The Green Bay Packers Keep Ignoring The Offense — And Could Pay A Hefty Price

The NFL’s four conference finalists last year all finished in the top seven in scoring offense.

The Green Bay Packers ranked 14^th.

Those same conference finalists all ranked in the top-eight in total offense.

The Packers ranked 17^th.

Green Bay’s offense — and new starting quarterback Jordan Love — needed help during Thursday night’s NFL Draft. And Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst had every chance to provide it as no wideouts or tight ends had been selected when Green Bay’s pick at No. 13 came up.

Instead, Gutekunst did what the Packers almost always do and chose defense.

Green Bay selected Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness, a 21-year-old rising player who never started a game for the Hawkeyes. The Packers have now used 12 of their last 13 first round picks on a defensive player.

Understandably, Van Ness was elated. Whether or not Packer Nation will be as excited remains to be seen.

“Yeah, I’m at a loss for words,” Van Ness said. “Just finally coming to the sense of my emotions. I’m happy to see this all come to fruition. I couldn’t have asked for a better result. I’m just so happy to be a Packer.”

Van Ness may turn out to be a fine pick and a staple on Green Bay’s defensive line for years to come. But the NFL has become a league where offense wins the day — and the Packers’ weapons don’t come close to matching those in Kansas City, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and San Francisco.

Second-year wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are the only receivers on the roster with more than 40 career catches. Josiah Deguara or Tyler Davis would be the current starter at tight end.

It’s far from an ideal situation for Love, who faces the immense task of replacing Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Gutekunst had a golden opportunity to give Love more help, as a gifted group of pass catchers was sitting at No. 13.

Wideouts Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnson and Zay Flowers were still on the board. Tight ends Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid were both available.

“We had really good choices,” Gutekunst said. “We don’t pick this high very often, so we had a lot of choices.”

Any of those offensive choices could have helped Love and Green Bay’s offense in 2023. By now, though, we should know the Packers don’t take offensive players — especially pass catchers — in Round 1.

So Gutekunst passed on the offensive skill players and threw another first round draft pick at a defense that Green Bay has been trying to fix for more than a decade.

Now, when the 2023 season begins, the Packers could have as many as eight first round picks starting on defense — Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt on the defensive line; Rashan Gary, Quay Walker and Van Ness at linebacker; and Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Darnell Savage in the secondary.

With seven of those players on the roster last year, the Packers still ranked a mediocre 17^th in total defense, allowing 336.5 yards per game. Green Bay also tied for 17^th in scoring defense (21.8).

Obviously, it will be now-or-never for much-maligned defensive coordinator Joe Barry, who was fortunate to receive a third season in Green Bay.

“I think we have very high expectations,” Gutekunst said of the defense. “They’re a good group of guys but there’s so much work to be done between now and in games. There’s definitely high expectations, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Van Ness, nicknamed Hercules, never started a game during his two seasons at Iowa. But he could be in Green Bay’s starting lineup from Day 1.

Gary, coming off a torn ACL, might not be ready to play in Week 1. So Van Ness could pair with holdover Preston Smith.

Van Ness could also play some defensive end, where the Packers lost Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed in free agency.

“I was asked that question thousands of times over the last few months and again I was very happy with the way my time at Iowa went,” Van Ness said of not starting. “It’s just the Iowa way. I had two great fifth-year seniors in front of me who did the time and they gave the years to the program.

“Coach (Kirk) Ferentz … he’s got a way of doing things. It’s a developmental program where they bring guys in. I understood my role and my position and I did whatever was asked of me.”

The 6-foot-5, 272-pound Van Ness posted 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss last season and was named second-team all-Big 10. As a freshman, Van Ness had 7.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.

While those were impressive numbers for a part-time player, many believe the 21-year-old Van Ness will thrive when given full-time snaps.

“His game is sound,” one scout said before the draft. “It’s based on strength and physicalness more than finesse and athleticism. He features a lot of inside hands slipping and escaping. Very fundamental against the run. Very good point-of-attack and area defender. Excellent timing with his shed. Average twitch.”

Van Ness ran the 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds at the NFL Combine. He had the largest hands (11 inches) in the defensive line group. His arms are an impressive 34 inches long.

Van Ness is a power player who can push the pocket. But he’s also been somewhat of a splash player who lacks consistency.

“He played up and down the line,” a second scout added. “This guy is all ball. All A-plus across the board. He is raw. He will take some time. He’s got some traits like J.J. Watt had.”

Gutekunst has had ample opportunities to beef up his offense in recent drafts and failed.

Armed with two first round picks last season, Gutekunst had the ammunition to move up and draft an elite wideout such as Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave. Instead, he stood pat and took Walker — who became the first player in NFL history to be thrown out of two games in the same season — and Wyatt, who was invisible most of the 2022 campaign.

Gutekunst hit home runs with defensive stalwarts Alexander in 2018 and Gary in 2019. But he also missed on Savage in Round 1 in 2019, while the verdict remains out on Stokes — his 2021 first rounder.

Love remains the only offensive player Gutekunst has taken with his eight first round draft picks. And the new quarterback may want to sue for lack of support midway through the 2023 season.

This draft screamed for the general manager to give his new quarterback some additional toys. Instead, Gutekunst ignored the offense once again Thursday night.

And with the NFL coming close to resembling the Arena Football League, that’s a dangerous strategy to employ.