How can the 27th team in cash spending, 32nd in offensive cash spending, make the playoffs and finish the season as the 13th best team in football by DVOA? That circumstance added a lot of pressure on general manager Brian Gutekunst, and he delivered with a monster rookie class. The group has brought immediate results and production for the Green Bay Packers, even if most are still part-time players.

Pick by pick

EDGE Lukas Van Ness

• 32.85% defensive snaps, 23.54% special teams snaps
• 4 sacks, 18 pressures, 32 tackles (8 for loss), 1 pass defended, 64.0 PFF grade

Van Ness was fourth in the edge rotation, but he showed promise (and probably deserved more snaps). He finished the season with four sacks, two of them against Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears. He reminds us of Rashan Gary, but maybe not as explosive and better against the run.

TE Luke Musgrave

• 42.70% offensive snaps, 16.32% special teams snaps
• 34 receptions, 352 yards, 1 touchdown, 63.7 PFF grade, 105.0 passer rating when targeted

Musgrave was having an awesome rookie season until a lacerated kidney interrupted it. He came back against the Bears and will be active for the playoffs, but the missed games prevented him from breaking the franchise record for receiving yardage for a rookie tight end.

WR Jayden Reed

• 52.74% offensive snaps, 9.79% special teams snaps
• 64 receptions, 793 yards, 8 touchdowns, 75.1 PFF grade, 123.1 passer rating when targeted

Reed led the team in receptions, yardage, touchdowns, big plays, and yards after the catch. He had one of the best rookie seasons for a Packers receiver ever, and he's a de facto WR1 on this team.

TE Tucker Kraft

• 56.66% offensive snaps, 45.22% special teams snaps
• 31 receptions, 355 yards, 2 touchdowns, 63.6 PFF grade, 121.7 passer rating when targeted

When Musgrave went down, the Packers had another rookie tight end ready to take over. Kraft is a perfect complement to Musgrave, though, and they can be successful at the same time. The third-rounder (goodbye, curse) is a really good blocker and can generate yards after the catch.

DT Colby Wooden

• 22.95% defensive snaps, 10.72% special teams snaps
• 0.5 sacks, 11 pressures, 17 tackles (1 for loss), 58.2 PFF grade

He was a situational IDL, playing more in passing downs. He was stil able to generate 11 pressures.

QB Sean Clifford

• 1.19% offensive snaps
• 1/1, 37 yards, 118.8 passer rating, 56.5 PFF grade

One pass, and he's got the highest average of yards per pass among quarterbacks in NFL history. Jokes aside, he didn't play enough to allow an evaluation, but he spent the entire season as Jordan Love's primary backup.

WR Dontayvion Wicks

• 41.79% offensive snaps, 0.23% special teams snaps
• 39 receptions, 581 yards, 4 touchdowns, 78.4 PFF grade, 117.6 passer rating when targeted

Wicks has real WR1 potential. He's the best Packers receiver at creating separation, and his ability to make the game easier for the quarterback is impressive.

NT Karl Brooks

• 34.20% defensive snaps, 24.94% special teams snaps
• 4 sacks, 25 pressures, 20 tackles (6 for loss), 4 passes defended, 66.9 PFF grade

In a weak defensive line draft class, the Packers found a good one in the sixth-round. Brooks out-snapped and outplayed Wooden, but not only that, he was really good in a vacuum too. Four sacks and 25 pressures, and he's already a significant part of the rotation.

K Anders Carlson

• 37.06% special teams snaps
• 27/33 FGs (81.8%), 34/39 XPs (87.2%), 46.8 PFF grade

It was not a solid season for Carlson. He was decent in field goals, converting every kick of fewer than 40 yards. His biggest issue was with extra points — he led the league in missed XPs. The Packers need more out of him, or they will need to look elsewhere.

CB Carrington Valentine

• 62.56% defensive snaps, 23.31% special teams snaps
• 84.1 passer rating allowed, 9 passes defended, 43 tackles, 1 fumble recovered, 57.5 PFF grade

Gutekunst found a solid starter at a premium position in the seventh round. Valentine wasn't expected to have a real role on the defense, until Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes missed a lot of games, and Rasul Douglas was traded. He played as a CB1 for several weeks, and he did just fine. He's a keeper.

RB Lew Nichols

He didn't make the 53-man roster and is on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad now.

S Anthony Johnson Jr.

• 27.27% defensive snaps, 13.29% special teams snaps
• 68.8 passer rating allowed, 1 interception, 3 passes defended, 24 tackles, 45.6 PFF grade

The Packers tried to solve their safety issue by adding a lot of options. Johnson was one of them, but hils role might be bigger in the future than it was in 2023.

WR Grant DuBose

He didn't make the 53-man roster and spent the entire season on the practice squad. DuBose was elevated for gameday in week 18, but was inactive against the Chicago Bears.

Undrafted players

RB Emanuel Wilson

• 3.28% offensive snaps, 0.47% special teams snaps
• 14 carries, 85 yards, 6.1 yards per carry, 76.4 PFF grade

Wilson made the 53-man roster, but didn't play much. He's more of a developmental type of running back, but he flashed when given the opportunity. Ideally, he could've played more on special teams.

EDGE Brenton Cox

• 0.36% defensive snaps, 2.10% special teams snaps
• No stats, 58.2 PFF grade

Cox is also a developmental type. As a sixth edge rusher initially, he was the fifth on the rotation after Justin Hollins was released, but was inactive for most of the games.

S Benny Sapp III

• 0.27% defensive snaps, 9.32% special teams snaps
• 2 tackles, 60.4 PFF grade

Sapp started the season on the practice squad, but was elevated three times and eventually promoted to the 53-man roster. He showed good flashed as a special teamer.

Playoffs reserve a special encounter for the Packers

Green Bay will visit Dallas in the NFC wild card round