STATE OF THE FRANCHISE

Though the 2014 campaign ended on a sour note for Green Bay, the season was hardly a failure. The Packers won the NFC North for the fourth consecutive season, clinching the top spot in Week 17 for the second consecutive year. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 38 touchdown passes and just five interceptions, taking home his second league MVP award. The team's top three skill players – Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy – shredded defenses and combined for 38 touchdowns of their own. It should come as little surprise, then, that the Packers scored the most points in the NFL.

During the offseason, the Packers stayed in character, remaining quiet in free agency in terms of acquiring players from other teams. They did retain their top two free agents (Cobb and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga) on team-friendly deals and thus will return every key player from last year's offense. The Packers did lose two of their top cornerbacks in free agency, but they focused on the position in the draft, selecting defensive backs with their top two picks. The team's likely return man was secured with a third-round pick, and other gaps on the roster were filled during the rest of the selection process.

This coming season, Rodgers, Nelson, Cobb and Lacy will once again be among the best players at their positions, protected and supported by an experienced offensive line. Leading the defense will be linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, along with the safety tandem of Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Most of the questions about the Packers fall on this side of the ball, as the team will be counting on youth in the defensive backfield and at inside linebacker. The team will also look to get a little more from its special teams, a unit as a whole that stood out in all the wrong ways in the aforementioned NFC title game loss.

With all pieces of the Packers' high-scoring attack returning in 2015, expectations remain high in Green Bay. The Packers will score points, which will allow their defensive unit to be aggressive and grow throughout the season. The Super Bowl is again within reach, and the Packers should have plenty of motivation to erase last season's final result.

OFFSEASON MOVES

Key Acquisitions

Quinten Rollins – CB,Miami (Ohio) (ROUND 2, 62nd Overall)
Played basketball for a few years but was Defensive Player of the Year in his conference in 2014.

Ty Montgomery – WR, Stanford (ROUND 3, 94th Overall)
The home-run hitter could serve as both fourth receiver and return man.

Brett Hundley – QB, UCLA (ROUND 5, 147th Overall)
The Packers will hope they can parlay this project into a better draft pick down the road.

Kennard Backman – TE, UAB (ROUND 6, 213th Overall)
In line to compete for the team's third TE spot.

Key Losses

Davon House – CB, Jaguars
The Jaguars outbid the Packers for the services of the would-be suitor for Williams' job.

Jarrett Boykin – WR, Panthers
Fell out of the team's plans in 2014 but leaves questions behind the "Big 3" at wideout.

TEAM NOTES

WHO SETTLES IN AS THE TOP FANTASY TIGHT END?
Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless shared the tight end duties last season, and the Packers will be counting on both players again in 2015. However, Rodgers is the player to own moving forward. While Quarless is considered the better blocker of the two, the Packers thought enough of Rodgers to take him in the third round of the draft in 2014. They won't count on him too much offensively, but he showed some flashes last season, and the team will likely look to get him more involved in the attack in his second year. Sixth-rounder Kennard Backman, Justin Perillo and Mitchell Henry round out the team's depth chart at the position.

CAN THE CORNERS HOLD UP IN COVERAGE?
The Packers paid Sam Shields big money prior to the 2014 season and will bank on him to be the team's top cover corner on the outside. Beyond him, there are question marks at the position. Casey Hayward has proven to be a ball hawk during his tenure in Green Bay but he did that mostly from the slot, and it remains to be seen if he'll hold up moving outside opposite Shields. Micah Hyde will provide some experience covering the slot, but the Packers will really be counting on one or both of their rookie defensive backs to pick up the defense quickly, or the team could be forced into shootouts as the season rolls along.

Value Meter

Declining: Though he's all but a lock to be the backup running back, James Starks saw his yards per carry drop from 5.5 in 2013 to 3.9 last year and is one year away from 30.

Sleeper: His rookie year numbers don't jump off the page, but Richard Rodgers could challenge for the starting tight end job and should increase his touchdown total in Year 2.

Supersleeper: Though he didn't do much as a receiver in his senior year at Stanford, the explosive Ty Montgomery could score a touchdown or two.

IDP WATCH

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – S
The 2014 first-rounder showed upside in the NFC title game with two interceptions.

Clay Matthews – LB
His sack numbers remained strong despite seeing action at inside linebacker.