Let’s turn the clock back to 2011. The Green Bay Packers were in the midst of an awe-inspiring year, going 13-0 to start the season and finishing 15-1 with the most explosive offense in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers would go on to win his first MVP award. In the midst of that run, Sports Illustrated published a cover story showcasing “The Perfect Pack,” detailing Green Bay’s high-flying offense featuring Rodgers at quarterback with a surrounding cast of tight end Jermichael Finley and wide receivers James Jones, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Greg Jennings.
I was in high school at the time, and that season is forever seared into my memory. While it would end in disappointment when the Packers got bounced in the divisional round of the playoffs by the New York Giants, it was one of the most enjoyable seasons of football in the modern era.
Flash forward to 2023. With a surplus of rookies and second-year players, the Packers may be growing the “Perfect Pack” 2.0, provided that Jordan Love is able to be an above-average QB.
Let’s take a closer look at how the Packers’ pass catchers fit together. NFL evaluators will commonly refer to the idea that wide receiver rooms should be built like a basketball team. Brian Billick, former Super Bowl-winning head coach who worked with Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Shannon Sharpe, put it best on the Move the Sticks podcast with Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah. “When you have a receiving corps you’re going to have five or six guys, you don’t want all the same players,” Billick goes on to say. “When we had a good receiving corps, particularly with the ‘98 group that set all the records in Minnesota, we had a diversity in what we could do. Whatever you wanted to do coverage-wise, we had an answer for.”
Breaking down a bit further, your pass-catching corps needs to have someone who can stretch the perimeter of the field, someone who can work across the middle, and someone who can be a bigger target to work “above the rim” versus defensive backs. These are simplifications but good starting points.
For the 2011 Packers, Finely was a quintessential big target from the tight end position. Nelson, Jones, and Jennings operated in a rotation at outside receiver. Driver and Cobb were largely slot targets for the Packers. In that rotation, everyone, outside of the rookie Randall Cobb had at least three years of experience in the NFL.
The 2023 Packers are a very different story.
Green Bay is currently rostering 12 wide receivers, all of whom are rookies or second-year players. At tight end, they are featuring fourth-year players Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis alongside rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft.
In terms of experience, the 2023 Packers don’t even come close to the 2011 squad, but they have the potential to grow into a juggernaut. With so many young players at skill positions, the Packers have a unique opportunity to allow their core skill-position players to gain multiple years of experience in the offense together to build chemistry with their young quarterback. Their prototypes also match up closely to the 2011 “Perfect Pack.”
In terms of perimeter receivers who can stretch the field, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs both took over 65% of their snaps lined up outside, according to Pro Football Focus. While Watson wins more with speed (the Jordy Nelson mold) and Doubs wins more with finesse (the James Jones mold), they both have shown an ability to get separation and be big-play threats downfield.
For the 2011 Packers, the trio of Driver, Jennings, and Cobb all took snaps primarily in the slot and made their presence known in the middle of the field. For the 2023 Packers, Jayden Reed profiles primarily as a slot receiver and returner, similar to what Cobb offered. Samori Toure also got experience in the slot last year and is looking to take the proverbial second-year jump. If we’re making comparisons, Reed is a blend of Cobb and Jennings, and Toure’s flexibility to play both the slot and outside is reminiscent of Driver.
Then we have Jermichael Finley, who was a quintessential big red-zone target in 2011 hauling in eight touchdowns, but also was a stalwart in run- and pass-blocking. For the 2023 Packers, rookie Luke Musgrave has impressed with his speed and frame and could provide a big target in goal-line situations and in the middle of the field. Tucker Kraft has also been showing flashes as both a blocker and pass catcher. The two rookie tight ends may divide duties to approximate what Finley offered in 2011.
There’s also depth I haven’t yet touched on. Rookie Dontayvion Wicks has been commended by LaFleur for his work ethic and study habits, despite being limited by injury. Receiver Bo Melton has been called “scrappy” by Lafleur and highlighted for his work on special teams. Undrafted free-agent receiver Malik Health has also been called “goonish” and praised for his physicality.
Ultimately, all jobs are open to competition, but this young group of skill-position players has the potential to grow into something special. I think their ceiling could be that of the 2011 group, and that’s cause for excitement.
