Relying on Youth in 2023 Makes For Young But Experienced Team in 2024

The Green Bay Packers' decision to give young players as many opportunities as possible is paying dividends for the 2024 team.

January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13) and wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) and tight end Tucker Kraft (85) celebrate after wide receiver Bo Melton (80) scored a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter in a 2024 NFC divisional round game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Brian Gutekunst took the defense stand in August 2023. The Green Bay Packers' general manager was being questioned about his decision to not resign Marcedes Lewis, a veteran tight end praised for his leadership.

“He’s a really good player," Gutekunst said at a press conference during training camp of 2023. "So, having good players, it’s always good to have those guys."

Even though Lewis would've undeniably assisted in the development of Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, the Packers' two rookie tight ends, Gutekunst wanted the two young players to learn by doing. He didn't want Lewis to take away any learning opportunities from the rookies.

“It’s just part of it," he continued. "With all the players that leave here, especially the guys that have done things, they are veteran players and, yeah, sometimes those veteran players are going to be better than some of these young guys. But, at the same, you can’t get those younger guys up to that speed unless they play."

Gutekunst and the Packers extended this approach to not just the tight end position but almost the entire offense. Green Bay could've immediately benefited from signing more veterans like Lewis but the team was planning farther down the line.

This led to Green Bay having the youngest roster in the league. They might again for 2024. There were, as to be expected, struggles early on for the offense. The roster was not only adjusting to the NFL but also meshing together as a team with seven or eight new starters depending on the week.

"We're going through some things that we knew we would go through," Gutekunst said after a 1-3 stretch for Green Bay. "We got to stay grounded to the process and, if we do, I think the results will come."

Gutekunst held faith in the offense eventually figuring it out. The group had showed some flashes but failed to put together complete games. In the final three weeks heading into the Week 6 bye, Love had thrown six interceptions and just two touchdowns, averaging a 56.2 passer rating.

"I think it's been a work in progress for the entire offense," Gutekunst said. "There's been glimpses, particularly in the second halves of really good football, but we have not started very well. So, I think that group, that unit has a lot of work to do but, at the same time, I think they're kind of committed to the process, believing in that group of guys and expect better results coming."

Gutekunst's trust in the process paid off with the Packers finishing the season with the No. 12-ranked scoring offense and scoring 36 points against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs. The second-half success for Green Bay was a surprising sign of the quick development the young team made within the season.

Gutekunst's decision to rely on younger talent is continuing to pay its dividends.

Now, the Packers' roster is not only full of youth but also experience. Had Musgrave and Kraft, along with receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, not been thrown into the fire in 2023, their development would've been stunted and the 2024 Packers offense would have less reason to be optimistic.

"We might be young from an age perspective," Gutekunst said Monday at the first day of 2024 training camp, "but a lot of those guys have pretty good experience for as young as they are, so I feel really good about these young guys and how they've approached things so far."

Even outside of the 2023 rookie class, Green Bay's roster has many players that fit in the small intersection of the venn diagram of youth and experience. At 25, offensive tackle Zach Tom has 22 starts under his belt. Romeo Doubs is only 24 but has 101 career receptions. Defensively, Carrington Valentine started 12 games last season despite only being 22.

The year of experience under the young roster's belt is leading to a more confident, comfortable team heading into Year 2.

"I would say the nerves are down much lower," Reed said when Monday when comparing this year's training camp to last's. "Just walking in, know what I’m doing, knowing the playbook, it just feel way more confident being out there."

The Packers even managed to acquire a free agent that checks off both boxes. At only 24, safety Xavier McKinney has started 46 games, seeing 3,025 defensive snaps in his four years with the New York Giants. He also matured quickly as a leader, being named a team captain twice for New York.

"He was a defensive captain there from a very young age, which you don't see a lot, and I do think he's played a lot of football even though he's just 24," Gutekunst said. "Guys like him don't come around very often that have played that much at a high level and led like he had."

Gutekunst and the rest of the Green Bay front office have remained intentional with each decision they've made through the post-Aaron Rodgers era. Credit it to luck or foresight, the Packers are benefitting from their decision to value opportunities for young players over the immediate impact of veterans.

"I think there’s a clear vision for what we can be and what we want to do," coach Matt LaFleur said Monday, "and, obviously, there’s going to be things that turn up along the way and you’ve got to be able to adjust. And that’s the beauty I’d say of having some guys that have some experience now is that when you need to pivot, I feel confident that we’ll be able to do so."

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Apologies for the delay - basketball practice followed by baseball practice.

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