Packers banking on continuity in attempt to improve on 13-win season

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are counting on consistency to get them over the top after finishing a game away from the Super Bowl three of the last six years.

Green Bay returns much of the nucleus of a team that went 13-3 and won the NFC North while benefiting from good fortune. The Packers stayed healthy last season and also went 9-1 in games decided by eight points or fewer.

“You can’t take anything for granted in the NFL, and no two seasons are alike,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “This year certainly has some unique circumstances, and we talked about that all offseason. Whoever can handle these circumstances the best will have a tremendous jump on everybody else.”

The Packers’ offseason moves indicated they believe they already have enough talent to contend for a Super Bowl berth.

Green Bay drafted with an eye on its ong-term future, as first-round pick QB Jordan Love might not take any meaningful snaps for the next couple of years. The Packers’ free-agent signings were mostly devoted to replacing guys on the way out, with Christian Kirksey taking over for Blake Martinez at linebacker, Rick Wagner getting an opportunity to succeed Bryan Bulaga at right tackle.

The Packers believe the offense will surge now that they’ve had a year to adapt to LaFleur’s system.

“I think the beauty has been the expansion of both stuff that we used to do and stuff that Matt brought with him,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “I think that’s kind of the jump that we’re hoping for in Year 2 is to build on what we did last year and then to kind of expand on it.”

The defense must play better against the run after allowing 285 yards rushing in an NFC championship game loss to San Francisco. But the Packers have plenty of talent on that side of the ball with Kenny Clark at nose tackle, plus Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith as pass rushers.

“We’re going to be a confident group,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. “There’s going to be high expectations. We were able to get to within a game of the Super Bowl. In this crazy year, you’ve got to feel like, you know what, if we play good defense, why not us?”

WHO’S HELPING ADAMS?

Adams earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection last year but was the only Packer to catch as many as 50 passes or accumulate as many as 500 yards receiving. Green Bay lost the main offseason addition to its receiving corps when Devin Funchess opted out due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Packers have some promising young wideouts in Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. At least one of them must step up.

SMITHS READY FOR MORE

The Smiths combined for 25 ½ sacks last year, with Za’Darius getting 13 ½ and Preston adding 12. The Packers hope the development of 2019 first-round draft pick Rashan Gary and other outside linebackers can assure that the Smiths don’t wear down.

“It’s going to help us stay fresh, and when the coaches build confidence in them to where we can rotate guys to keep guys fresh, you start to see a lot more higher production,” Preston Smith said. “But I mean, if me and Z get higher production, we’ll break a record together and we’ll be breaking a lot of records as a team.”

CROWDED BACKFIELD

The Packers have numerous options at running back after adding second-round pick A.J. Dillon from Boston College to Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. Jones rushed for 1,084 yards and tied for the NFL lead in touchdown runs (16) and total touchdowns (19) last season.

KIRKSEY’S HEALTH

Kirksey is a prolific tackler, but injuries have limited him to a total of nine games over the last two seasons. The Packers lack depth at inside linebacker and need Kirksey to stay on the field.

RIGHT SIDE OF THE LINE

One of the biggest preseason competitions in Green Bay is on the right side of the O-line with Wagner, Lane Taylor and Billy Turner essentially competing for two starting spots. Taylor and Turner each have over 40 career starts and can play both guard and tackle. Wagner, a pure right tackle, has been a starter the last six seasons for Baltimore (2014-16) and Detroit (2017-19). An arm injury has limited Wagner during training camp.

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GREEN BAY PACKERS (14-4)

New faces: TE Josiah Deguara, RB A.J. Dillon, DBs coach Jerry Gray, LB Christian Kirksey, QB Jordan Love, LB Kamal Martin, OT Rick Wagner

Key losses: WR Geronimo Allison, OT Bryan Bulaga, OLB Kyler Fackrell, TE Jimmy Graham, LB Blake Martinez

Strengths: Stability on both sides of ball in second year of coach Matt LaFleur’s system. Packers bring back most of nucleus and coaching staff. Offense has three exceptional playmakers with two-time MVP QB Aaron Rodgers throwing to WR Davante Adams and handing off to RB Aaron Jones. Rodgers has reliable blind-side protection from Pro Bowl OT David Bakhtiari. OLBs Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith combined for 25 ½ sacks last year. Promising young secondary features CB Jaire Alexander.

Weaknesses: Packers didn’t do much to boost run defense after allowing 285 yards rushing in NFC championship game loss at San Francisco. Receiving corps lacks proven performers aside from Adams. Packers have uncertainty at right tackle after losing longtime starter Bryan Bulaga in free agency. Kirksey’s injury history creates potential concerns at inside linebacker with Martinez gone. Kirksey has played total of nine games over last two seasons.

Pandemic Development: Fans won’t be permitted for at least first two home games. Any home games that do have spectators won’t have crowds bigger than 10,000-12,000. WR Devin Funchess opted out and cited family health concerns.

Fantasy Players To Watch: Adams and Jones are Packers’ top fantasy threats. Jones had 16 TD runs, three TD catches last season but might not have as many scoring opportunities with second-round pick Dillon joining backfield. Potential sleeper Allen Lazard worth monitoring in late rounds of fantasy drafts after catching 35 passes for 477 yards and three TDs last season — all in Week 6 or later. With Funchess out, Lazard is Packers’ likely No. 2 wideout.

Vegas Says: Win Super Bowl: 28-1. Over/under wins: 9.

Expectations: Packers benefited from good health and uncanny success in close contests last season by going 9-1 in games decided by eight points or fewer. Packers may not be so fortunate on either count this year. Packers have good shot at defending NFC North title but likely won’t approach last year’s win total.