The Green Bay Packers got better in many ways during the 2024 season, mostly in terms of winning more games and improving significantly on defense in the first year under Jeff Hafley. But it wouldn’t be unfair to say the Packers failed to reach their potential in 2024 due to a number of individual players or position groups taking a step back or failing to take a meaningful step forward.
The passing game and defensive front were especially troublesome areas by PFF grade — Jordan Love and five of his top targets regressed compared to 2023, and all but one player from the defensive front took a fairly substantial step back.
When push came to shove in big games, the Packers weren’t good enough in the passing game or disrupting up front on defense.
Here’s a closer look at the players who regressed most for the Packers in 2024, using individual overall grades from Pro Football Focus as our guide:
TE Luke Musgrave
2023 grade: 68.1
2024 grade: 47.1
Regression: 21.0
Musgrave played in only eight games, but he took a big step back as a run blocker and managed to catch only seven of nine targets for 45 yards across 73 routes run. He went from supplementary weapon in 2023 to almost nothing in 2024.
WR Bo Melton
2023 grade: 83.4
2024 grade: 63.2
Regression: 20.2
After catching 18 of 26 targets and averaging 2.68 yards per route run last year, Melton managed only nine catches on 19 targets and averaged 0.99 yards per route run in 2024. He finished with just one catch over 20 yards.
DL TJ Slaton
2023 grade: 62.3
2024 grade: 43.0
Regression: 19.3
While ESPN Analytics saw Slaton as the best defensive tackle in football by run stop win rate, PFF gave him poor grades against the run. In fact, he graded out as one of the NFL’s worst interior defenders against the run. Slaton also missed five tackles and produced fewer pressures as a pass-rusher in 2024.
WR Dontayvion Wicks
2023 grade: 77.8
2024 grade: 65.1
Regression: 12.7
Wicks dropped nine passes and had the NFL’s highest drop rate in 2024. He averaged only 1.41 yards per route run and caught three of 15 contested catch opportunities.
DL Kenny Clark
2023 grade: 70.4
2024 grade: 60.0
Regression: 9.6
After producing 66 pressures in 2023, Clark had only 34 during a highly disappointing 2024 season. He was credited with only one sack and four quarterback hits, and his run defense grade dropped below 60.0 again. Clark’s 21 stops were the second-fewest in a season since his rookie year.
DE Lukas Van Ness
2023 grade:…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Packers Wire…