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Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary must be more productive in 2025. Wm. Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Five Packers Who Absolutely Must Rebound in 2025

Originally posted on Green Bay Packers on SI
By Bill Huber | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 9:19 AM ET

Maybe the rookies will take the NFL by storm. Maybe the free agents will push the team over the top.

However, the simple way for the Green Bay Packers to make a run to the Super Bowl is for some of their best players to play better.

Here are five players who must rebound in 2025.

DT Kenny Clark

Last season, Kenny Clark had the highest salary-cap charge for any interior defensive lineman in the NFL. With great money – and a great track record – comes great expectations. However, whether it was due to a Week 1 ankle injury or troubles acclimating to the scheme, he delivered what statistically was the worst season since his rookie year.

Clark went from 7.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and nine tackles for losses in 2023 to one sack, five quarterback hits and four tackles for losses in 2024. According to PFF, he went from seventh among interior defenders with 61 pressures in 2023 to 31st with 33 pressures in 2024.

In 2025, Clark’s cap charge of about $20.37 million ranks eighth among defensive tackles. With no noteworthy additions at his position and the critical need to improve the pass rush, Clark must play to that level.

DE Rashan Gary

Rashan Gary was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season. His dedication to playing the run was a key reason why Green Bay’s run defense was its best in more than a decade.

However, there’s a reason why 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers are called edge rushers. They are paid to rush the passer. From that perspective, Gary didn’t earn his keep last season.

Coming off a torn ACL that prematurely ended what looked like a breakout 2022 season, Gary had nine sacks and 22 quarterback hits in 2023. In 2024, he fell to 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. According to PFF, Gary went from 20th among edge rushers with 60 pressures in 2023 to 31st with 47 pressures in 2024. Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson had 45 pressures in only five games.

In six seasons, Gary has never had double-digits sacks. Can he finally deliver that long-awaited breakthrough season?

TE Luke Musgrave

In the 10 games before his kidney injury as a rookie, Luke Musgrave had 33 receptions for 341 yards. He was on his way to destroying the Packers’ rookie records for catches and yards by a rookie tight end.

In seven games last season, Musgrave caught seven passes for 45 yards. His season was derailed by a Week 4 ankle injury that required surgery but, truth be told, Musgrave was underachieving even before the injury.

In the first four games, Musgrave had five receptions for 22 yards. After playing at least 40 snaps in nine games as a rookie, Musgrave was averaging only 27 snaps before the injury.

Last season, Green Bay’s play-action passing game woefully underperformed considering the presence of Josh Jacobs. How can the Packers improve?

“I think having Musgrave back is going to help us in 12 personnel,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich replied.

WR Dontayvion Wicks

As a rookie in 2023, Dontayvion Wicks showed incredible potential. Based on how he played in 2024, it wouldn’t be out of the question that he won’t be on the roster coming out of training camp in 2025.

In 2023, Wicks caught 39-of-57 passes (68.4 percent) for 580 yards (14.9 average). According to PFF, he dropped two passes (4.9 percent), caught 3-of-6 contested catches (50.0 percent) and had averages of 2.04 yards per route and 5.6 yards after the catch.

In 2024, Wicks caught 39-of-74 passes (52.7 percent) for 415 yards (10.6 average). He dropped eight passes (17.0 percent), caught 3-of-14 contested catches (21.4 percent), and averaged 1.42 yards per route and 3.8 yards after the catch.

Only Jayden Reed (75) was targeted more than Wicks (74) among Green Bay’s receivers. Wicks kept getting opportunities because his “get-open” rate was 84 percent, the fourth-highest mark for any receiver in the NFL behind Malik Nabers, Mike Evans and A.J. Brown, according to ESPN.

In Green Bay’s offense, the open receiver gets the ball. Wicks is the football version of Kwik Trip because he’s always open. Now, he’s got to make the play.

QB Jordan Love

Will the real Jordan Love please stand up and complete some passes?

We all know Love’s story. He was wildly inconsistent during the first half of his first season as the starter. He was otherworldly during the second half of his first season. In 2024, due in no small part to injuries, he was closer to first-half 2023 than second-half 2023.

The good is that his yards per attempt soared from 7.2 to 8.0. The bad is he matched his 2023 total with 12 interceptions, even though he threw 154 fewer passes. His completion percentage fell from 64.2 to 63.1, though the dropped passes certainly didn’t help.

“I feel pretty confident that we know what we have in Jordan, and we got a lot of confidence in him,” coach Matt LaFleur said toward the end of minicamp.

Big-time quarterbacks are required to win big-time games. Love showed he can be that type of player down the stretch in 2023. He’ll need to show it again if he’s going to follow in the footsteps of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, who won Super Bowls in Year 6.

This article first appeared on Green Bay Packers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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