight ends are prone to inconsistency. One minute, they flash their raw ability and make big plays. The next, they make a mistake the causes a play to break down or worse yet a turnover.
Quarterback Jordan Love is a prime example. We have seen the Utah State alum make some big scrambles and some impressive throws downfield. In the first two games of the season, Love threw six touchdowns and no interceptions.
But we’ve also seen Love make some very ill-advised throws to receivers who were double covered or just not open. We’ve also seen him miss open receivers downfield on throws that could have been big plays.
The inexperience of his receivers is also an issue in this offense. Take rookie fifth-round pick Dontavion Wicks. The Virginia alum is getting open when he’s on the field. He has made seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Wicks has good speed and has made a big 32-yard catch. But he has also run some wrong routes. Wicks has a catch percentage of 50 percent according to pro-football-reference.com. This number must improve over time over time for Wicks to become an effective NFL receiver.
Tight end Luke Musgrave also made some big plays in the first five games of the season. The second-round pick out of Oregon State already has 18 catches through five games and is on pace to break the Packers franchise record for catches by a rookie tight end set by Bubba Franks in 2000. Franks caught 34 passes that season.
But Musgrave has yet to realize his full potential. He made a 37-yard catch that could have been an even bigger gain had he not tripped over his own feet. The Packers have yet to figure out how to get Musgrave more involved in the downfield passing game and he is averaging just 8.8-yards per catch thus far.
The rookie also has been a willing blocker but not a particularly good one. Maxx Crosby beat a double team block by both Musgrave and fellow rookie tight end Tucker Kraft to get to Love in the Packers loss to the Raiders. This is an area he needs to improve as he gains experience.
Rookie receiver Jayden Reed has also showed flashes of his immense talent in the first five games of his NFL career. The Michigan State alum has made 13 catches for 210 yards and two scores.
But Reed has also run the wrong routes on many occasions. His catch percentage is a mere 44.4 as he has 13 catches on 27 targets. He has dropped two passes but really needs to improve his ability to box out receivers and win battles for 50-50 balls to take his game to the next level.
The potential is clearly there for Reed, but he still needs to work on these fundamental skills to become a reliable and effective NFL receiver.
Even second-year receivers like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are still learning.
Doubs has a catch percentage of 56.8. He has made 21 catches for 228 yards and three scores. Doubs has great chemistry with Love but needs to get open more consistently and run better routes to solidify his starting role long term.
Watson is a deep threat who is still recovering from the hamstring injury that cost him to miss the first three games of the season and limited him in the next two contests. Watson needs to work on his hands and the precision of his pass patterns to truly become an elite NFL receiver.
Most Packers fans knew this season would be one of learning and adjustment. The key for this season to be a success is to have as many of these young players improve as the season progresses. Players like Love, Musgrave, Wicks, Doubs, and Watson need to be better in December and January than they were in September. They need to show more of their potential and to improve more facets of their games over the course of the season.
The potential is there for this group to grow together and become a formidable offense with a few key additions and tweaks. But the key to the success of this season is to set up bigger success in 2024 and beyond.
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You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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Comments (21)
Rebelgb
October 19, 2023 at 11:26 am
Thank you for the article.
The for sures who will only get better:
Dobbs
Reed
Musgrave
The it could go either way guys:
Kraft
Wicks
Torre
and yes Jordon.
The NFL game may simply be too big for Kraft. Its too early to bail but im concerned.
I like Jordon, have since day 1. I am starting to wonder if some of his weaknesses may be unfixable issues. Most notably his inaccuracy. Hes been throwing footballs since he was 6, I dont see how that can now suddenly be fixed.
White92
October 21, 2023 at 08:55 pm
Totally agree. It makes trading up for Love at the time he did look even worse.
jont
October 19, 2023 at 12:25 pm
"The 2023 Green Bay Packers offense is what we expected it to be."
Call me an optimist, but this offense is not what I expected. Yes, I predicted only 7 or 8 win, but I really thought the offense would be better than this. I thought the inconsistency would be one play to the next, one drive to the next, a mix up by one young player on this play and another guy on another play.
I did not foresee this kind of systemic, continuous break down. There have been long stretches, 2 or 3 quarters in which little goes right.
I remember tailgating at Mil Co Stadium-- my buddy's dad made us brandy old fashions to keep warm, the first drink of my life at 13-- so I've seen it all, and I am sure things will improve. This week would be a good time for it to happen.
T7Steve
October 19, 2023 at 12:39 pm
The "continuous break downs" were in the O-line which causes all the rest except rookie mistake that we should be able to live with and overcome.
T7Steve
October 19, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Just try to improve every game.
There's no static in the NFL, you improve, or you lose. Even the best teams/players will be caught from behind if they don't progress.
I think these guys will be fine if they can stay healthy.
stockholder
October 19, 2023 at 01:03 pm
We expected ? -
Try looking at the other side of the coin.
Rodgers Should still be the QB.
Mediocrity wouldn’t have been tolerated
And neither would have the mistakes.
No-one is striking fear into this offense.
They're beat; mentally and physically.
Love is a prime example of new vs old.
Experience vs opportunity.
Stupidity vs Smarts.
Popularity vs. Ability.
I can go right to this last draft and show you
Better stats. By players that were a steal.
And yet passed over by a GM who is clueless.
Most packer fans predicted the play-offs.
That the Green Bay packers drafted icons.
And when you compare them. It is what it is.
A dream state with no logic.
Potential will only get you drafted.
Players have to want the Ball.
And I’m just not seeing that.
These guys can’t make two plays in a row.
TarynsEyes
October 19, 2023 at 02:32 pm
I have, for a long time, said many here need to take off the blind-optimism sunglasses. Many seem to have, but a win Sunday, will have many clamoring to put them on again. False positives, and believing them to be real, just creates more heartbreak.
This team needs much to be fixed, and it won't happen in one game. Take the whole season, but don't allow infrequent signs of fix blind you, it needs to have a lot of consistency of growth, not just a win on the record sheet, against the lesser.
Coach Cleve Steamer
October 19, 2023 at 01:04 pm
So far the coaches aren’t maximizing the product? Why not? They had LaFleur the 13-3, 13-3, 13-4 winner as full season head coach. So where is the coaching improvement? Shouldn’t we be seeing coaching up of a young team? Same problems in constant rotation. I don’t think there’s any reason for this to change with current staff and personnel.
TxFred
October 19, 2023 at 01:57 pm
The young & talented offense is starving for position coaching. There is absolutely no weekly improvement in the OLine blocking, run and pass. Nothing. Fundamental technique absent. How can coaches review the game tape and someone not say or do anything?
Week after week. The oline's timing with the backs is terrible. Other teams know this.
On defense, will someone please coach & develop LVM. The kid is useless. College muscle isn't cutting it in the NFL. He desperately needs coaching on an aggressive, effective pass rush technique. He has potential to be an All Pro. Development begins in his 1st year. Will someone work with him. He should be hell on wheels opposite Geary. What a tandem. 1st year rookie he is ripe & hungry for NFL coaching & development.
Guam
October 20, 2023 at 07:54 am
Gary took a couple of years to move from college DL to pro OLB and look what we have now. LVN is following the same pattern. Between Smith, Gary, Enagbare and Hollins it was unlikely LVN would get many snaps this year. Have a little patience and the Packers may have a terrific OLB in a couple of years.
ImaPayne2
October 19, 2023 at 01:59 pm
Look I'm all for people learning and becoming better. I am not for and hate it when I hear, he will be fine in about three years after we develop him. Bull and Shit. I want guys who can suit up day one and contribute.
I'm like Zimmer who cut a rookie kicker who missed three field goals in a game. When asked why he didnt keep the guy and develop him Zimmer said " were in the win now mode not the development mode".
Developing players dont win games this season and maybe never.
Only teams that are super deep in talent can afford to have a few guys play back up and learn the system. You cant draft guys who you think with work out to be something later. Ya for the next team when they turn down a contract and move on for MO Money.
The packers have a raft of guys playing very well for other teams. Guys who turned down contracts and moved on.
Casey Heyward is a good example. He's doing us a lot of good now.
Justin J and Addison weren't asked to bench sit and play second of third string. They took the field day one and produced. They were drafted for today.
Packerpasty
October 19, 2023 at 02:15 pm
some developing players never develop and thats a fact..they guys been playing football for a long time, highly doubtful many will develop much more than they are right now...
White92
October 21, 2023 at 09:01 pm
That's my problem with a lot of the high draft picks made by this GM. Gary, Love, and Van Ness were all high ceiling but "project" type picks. Problem is by the time they are even a little bit productive, their rookie contracts are up and you have very difficult decisions to make.
Packerpasty
October 19, 2023 at 02:16 pm
Who's "WE"....got a mouse in your pocket...pre season many many people here on this forum predicted much better things from this team...win division, playoffs, etc...like these guys were a bunch of all pro's...now its, "they're young",,,,"give them a year"...etc...I call bull crap on that...
HarryHodag
October 19, 2023 at 02:16 pm
Another article fully focused on the quarterback and wide receivers. Yet the core issue up to this date has been the inconsistent offensive line play. You would see remarkable progress in all of the offense if the line could perform above mediocrity at best. More time for Love to complete throws. More openings for Jones and Dillon to run through. More time for rookies to find openings in the defense.
The old football coach drilled this into his players heads: "It all starts on the offensive line'. Four of the five starters have been mediocre at best.
T7Steve
October 19, 2023 at 02:32 pm
We all keep saying what you wrote so well.
We'll see what line comes out against the Broncos.
They let Taylor go and acquire a new running back? Yah, that's where they need the help. Must be the skill positions!
Guam
October 20, 2023 at 08:01 am
I didn't downvote you PP, but I was one of the conservative "we" earlier this year. I always thought this would be a very up and down year given the inexperience on the offensive side and Joe Barry on the defensive side. I think my projection was 8-9 and mostly just looking for growth from the young players and toward 2024 when the cap would get healthier and the young players had a year or two under their belts.
Melch
October 19, 2023 at 03:18 pm
Now i know why Rodgers left.NONE of his receivers can't get ANY seperation & don't know how to run a route
Starrbrite
October 19, 2023 at 06:56 pm
Very much in agreement with Fubared and PackerPasty
Colin Cowerd made a statement concerning patience, indicating leadership for professional sports teams cannot/should not be very patient—agreed.
We didn’t draft Van Ness to play a few snaps a game; he should be wreaking havoc -like Hutchinson in Detroit.
Lombardi, Holmgren,, Belichick and a host of others did/do not appear to be patient.
Right or wrong—I don’t know? I do agree with Cowerd in the case of professional sports—long suffering patience cannot be tolerated.
Go Packers!!!
jannesbjornson
October 20, 2023 at 08:54 am
Who drafted him?
ricky
October 19, 2023 at 07:40 pm
The Packers used to be the team that knew how to bring out the best in their QB's. From getting Favre to play in a more disciplined manner, to literally reworking Rodgers entire way of throwing a football, they were the class of the league. The drafting of Love was a shock, but Rodgers seemed to blame the team, not Love, and apparently tried to help mentor him. Love had three years to learn the offense, and hone his skills. Now, under the bright lights, there are some legitimate questions being asked. Not only about Love's abilities, or lack thereof, but whether the coaching staff is emphasizing his strengths, or simply keeping the Rodgers playbook, and expecting Love to be the same player.