2015 NFL Preview: Packers once again among Super Bowl favorites

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Green Bay Packers

A high-powered offense led the way to a dominant season for the Packers in 2014, and the club was in position to make another Super Bowl appearance before a disastrous second-half collapse in the NFC Championship.

Highlight of 2014

The Packers had taken control of their Week 10 game against the division-rival Chicago Bears long before this point, but that doesn't make Randall Cobb's one-handed catch any less impressive. The Packers would go on to win the game 55-14, notching the first of two consecutive games in which they surpassed the 50-point mark.

Preseason Power Ranking - #2

The Packers didn't do a whole lot in free agency, but then again, they never do. As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, they're a Super Bowl contender. More ...

2015 Season Outlook

Schedule | Roster

Head coach: Mike McCarthy
Off. Coordinator: Edgar Bennett
Def. Coordinator: Dom Capers

Jordy Nelson's season-ending injury is a crushing blow to the offense, but Green Bay will still find itself among several Super Bowl contenders in the NFC this season.

Aaron Rodgers should once again carry a highly productive passing attack, allowing the Packers to put points on the board as efficiently as any other team. Despite some concerns about the defense's ability to stop the run, a strong secondary may make it difficult for opponents to keep pace.

Key Additions

• CB Damarious Randall (1st Round)
• CB Quinten Rollins (2nd Round)
• WR Ty Montgomery (3rd Round)
• LB Jake Ryan (4th Round)
• QB Brett Hundley (5th Round)

Key Departures

• LB A.J. Hawk
• LB Brad Jones
• CB Tramon Williams
• CB Davon House

In typical Packers fashion, the 2015 offseason was spent adding through the draft and re-signing some top homegrown talent. Chasing after high-priced free agents just isn't the way Green Bay does business.

Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins should compete for roles in the defensive backfield early on, adding even more talent to a unit that established itself as one of the NFL's top secondaries last year. Free-agent departures of A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones leave concerns at inside linebacker, but Jake Ryan will be in the mix as the season progresses.

Bold Predictions

Richard Rodgers will lead the team in touchdowns. Randall Cobb steps in as the No. 1 receiver after Jordy Nelson's injury, and he shouldn't have any trouble producing in this role throughout the year. Richard Rodgers' size and athleticism from the tight end position make him the more intriguing red-zone target, however, and he'll end up leading the offense in touchdown receptions as a result. - Dan Wilkins

The Packers will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Injuries and an inability to upgrade roster depth will doom the Packers to a losing record and a third-place finish in the NFC North. There's only so much Aaron Rodgers can do. - Joe Thomson

A Packers defensive back will win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Either first-round pick Damarious Randall or second-round pick Quinten Rollins will notch enough interceptions to take home end-of-season honors. - David P. Woods