Legendary senior writer jclombardi reports Packers are ESPN’s team of tomorrow.
ESPN’s Dream Team of Tomorrow–Packers: If you expect your team to stand out in the NFL in three to five years, it’s a given you need at least three of the following ingredients beyond a young, stud quarterback:
- Star young players just coming into their prime on offense.
- Star young players — especially a pass-rusher — just coming into their prime on defense.
- Great coaching.
- Top-flight personnel department that knows what it takes to build through the draft and doesn’t rely on free agency.
- A solid to above-average running game is nice, but in today’s passing-dominated league, it’s like parsley. It’s nice decoration, but it’s not a requirement.
If you have all of these key ingredients and you’re also coming off a Super Bowl title, you have a good chance to be very good and maybe even dominant in three to five years. Take a bow, GM Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy and the Packers. With a superstar quarterback (27-year-old Aaron Rodgers), a rising young superstar-in-waiting at tight end (Jermichael Finley), a solid offensive line and a young, deep defense led by linebacker/wild manClay Matthews, your team is the pick of the ESPN.com Pigskin Panel to be the NFL’s dominant team from 2014 to 2016. “It’s rare that a defending Super Bowl champion is considered an up-and-coming team, but that’s exactly what the Packers are,” ESPN.com AFC West blogger Bill Williamson said.