One national NFL writer, Sheil Kapadia of The Ringer, is already calling for a last-place finish for the Green Bay Packers in the 2026 season, predicting an 8-9 record in what he sees as a stacked NFC North. Talk about a cold splash of water before the season even really kicks off!
The Question Marks Are Piling Up in Green Bay
Kapadia isn’t pulling punches on why he sees the Packers stumbling to last place. His reasoning zeroes in on some major red flags. We’re talking serious question marks along their offensive line, which is always a nightmare scenario for any team trying to compete. Then there’s the defense, led by Jonathan Gannon, which apparently won’t have the transformational talent of Micah Parsons for at least the first month and a half of the season. That’s a huge blow to any defensive scheme. And if that wasn’t enough, he points to a lacking running game, especially now that Josh Jacobs isn’t in the backfield. Losing a guy like Jacobs in the run game, combined with O-line issues and a Parsons-less D? Yeah, you can see why Kapadia’s got concerns.
High Ceiling, Low Floor: The Brutal Reality Check
Now, Kapadia acknowledges the upside, because hey, this is the NFL. He says, “As is the case with all of these NFC North teams, the ceiling here is high. The Packers could produce the NFL’s best offense, and the defense could level up the second that Parsons steps back on the field. He’s that kind of transformational player. If the 2026 season unfolds in that specific (and realistic) way, Green Bay can absolutely contend for a Super Bowl.” That’s the dream, right? But then he hits you with the dose of reality. He’s usually high on the LaFleur-Love duo, but this season, he’s got “too many questions.” He doesn’t trust Gannon against good quarterbacks and offensive coordinators, and those offensive line and defensive personnel questions are just too big to ignore. Ultimately, somebody has to finish last in a division this loaded, and he’s got the Packers bringing up the rear.
His full NFC North prediction paints a pretty clear picture of how tight this division is gonna be: the Lions taking it at 11-6, the Vikings right behind them at 10-7 with Kyler Murray apparently stabilizing things at QB, and the Bears at 9-8. That leaves the Packers on the bottom at 8-9. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you remember how Green Bay finished last season, losing five straight after injuries hammered the squad. That kind of sour taste definitely lingers for national writers looking ahead.
What’s Next: Proving the Doubters Wrong
This prediction, a 30,000-foot view of the Packers heading into 2026, perfectly encapsulates the situation: a Super Bowl ceiling if everything clicks, but a real possibility of a disappointing finish if those glaring question marks aren’t ironed out. The division is talented across the board, and these Packers are gonna have to fight tooth and nail to prove Kapadia, and likely other national writers, dead wrong all season long.
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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