The Green Bay Packers are kicking off their 2026 campaign aiming for their first Super Bowl since 2010, but with three projected offensive line starters already limited in practice with knee issues heading into Week 1, the path to that championship looks incredibly rocky right out of the gate. It’s a make-or-break season for Jordan Love and co., but some key things have to break their way if they want to get anywhere near Super Bowl LXI.
A Health Hit List Threatens Everything
Let’s be real, you can’t talk about a deep playoff run without talking about health. Last year, the Packers’ season was basically “a wrap” once Micah Parsons and Zach Bako-Bewele went down, not to mention tough blows from losing Tucker Kraft and Devonte Wyatt. Coaches might not like to use injuries as an excuse, but the truth is simple: the teams that make it to the Super Bowl are often the ones who stayed the healthiest. Every single week of an NFL season feels like a game of Russian roulette, and if you lose the wrong guy, it can sink everything. This year, Green Bay absolutely needs better injury luck, especially after their offensive line completely underperformed in 2025. That O-line was arguably the biggest reason they struggled to shut the door after getting a lead late in games. They couldn’t dictate terms at the line of scrimmage, making it tough to grind out the clock and forcing them to keep going to the air. They were walking a tightrope and eventually fell off in that season-ending defeat to Chicago. Now, with Bako-Bewele, Aaron Banks, and Elgton Jenkins all missing time last year, and three projected starters already battling knee issues for Week 1, they need Jordan Morgan to finally make good on his first-round pedigree at left tackle, Sean Rhyan to step up at center, and Jacob Monk or someone else to lock down right guard. It’s a tall order before a single snap is even played.
Who’s Carrying the Rock?
Even if that offensive line gets healthy, dominance in the run game hasn’t been a calling card for Green Bay’s O-lines in a decade. That means the running backs need to do some serious heavy lifting, and right now, there are huge question marks swirling around that position. Josh Jacobs, who had a tremendous 2024 season making the most of middling run blocking, was less able to make something out of nothing last year because of injuries. And now? He could be facing a suspension after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge. That’s a massive blow. Suddenly, the Packers are looking at MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, and Chris Brooks to carry a big chunk of the load. These guys don’t have much experience at this level, and they’ll need to be ready to lead a viable run game, especially if Jacobs is out for any length of time.
This season starts with big questions for Green Bay, and with the clock already ticking on their Super Bowl LXI hopes, every snap in Week 1 is going to feel like a high-wire act for this team. They’ll need to sort out these immediate issues fast if they want any shot at the big one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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