Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur knows better than anyone that there is no change in the National Football League. That’s not the case in a league where the average experience is less than four years and teams trade between a quarter and a third of their rosters in the offseason.
So when LaFleur discussed the Packers’ 24-21 loss to San Francisco in the NFC divisional playoffs last Saturday night, he knew it wasn’t just the end of the 2023 season. He knew the group would never be together again.”This is a special group, and one of the challenges of the National Football League is that this group will never come together as a team again,” LaFleur said. “We have so many sales every year, but I couldn’t be more proud of our fans and their ability to come together when they’re given so much.”The Packers will certainly look different in 2024.Green Bay has 11 draft picks in April. For the first time in years, the Packers have cap space to attack in free agency.And some players who have contributed a lot in recent years won’t be back.
Here are five Packers who took their last snap in Green Bay.One. David Bakhtiari, LTThis is unbelievable.Bakhtiari, 32, has played just one game in 2023 and 13 games over the past three seasons after suffering a knee injury at the end of the 2020 season. The Packers were patient with Bakhtiari as he tried to get back on the field, but that patience has clearly worn off.Bakhtiari’s salary for next season is $39.99 million, but the cap hit is $19.06 million. If the Packers fire Bakhtiari, his salary would be $20.93 million.Rasheed Walker filled in for Bakhtiari all year. With five of the first 88 picks in the draft, Green Bay was able to select its offense early.”I can only control what I can control,” Bakhtiari said earlier this year when he learned his season was over. โI think we have to attack the rehab and win, bite the elephant, finish the elephant, make a decision and see. They have to decide what is best for their franchise. I realized that as soon as I got here. I saw all the faces disappear. This page will also disappear.โ
2. A.J. Dylan, R.B.SportsMoney Playbook: Subscribe to SportsMoney Playbook for the latest sports news and analysis on ratings, contracts, bets and billionaire owners. email addressRecordBy signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms and Conditions (including our Class Action Waiver and Arbitration Provisions) and our Privacy Policy. Dillon has rushed for nearly 2,200 yards over the last three seasons, missing just four games in the last month during that span. However, the former second-round pick averaged 3.96 yards per carry in that span.Dillon rushed for 613 yards this season, but averaged 3.4 yards per attempt. Aaron Jones’ remarkable $17.5 million at the end of the season should ensure his return despite the high price. This means Green Bay will be younger and cheaper at No. 2.
3. Darnell Savage, SSavage, a first-round draft pick in 2019, has had two strong seasons to start his career in Green Bay. However, the last three have been controversial.Savage is an elite position athlete, but he’s also a terrible fighter with instincts. The Packers picked up Savage’s fifth-year option in 2023 and paid him $7.9 million before watching him play 10 games in a career season and record zero interceptions. Savage had a memorable pick-6 against Dallas in the Wild round of the playoffs, but gave up a potential pick-6 the following week against San Francisco. Some might pay a lot of money for Savage, thinking he can still make him a star. Very unlikely to be Green Bay. for youChiefs veteran Travis Kelce led the team to its sixth consecutive AFC Championship game.2024 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championship Odds, Picks & Betting: Lions-49ers, Chiefs-RavensSuper Bowl 2024: Your Guide to Las Vegas’ Big Weekend
4. John Runyon, RGRunyan, a sixth-round pick in 2020, has played high-level football in 50 starts over the past three years. A left tackle in college, Runyan is very smart and has above-average athleticism for an inside linebacker. He has allowed two sacks in 928 snaps this year and his drive blocking has continued to improve. Having him makes any team better.But the Packers don’t underestimate guards, and 2022 third-round pick Sean Ryan is poised to become a regular starter. Don’t be surprised if Runyan signs a better-than-expected second contract and stays in the league for another decade.
5. Anders Carlsen, PKHonestly, Carlsen shouldn’t have been on the 2023 roster.He was an unlikely college player with big feet who became one of the most reliable players in the National Football League. Carlson has missed more extra points (6) and total kicks (13) than anyone in football, including a 41-yard field goal late in the Packers’ loss to San Francisco on Saturday.”If there had been an answer, I think it would have been solved,” LaFleur said of Carlson’s problem. The Packers felt they could afford to play young and cheap, thinking it wouldn’t make a difference considering this offseason was going to be a rebuilding year. But that mindset had to change as Green Bay exceeded expectations and advanced to the postseason. The Packers will be one of the hottest teams in the NFC in 2024, and they can’t make a deep postseason run with the worst quarterback in football. Look for Green Bay to land a contender this offseason and a more reliable option than Carlson in 2024.
