Training camp has come and gone, the preseason is over, and now we know the Green Bay Packers roster for the 2026 season. All that’s left to do is wait for the regular season to arrive.
The Packers are hoping to go all the way in 2026, and for that to happen, they will need excellent performances across the roster at most positions.
With that in mind, mostly avoiding the obvious caveat that injuries can wreak havoc at any position at any time, here is the best-case scenario for how each position group could play this year, as well as the worst-case scenario:
Quarterback
Best case: Jordan Love is the MVP. He arguably should have been in the conversation last season based on his down-to-down performance, but missing a few games due to injury, as well as a lack
of counting stats due to Green Bay’s slow-paced, run-heavy offense undermined him.
Worst case: Love does not improve under pressure, and is not quite as lethal from clean pockets as he was in 2025. It was frankly more of an offensive line issue, but Love relatively struggled when teams got home with four, although he was excellent against the blitz. In this scenario, he is still going to be a very good quarterback the Packers can win with, just maybe not at the level to put the team on his back and carry them deep into the playoffs by himself.
Running back
Best case: Josh Jacobs’ potential suspension ends up being minimal, and he bounces back from a down year (this is again somewhat O-line dependent), while MarShawn Lloyd provides juice as a change-of-pace back, giving Green Bay a formidable backfield duo.
Worst case: Jacobs gets a lengthy suspension or outright released. Neither Lloyd or newly acquired Kaleb Johnson are the answer, and Lloyd gets banged up again.
Wide receiver
Best case: Christian Watson is exactly who he was last year, while Jayden Reed returns to the player he was in his first two years in the league. Matthew Golden takes the huge step he looks primed for, which could be big enough to make him one of the best receivers in the league. Savion Williams progresses and is more of a factor in Year 2.
Worst case: Watson cannot hit the same heights as last year, Reed looks more like the version we saw at the end of 2024 and in 2025. Golden and Williams do not make notable progress and the Packers’ receiver room is once again branded as good, but not great.
Tight end
Best case: Tucker Kraft is immediately back to his pre-injury form from Week 1, while Jonnu Smith and Mark Redman serve their differing purposes effectively. Luke Musgrave returns relatively quickly from his neck injury and helps out as a vertical threat.
Worst case: Kraft does not look like the same player from last season, or takes time to get back there. Smith does not have anything left in the tank, while Musgrave is out for a long period and is unable to really contribute in any way.
Offensive line
Best case: Jordan Morgan is ready from the jump and has a strong season in his first year starting at left tackle, providing a clear upgrade on Rasheed Walker from a year ago. Aaron Banks is healthier and can give the Packers at least average guard play, while Sean Rhyan truly finds his home at center and makes real progress from last season. Whoever ends up starting at right guard makes good on their opportunity. Zach Bako-Bewele is healthy and back to his best.
Worst case: Morgan is no better than Walker, the Banks signing still looks like a mistake, Rhyan does not take a step and is unable to provide an upgrade on what Green Bay has had with Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers previously. The Packers cannot get the right guard spot figured out as none of the options are good enough, while Bako-Bewele, whose tone did sound as confident he will be ready for Week 1 as his words suggested, deals with injuries again and does not perform how he can.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Best, worst case scenario for Packers at each offensive position entering 2026
