With the calendar turning over to November, the Green Bay Packers have reached the halfway point of the NFL season. 2026 has been an up-and-down year for the Packers on the field as well as off of it. Some players have been great and have taken that next step, while others have been disappointing.
Trey Smack
An argument could be made that it’s hard to have big expectations for a sixth-round rookie, but Trey Smack was someone that the Packers needed to at least be competent. While it wouldn’t be fair to call his season a disaster thus far, it hasn’t been good. Smack is currently ranked 31st in field goal percentage among kickers, sitting at 68.8%. Only to be outdone by his extra-point percentage, which is ranked 32nd at 84.2%.
Rookie kickers are always a gamble, with few coming in and lighting it up right away, but it’s hard to argue that Smack hasn’t been one of the league’s worst in 2026. Green Bay traded up to select Smack, who was also the only kicker chosen in the 2026 draft. The Packers have also shown they aren’t afraid to move on from a drafted kicker, as evidenced by the Anders Carlson debacle a few years ago. While moving on from Smack right now would seem drastic, he needs to start hitting kicks consistently.
Devonte Wyatt
Knowing that Micah Parsons was going to miss some time at the start of the year, Devonte Wyatt was someone who fans expected to shoulder the load on defense. While he by no means has been bad, he hasn’t made the impact that many thought he would be coming into the year. Injuries have plagued Wyatt throughout his career, but to his credit, he’s been able to remain healthy in 2026 and has played every game.
Where his impact hasn’t been felt is in the pass rush, which is his specialty. He’s accumulated three sacks and four total tackles for loss. Two of his sacks came in one game, which was week five against the Chicago Bears. Wyatt is coming off a bad ankle injury and is still finding his way in this new defense. As the season progresses and he gets more comfortable in the new system, look for him to continue to improve and get back to rushing the passer at a high level.
Jordan Morgan
In 2024, the Green Bay Packers used a first-round pick on offensive tackle, Jordan Morgan. At the time, the selection was seen as a safe pick for a guy expected to stabilize an ever-changing offensive line. Three years in, the team still doesn’t know whether Morgan will anchor this line. He started his career moving across the line, playing guard and a little bit of tackle here and there.
Using him at guard in his first two seasons stunted his development; he was inconsistent at that position, and it wasn’t until the back end of 2025 that he was allowed to play at tackle and showed some promise. He was a full-time tackle in college, and it was puzzling to see that Green Bay wanted him at guard because he does have the size for a prototypical NFL tackle.
That being said, he was given full reins as the starting tackle opposite Zach Bako-Bewele to start 2026. When Bako-Bewele went down with injury, Morgan was forced to shoulder the load of the line. So far this season, his play has been up-and-down, to say the least. His overall Pro Football Focus grade is currently a 59.4, which ranks 54th out of 69 players. His run-block grade is very poor at 45.6, which ranks 68th/69.
MarShawn Lloyd
MarShawn Lloyd is yet another pick from the 2024 draft who has yet to live up to their potential. He was drafted with the idea of him being a change of pace from Josh Jacobs, offering more explosiveness to Jacobs’ downhill style. Lloyd has been another case of injuries completely stunting his development; 2026 has been the first year that he’s been able to see the field.
Unfortunately, Lloyd has been unable to put together consistent production so far. He has 149 yards on 57 carries, which puts him at an average of 2.6 yards per carry, which needs to be better. He isn’t showing the explosiveness that he showed at USC and is a big reason as to why the Green Bay running attack has been so poor. He was expected to carry the load while Jacobs wasn’t available to play at the start of the year, and Lloyd wasn’t able to produce.
Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs might be the biggest disappointment for the Green Bay Packers in 2026. Not only on the field but off of it as well. In the summer, details emerged that he was arrested for a domestic violence dispute with his girlfriend. Even more allegations have come out as another three women spoke out against Jacobs over the past week. The Packers have always prided themselves on having “good” people in the locker room and the team has said as well as shown they have no intention of releasing Jacobs right now.
Looking at his on-field production, there is no case to be made that he’s worth the distraction currently. Jacobs has appeared in two games so far and is the starting back moving forward. He’s rushed for 75 yards on 32 carries, which comes out to an average of 2.3 yards per carry. Similar to Lloyd, this needs to be better. Jacobs has been a leader on this team since he joined in 2024, and it’s safe to say this year has been a massive disappointment for the former Pro-Bowler.
End Of My Green Bay Packers Rant
2026 has truly been a weird season for Green Bay. The team has dealt with a historically bad rushing attack as well as injuries to several key players on the roster. Despite these challenges, the Packers deserve some credit for how they have persevered. They currently sit with a winning record while playing in the best division in football. If even just a couple of these players can step up their game, this team could take their game to the next level.
