The Green Bay Packers were one of the top breakout teams in 2023, and they think they're ready to take the next step this season. A blowout victory on the road over the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round last season put Jordan Love and company on the map, and a near-upset of the top-seeded 49ers left more optimism than doubt headed into 2024-25.

Some people think they may even be ready to take a major leap forward into the contender category. ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL executive who served as the New York Jets' GM from 2006-12, is one of those people.

“This one's easy it's the Green Bay Packers,” Tannenbaum said on First Take when asked to pick his Super Bowl winner.

The Packers have many of the ingredients required to become a Super Bowl contender this season. Head coach Matt LaFleur has built up plenty of playoff experience over his time in Green Bay, quarterback Jordan Love showed signs of an elite quarterback last season, and the Packers should expect plenty of internal improvement from what was one of the youngest rosters in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers looking to take advantage of depleted NFC

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs through a drill during a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis.
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Heading into the 2024-25 season, the AFC is unquestionably the stronger of the league's two conferences. In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions figure to be the favorites after their epic NFC Championship Game clash, with the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and others close behind.

Matt LaFleur and the Packers have an especially good chance to make some noise in the conference based on how they finished last season. LaFleur is widely recognized as an offensive mastermind who is now one of the most experienced coaches in the conference, and is an elite play caller who gets the most out of his offense each week. Jordan Love played at an elite level at the end of last season, and has a young crop of promising pass catchers to throw to.

Defensively, the Packers replaced Joe Barry with Jeff Hafley as the defensive coordinator. They still have Rashan Gary and Preston Smith on the edge and star cornerback Jaire Alexander on the outside, who has struggled with injuries in recent years but is still one of the best at the position when healthy. The front office picked up safety Xavier McKinney in free agency who can help out both in the run game and in coverage.

The Packers' defense ranked in the bottom half of the league last season, and fans had long been calling for Barry's replacement. If Hafley's play calling and scheme can lift them into the top 10, they will have a legitimate chance to compete for a championship.