Nostra-Damon is back just in time for the late June NFL doldrums. The Green Bay Packers are still a month out from reporting to camp. So, there isn’t a lot going on in the world of professional football other than the occasional extension. Congratulations Trevor Lawrence on tying Joe Burrow for the highest paid quarterback on a per year basis. The recognition won’t last long, but congratulations.
Wait – if you haven’t read a Nostra-Damon article before, you might be asking yourself, “Nostra-Damon,” how do you know that Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow being recognized as the highest paid quarterbacks on a yearly basis won’t last? Well, they don’t call me Nostra-Damon because that’s my actual name. No, I earned that name by being the greatest predictor of all things Packers. Just don’t fact check me.
So, with everything having slowed down for the summer, let’s go ahead and start making predictions.
This is my predictions for the Packers training camp special.
Nostra-Damon: Jordan Love’s Contract
We can’t talk about training camp without mentioning the elephant in the room. And I’m not talking about AJ Dillon’s legs. No, I’m talking about Jordan Love’s contract situation. The Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love would both love to have a deal done prior to the start of training camp. Well, will the extension happen before training camp?
My answer is:
Yes! Matter of fact, on July 22nd, the Packers will have finalized Jordan Love’s contract extension just in time for the Packers Shareholder’s meeting.
Shhhhh. Want to know a secret?
The Packers and Jordan Love had the deal done for months! The Packers organization just wanted to keep it quiet because they are used to these contract issues dragging out longer with former Packers quarterbacks and they wanted to create some familiarity heading into training camp. Ya know, consistency is important and all for the football operations.
Anyway, like I mentioned in the first paragraph, Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow weren’t able to maintain their highest paid quarterback status because Jordan Love’s new contract earns him an average of 57 million dollars a year. This makes Jordan Love the new highest paid quarterback in NFL history… for all but twenty minutes.
The Dallas Cowboys want to finally win just once against the Packers and since they can’t do it in the playoffs they decided to try and win by making sure their quarterback is paid more than Jordan Love. So, twenty minutes after Love is made the highest paid quarterback, Dak Prescott is immediately given a contract paying him an average of 60 million a year.
Good for you, Cowboys.
Finally, The Start of Training Camp
After a long summer, full of placeholder Packers content *ahem*, training camp has finally arrived. The first practice is scheduled the same day as the Packers Shareholder’s meeting and there are a lot new changes heading into this training camp. First and foremost, Joe Barry isn’t out there full of “energy” anymore. Nope, the defensive coach is now Jeff Hafley who is out there full of “energy.”
And not only is Coach Hafley not Joe Barry, but he is also bringing along with him a defensive scheme which ultimately doesn’t mean as much as those Madden fans make it out to be. Yes, the Packers are moving to a “4-3” defense. But honestly it will be a nickel defense as a “4-2-5.” So, not a ton different other than the edge guys rushing with their hands in the dirt. However, what Coach Hafley is going to bring is aggressiveness.
Nostra-Damon: Kicking Battle
Another interesting note for the Packers is the fact that they will have competition in a kicking battle. The Packers now, at the start of training camp have four players ready to work on their kicking abilities and compete for the Packers kicking job. Wait, did you say four? Yes, I did, even as of June 23rd, the Packers have four kickers on their roster. You just don’t know it yet.
The kickers competing are James Turner, Greg Joseph, Anders Carlson, and the utility knife himself Keisean Nixon.
Now, Nixon won’t be really competing for the place kicker role, but he will be the Packers kickoff specialist. That’s right. Not only will he be returning kicks, but he will also be kicking off for the Packers and playing a safety role during the opponents returns.
Also, spoiler alert, which is what this whole article is, but Anders Carlson wins the kicking competition.
The First Two Weeks
Normally, at the beginning of camp, the defense finds themselves way ahead of the offense. Not this year. With the Packers defense learning Hafley’s new defensive ideology, the offense just picks up right where they left off last season. Actually, they seem to be more explosive. Maybe it has something to do with Christian Watson actually being healthy during training camp. That’s right, his hamstring issue is an issue no more. He is flying down the field.
After seeing how badly Madden treated him in its reveal trailer, Packers safety Javon Bullard came out on fire in training camp despite the slow start of the defense. Matter of fact, the safeties in general have suddenly become a strength of the Packers defense. Xavier McKinney, Anthony Johnson Jr., and Bullard alternate every other play in what position they play. They each take turns as post-safety, strong safety, and at the nickel position.
Nostra-Damon: Standouts!
Finally, the standout players in the first two weeks of training camp are going to be…
On defense, you have Carrington Valentine. He was absolutely dominant on the one-on-one drills and shutdown every receiver. In 11-on-11, Valentine rarely ever let up a big play and even got a few a turnovers.
On offense, you have Dontayvion Wicks. Wicks is always open. He was able to progress his route running to a whole other level and is able to get ridiculous separation, even more so than last year. The only corner he wasn’t able to beat in one-on-ones was Valentine. Wicks even got the best of Jaire Alexander a couple of times.
On special teams, you have Anders Carlson. Carlson didn’t miss a single kick in the first two weeks of training camp when the distance was under 55 yards, and he only missed a couple over 55. Matter of fact, he even made a 63-yarder.
But that does it for this addition of Nostra-Damon. Remember, this is all for fun and entertainment, and real life decisions should not be made based on these wacky predictions. Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.
All of that to say-
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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