Packers ranked – ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell said the Green Bay Packers’ young offensive skill group settles around “average” most years, despite flashes of game-changing talent. With the 2026 season approaching, Green Bay is hoping health keeps Tucker Kraft, Christian Watson,
Green Bay has been putting in the work during offseason workouts, already turning its attention toward the 2026 NFL season. After two straight Wild Card round exits, the stakes are obvious: this team needs more than talent—it needs consistency, and it needs it with everyone available.
That urgency shows up again in the way ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell described the Packers’ offensive skill positional group. In a breakdown of the best and worst groups across the league, Barnwell ranked Green Bay at number 17, right around the middle.
“I swear this isn’t a running joke. If there’s any group of playmakers that settles in right around average on an annual basis. though. it’s the young talent in Green Bay. ” Barnwell wrote. He added that if that unit stayed healthy and delivered on expectations. “this could be a top-five unit overnight… So often. it’s injuries that are the problem that drags these playmakers down… We’ve seen all four of those players take over games and look unstoppable at times over the past couple of seasons.”.
Barnwell’s point lands on names that Packers fans know well. Tucker Kraft. Christian Watson. Josh Jacobs. and Jayden Reed have shown the kind of ceiling that can swing weeks—but the reliability has been harder to maintain. Green Bay’s hope for 2026 is that the pieces finally stay on the field together. complementing one another instead of being pulled apart by availability.
The team has had to account for change, too. Romeo Doubs left in free agency for the New England Patriots this year. Green Bay will now look for a step forward from wide receiver Matthew Golden, who is entering his second season in the league.
For all the optimism that comes with offseason work, the timeline is clear. The Packers’ season is slated to get underway in early September. By then. the question Barnwell raised won’t be theoretical anymore: can Green Bay turn “around average” into something closer to the top-five unit it believes it could be—if injuries stop stealing the rhythm?.
Green Bay Packers Bill Barnwell ESPN offseason workouts 2026 NFL season Wild Card exits offensive skill positional group Tucker Kraft Christian Watson Josh Jacobs Jayden Reed Romeo Doubs New England Patriots Matthew Golden
Packers always “average” lol. Maybe they should stop ranking them and just fix their OL.
I don’t get it, if they have Kraft and Watson and Reed and Jacobs then how is it not good?? Like injuries are always the excuse… can’t they just not get injured?
Wait so Barnwell says it’s a running joke but also says top-five overnight if healthy. That’s literally just saying nothing. Also I thought Romeo Doubs stayed? ESPN be editing stuff.
Number 17?? That seems low but then again GB always has one or two guys take over then the rest are like… there. If Golden is replacing Doubs that’s risky, hope they don’t do the same thing again where half the team disappears by October.