Packer Central

Packers Are One of Seven NFC Teams in Top 10 of NFL.com Power Rankings

NFL.com updated its power rankings after the first week of free agency. The Green Bay Packers are eighth, just like they were after the Super Bowl.

Bill Huber

The Green Bay Packers are eighth in the new NFL.com power rankings.
The Green Bay Packers are eighth in the new NFL.com power rankings. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – On the heels of two big signings at the start of free agency followed by a quiet week, the Green Bay Packers are eighth in NFL.com’s updated power rankings.

They also were eighth after the Super Bowl.

“The thing about this team under GM Brian Gutekunst is that it has found ways to get the roster in good shape more often than not by training camp,” NFL.com’s Eric Edholm said. “I suspect these Packers will do the same by the time we get to July.”

Just like last year, the Packers made two big-money additions on Day 1 of free agency. Nate Hobbs will be a key piece in the secondary, regardless of whether it’s cornerback or in the slot. Aaron Banks will be a big part of a shuffled offensive line in which Gutekunst took advantage of his line’s versatility by signing Banks to play left guard and sending left guard Elgton Jenkins to center.

“When I got off the flight,” Hobbs said on Friday, “it reminded me a college-y town, gave me a college feel. But they said there’s no fans like this in the world. I believe it, so I’m excited to get acquainted to the area and acquainted with the fans. I’m going to be real acquainted with the people and I want to give back and show my face to the people and show them I care about them, just like any other person.”

While the Packers should be better in the secondary and on the offensive line, Edholm acknowledged that this offseason feels different. Last offseason, the Packers signed safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs. They were proven standouts. The same can’t be said for Hobbs and Banks.

Plus, two big voids – pass rush and receiver – have gone unaddressed.

“Years of inactivity in March conditioned Packers fans to feel disappointment at this juncture of the calendar,” Edholm said. “So, perhaps 2024's veritable free-agent frenzy … reset expectation levels a bit too high. Some harbored dreams of trading for Trey Hendrickson or DK Metcalf, but neither of those moves materialized, with the actual additions of nickelback Nate Hobbs and guard Aaron Banks paling in comparison. Then again, those could end up being fairly important when we look back later.”

The Packers aren’t necessarily done in free agency. In 2020, they signed offensive tackle Rick Wagner and linebacker Christian Kirksey on March 18. In 2022, they signed Keisean Nixon on March 26. In 2024, they signed kicker Greg Joseph on March 26 and offensive tackle Andre Dillard on April 18.

A late-March bargain signing might not move the needle in terms of power rankings but could loom large in terms of depth.

The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are No. 1, even though they’ve been hammered by personnel losses this offseason. Why? Easy, and here’s an example: While big-time edge defender Josh Sweat signed with Arizona, 2024 draft pick Jalyx Hunt is waiting in the wings and they signed Azeez Ojulari on Monday.

“General manager Howie Roseman has drafted so well and seems to have planned out, years in advance, how the big picture should and will look,” Edholm explained.

The Packers are third in the NFC North, with the Detroit Lions fifth and the Minnesota Vikings seventh. While the Vikings have questions at quarterback – and maybe Aaron Rodgers will be the solution – they strengthened their defensive line with Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen and their offensive line with Ryan Kelly and Will Fries.

NFC teams fill seven of the top 10 spots, which could signal how difficult it will be to get to the playoffs and make a run.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.