The Green Bay Packers and their fans are waiting with anxious anticipation for the 2024 NFL season. Last year, the team finished 9-8 in Jordan Love‘s first year as the starting quarterback. The team’s performance over the course of the regular season was just good enough to earn them the seventh and final seed in the NFC playoffs. This year, expectations will be much higher.
Of course, not many predicted that Green Bay would have the level of success that they did last year. The decision to trade Aaron Rodgers in favor of Love had many national media members (and even some fans) predicting a rough season for the Packers.
To be fair, the year did get off to a rough start. Key players got hurt and were out for long stretches of time. It also took about half a year for Love and his young group of pass catchers to get on the same page. However, a 7-3 finish in their last 10 games gave fans a great deal to look forward to in 2024.
The Green Bay Packers Are Expecting Young Wide Receivers to Take a Leap in 2024
Last season, one of the most productive rookies in the entire NFL was wide receiver Jayden Reed. He set the Packers’ rookie record for receptions with 64 and added 793 yards and eight touchdowns, both of which led the team.
Unfortunately, wide receiver Christian Watson missed nearly half the season due to hamstring injuries, so his second-year leap was kept from happening. Still, when he was healthy, he displayed the traits that the Packers feel make him a legitimate number one wide receiver.
Watson’s fellow second year receiver, Romeo Doubs, however took a nice step forward in 2023. Last season, he had 59 receptions for 674 yards and eight touchdowns. He also stole the stage in the Packers’ playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys by hauling in six catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.
Not to be forgotten, 2023 fifth round pick Dontayvion Wicks had a very solid rookie season himself. With route running that many believe can become as good as that of Davante Adams, Wicks was able to haul in 39 receptions for 581 yards and four touchdowns. His 14.9 yards per reception were second on the team, behind only Watson.
The Green Bay Packers Have a Nice Tight End Duo in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft
The Packers replaced veteran tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan with 2023 NFL Draft picks Luke Musgrave (second round) and Tucker Kraft (third round). Both had big contributions to the team’s success, but at different instances of the season.
Musgrave tied Bubba Franks’ franchise record for receptions by a rookie tight end by catching 34 passes for 352 yards and a touchdown. He certainly would have broken the record had he not lacerated his kidney against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed six games.
Kraft, on the other hand, got off to a slow start in 2023 as he adjusted to the NFL. However, when Musgrave went down, he stepped up as another reliable target in the passing game. Kraft finished the season with 31 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns. 26 of those receptions to go with 312 of those yards and both touchdowns came after Musgrave got hurt.
PFF Picked Luke Musgrave as the Green Bay Packers’ Breakout Candidate for 2024
In a recent article that listed a breakout candidate for each NFC team, Bradley Locker of PFF selected tight end Luke Musgrave as the Packers player he thinks will take the biggest leap in 2024.
He writes:
“It’s hard not to be extremely excited about the Packers’ boatload of young receiving options, and Musgrave is verifiably part of that. He played in just 13 games because of a lacerated kidney, but he was elite at the end of 2023: his 91.9 receiving grade between Week 18 and the divisional round led all tight ends. Musgrave is a player to buy stock in entering 2024.”
In the aforementioned Packers victory over the Cowboys in the NFL Playoffs, Musgrave had three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.
If he is able to stay healthy, and keep his feet balanced under him after the catch, he could be one of the best tight ends in the league.
