2008 Green Bay Packers NFC North Preview

The 2008 edition of the Green Bay Packers should be an exciting thing to watch. Favre is gone now, and Aaron Rodgers has the task of replacing him. While Rodgers looked good in relief last year, his abilities as a full time starter are not known as he sat behind Favre with VERY little playing time. How successful this team can be will rest on his shoulders. The running game is average at best, and Favre was asked to throw 40-50 times a game to lead the Packers to victory. Don't expect the same kind of production out of Rodgers, but he does have the intangibles to lead this club far into the season.

KEY ADDITIONS:

1) Brandon Chillar - A sixteen game starter last year, Chillar will help provide stability with AJ Hawk to a very good linebacking core. One of the few pickups of the offseason, Chillar should provide stability, and a solid contributor on the defensive side of the ball.

KEY LOSSES:

1) Brett Favre - Losing the sixth greatest quarterback of all time is a hard thing to swallow. All you cheeseheads who believe Favre is planning on showing up for training camp (as he hasn't files his retirement papers) need to understand both he and the Packers have moved on. This is now Aaron Rodgers team, and he will perform nicely having spent a few years learning from Favre. The future is now in Green Bay.

2) Bubba Franks - The loss of Franks is not a drastic hit on the Packers offense. He wasn't flashy, fast, or make the impossible catch. All he did was catch touchdowns. His scoring will be missed, but that can be offset with the touchdown producing capability of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.

Key Weaknesses:

The running back position is an area of need for the Green Bay Packers. There is no clear-cut starter on this team, and no one that can help alleviate some pressure from Aaron Rodgers and the passing game. If someone can step up and be a legitimate number one running back, this team will be right back in the playoffs.

Key Strengths: