Do Green Bay Packers have identity crisis under Matt LaFleur?

The Green Bay Packers are entering their fourth season under Matt LaFleur.

And while the Pack has won the NFC North in each of LaFleur’s three seasons as head coach, they have failed to win the NFC, losing in the 2019 and 2020 NFC Championship Games and suffering a second-round home loss to the 49ers last season.

Green Bay gave longtime quarterback Aaron Rodgers a new three-year, $150.8 million contract this offseason but traded superstar wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. The team also lost receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and will now presumably look to Allen Lazard, rookie Christian Watson and free-agent signee Sammy Watkins to carry the load at receiver.

With that, Colin Cowherd, host of “The Herd,” discussed Green Bay’s outlook heading into this season, making the case that the Packers haven’t been able to develop players under LaFleur.

“Year 3, first-round pick Jordan Love — I don’t see it,” Cowherd said. “Offensive line last year for Green Bay and Matt LaFleur ranked 14th, the lowest in years. They haven’t developed a No. 2 wide receiver. I’d argue they don’t have a No. 3 wide receiver. They had to go get Sammy Watkins. Again, just because you’re given Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams and David Bakhtiari does not mean you’re a great coach.

“I have watched San Francisco work Green Bay in the last couple years. I have watched Matt LaFleur’s offense — and he’s an offensive guy, and he had the back-to-back MVP — I have watched Matt LaFleur and Green Bay melt down at home, second half, fourth quarter, back-to-back years. I always feel like Kyle Shanahan’s taking sixth-rounders and third-rounders and Jimmy Garoppolo and elevating them to a place they probably don’t deserve. 

“So, what’s the identity [in Green Bay]?”

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Colin Cowherd questions Matt LaFleur’s effectiveness as head coach of the Packers.

Cowherd went on to mention how head coach Sean McVay took Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl in his second season (2018) while making the franchise an attractive destination. The Rams are now the defending Super Bowl champions.

San Francisco has made several draft selections who have become starters, if not linchpins for its operation, including Nick Bosa (first round), Deebo Samuel (second round), Fred Warner (third round), George Kittle (fifth round) and Elijah Mitchell (sixth round).

Green Bay has had its fair share of hits in the draft since 2019 (Darnell Savage Jr., AJ Dillon and Jon Runyan Jr.), but it has also been unable to accumulate impactful depth behind its starters, specifically on the offensive side of the ball.

The Packers traded up for the No. 26 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to select QB Love, who has appeared in just six regular-season games and started one. Former third-round draft picks and tight ends Josiah Deguara and Jace Sternberger have been unable to earn starting positions. Green Bay waived Sternberger early last season. Receiver Amari Rodgers had just four receptions in his rookie season (2021).

Rodgers, 38, is entering his 15th season under center for the Packers, who could be challenged by the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North title this year. Minnesota hired former Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as its new head coach while bolstering its defense by signing former Packers defensive lineman Za’Darius Smith and drafting defensive backs Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth Jr. with picks No. 32 and No. 42, respectively.