In some parts of Packerland, things are set to change. The (mandatory) retirement of incumbent CEO Mark Murphy would seemingly leave the position vacant but franchise directors have already filled the role – a year ahead of Murphy’s departure. The position goes to Ed Policy, who fans will know as Green Bay’s current CEO and general counsel.
At the age of 70, Murphy is too senior to remain in the NFL but the appointment of Policy should ensure that his exit isn’t too damaging. Twenty years younger than Murphy, Ed Policy has previously held positions in the NFL and AFL. That’s one change – but, with training camp cresting the horizon, how will the Packers shape up on the field in 2024?

Christian Watson
Following a campaign in 2023 that took Green Bay to a 21-24 loss in the Divisional Playoffs to San Francisco, the Packers are expected to be a thorn in the side of their NFC opponents once again. Fans can bet on NFL matches at Bovada, which has the Packers at around +800 in the pre-season for an outright victory in the NFC.
Christian Watson has already booked a place for himself in the 2024 highlights reel, according to Bleacher Report, which named him the playmaker to watch in July. This is a list that also contained the NFC North’s Keenan Allen, Jared Goff, and Aaron Jones – not all of which had a season to remember in 2023 but they’re presumably the best the league has to offer for fantasy football fans.
Watson does come with an asterisk. The 25-year-old Arizonan missed the first three games of 2023, played nine, collecting 28 catches for 422 yards, before sitting out the rest of the campaign. Much the same happened in 2022 when Watson missed three games to the same injury – a hamstring problem. The University of Wisconsin-Madison claims that his leg muscles aren’t symmetrical.
So, that’s one thing that’s staying the same – perhaps, unfortunately.
MarShawn Lloyd
The Packers have added new blood via free agency and the NFL Draft. Of the stand-out acquisitions, Xavier McKinney, looks like he could serve as a defensive playmaker – and he ought to, after the signing cost the franchise Rudy Ford, Jonathan Owens, and Darnell Savage. The fact that McKinney is only 25 means that he could only improve with experience.
Rookie Javon Bullard, a second-round pick in the Draft, will likely start at safety, while free agent Josh Jacobs looks to start at running back.
Much attention has been paid to MarShawn Lloyd in the press. “Everything you want in a running back”, to quote SBNation, Lloyd is fast and agile despite his heft. However, his large hands can make him a liability with the ball. Again, according to SBNation, he recorded a “horrific” fumble rate at college, of one in every 48 touches.
Source: Pexels.
Also joining the Packers are, in no particular order, Evan Williams, Andre Dillard, Ty’Ron Hopper, Jordan Morgan, Edgerrin Cooper, and Greg Joseph.
Returning to Josh Jacobs for a moment, the young Oklahoman achieved the admirable feat of breaking a record held since 1985 in 2022, finding 400 yards in the air to dethrone Marcus Allen in the Oakland Raiders’ throne room. Unfortunately, he did struggle with a muscle injury just like Watson but that was for a brief moment in Week 15 last year.

Javon Bullard
The word “ceiling” crops up a lot in discussions of the Packers’ offseason. As we’ve seen, general manager Brian Gutekunst has a particularly young side on his hands, and he’s been chasing prospects with a high-skill ceiling during the offseason.
Ty’Ron Hopper (23) and Edgerrin Cooper (22) will look to make a name for themselves in 2024. Cooper will be in competition with Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie for the linebacker spot if he can avoid the occasional bit of carelessness (such as getting out of position), whereas Ty’Ron Hopper definitely seems more like one for the future.
Javon Bullard could be one to watch. After the training mini-camp in June, the Packer Central site wrote that the safety will “almost certainly” start over Anthony Johnson. He’ll partner with big-ticket player Xavier McKinney. Bullard played college football for Georgia. He made 56 tackles in 12 games but missed two games with an ankle problem. The site did suggest an overall “B” grade for the minicamp, however, suggesting that things hadn’t quite fallen into place yet.
Green Bay were a surprise package in 2023 and few commentators expect a complete rebuild for the Packers. Forbes stressed that the franchise should keep “chasing greatness”. Of course, the Packers already have a talented QB in Jordan Love, who threw 23 passes that led to touchdowns in just ten games. He only suffered three interceptions.
It’s still early in the off-season. Let’s see what the next camp brings.
Mark Murphy doesn’t get enough credit for the job he’s done as team president and CEO. On the business side, under his stewardship he’s made the organization extremely lucrative and financially stable for decades to come. On the football side, he hired the right people and stayed out of the way and let them do their jobs. He’ll leave the organization the way he found it. In excellent shape. Mark Murphy is well respected in the league office as well. It’s no coincidence that the NFL draft was given to Green Bay next year as a thank you to Mark Murphy for a job well done. As an outsider I had reservations about the selection at the time. But Murphy embraced the culture and uniqueness of Green Bay and the Packers. Ed Policy will have big shoes to fill….