Yep, it’s happening, we are 24 hours away from Green Bay Packers football!
There are so many reasons to be excited in Packer Nation coming into 2024. Today I wanted to point out a couple areas to keep an eye on during tomorrow’s match up.
Green Bay Packers Offensive Line: Rotating To Find The Best Five
Training camp has given some worry to folks in the Packerverse as the team has not had their starting 5 taking reps consistently due to injury. The Packers got Zach Tom back out there this week, but we’ll see how many plays he lines up for on Saturday.
First round pick Jordan Morgan was also sidelined this week with a shoulder injury, and will not be available for the Green Bay Packers this Saturday. Morgan has certainly handed me my orders to place my foot directly into my mouth after my doubts that he was a better prospect than Graham Barton for pick #1. Morgan had been turning heads at right guard prior to his injury.
That wizard of drafting Gutey may have done it again!
With Morgan sitting out, there’s sure to be a bit of shuffling while Matt grasps at that age old Packers addage. “Gotta put our best 5 out there,”.
Here’s the current depth chart listed on Packers.com
I believe Caleb Jones will turns some heads Saturday, and handedly jump ahead of Andre Dillard in the running for swing tackle. Dillard has had a lack luster training camp and I don’t feel as though he is likely to make it beyond roster cuts to the 53. Jones has also been taking reps with the first team this week. I’ve also heard from sources that they intend to give him his shot this year after suffering an injury last season.
I also wonder if they will have Jenkins slide over and take some snaps at Center as he has been during some practices this off season.
Also, watch for Jacob Monk to get some reps at right guard. Monk took snaps earlier in the week with the first team offense due to Jordan Morgan’s injury.
This battle is going to continue to heat up through the end of preseason!
Green Bay Packers Defensive Line: Hands In The Dirt With A 4-3 Front
I spoke with Aaron Nagler of Cheesehead TV this week and asked who he saw getting the start on the defensive line at practice.
He said that almost without fail that the starting line up for the first team has been Preston Smith and Rashan Gary on the ends, with TJ Slaton and Kenny Clark in the middle.
I am not at all concerned with Rashan “Bane” Gary who looks like he is going to be head hunting this season. Preston Smith has been consistent, and TJ Slaton has been looking great at camp. I also expect Kenny Clark to play with confidence and hold down that interior after getting himself a nice contract extension
All that being said, my eyes will be on Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness this week.
These two lineman are poised to have a big year. Watch for Devonte Wyatt to step up and take a big step forward, anchoring himself as a disrupter in the interior this year.
Van Ness is entering year two. We’ll see if Hercules will take the sophmore jump and live up to that first round pick potential under new DC Jeff Hafley.
Nothing Secondary About These Linebackers!
Mock draft junkies rejoiced this year at the draft as the Green Bay Packers selected Edgerrin Cooper to join Quay Walker and company in the linebacker room. Unfortunately Cooper is currently sidelined with a hip injury.
I’m excited to see how Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson stack up after hearing a lot of buzz that they are lighting it up at camp.
Isaiah stepped up in a big way last season with De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker both suffering injuries. Look for him to hold down the middle on Saturday.
Wilson has bounced around the league a bit. He’s had stints with the Vikings, Texans, and Eagles. He’s been a rock solid special teamer, even earning the role of captain from Green Bay Packers Special Teams Coordinator, Rich Bisaccia. Watch for Wilson to make some plays this weekend, along with folks throwing it back to that 49ers game back in January….
Hafley’s DB Centric Roots Bode Well For Our New Studs In the Room
This will be a spicy competition as we make our way through the pre
season. I think we all collectively gasped with the news of Xavier McKinney joining the ranks to lead alongside our franchise lockdown corner, Jaire Alexander. I think it goes without saying that we can expect to see some fireworks with these two leading the new defensive back room.
Not to mention that the man at the helm of the defense, Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley, has received high praise from multiple players including Keisan Nixon and Ja $ himself for being a cornerback minded coordinator.
“A Permanent Chip On My Shoulder”
I think that people are going to be surprised by the play of Kalen King.
King has a massive chip on his shoulder after falling to the seventh round of the draft this year.
King has been on beast mode during training camp making plays. Watch for him to come flying out the gate with something to prove.
I also think folks have slept largely on Evan Williams. I did write up on Evan back in June, go ahead check that via the link below for more info on his journey to Green Bay.
Also check out this video from Cheeshead TV giving some insight into Evan’s abilities in practice thus far. I personally think he has the potential to be Micah Hyde 2.0.
With Eric Stokes back in the fold, CB2 is his position to lose opposite Jaire on the outside. However, with Carrington Valentine not being available for the game this Saturday, look to see Kalen hit the field.
Javon Bullard Will Bully Defenses
Without a doubt I am most excited about seeing Javon Bullard step onto the field. I had Javon in nearly every mock draft I did this year. His speed and physicality are amazing, and he is versatile enough to be a solid option at slot if Nixon stumbles. He also comes from that Georgia defense that Gutey has treated like a farm league for the Packers’ lockeroom the last few years.
Take a look at Bullards highlights from last year.
Message Received
Of all the competitions this year, the one poisition that has gone from famine to feast in the last 2 years is wide receiver.
I am hopeful that Christian Watson is able to stay healthy this season, but my money is on that Romeo Doubs / Tay Wicks / Jayden Reed trio as the consistent threats this season.
I am ready to watch my fav, Romeo Doubs ball out this week. I’ve been watching the tape and hearing all the noise and I am here for it. While Jayden Reed is a cheat code, and Tay Wicks is a route master, Doubs is Mr. Reliable. Check out last week’s article for a deeper dive on Romeo.
Watch for Doubs to take a big step forward starting with this outing against the Browns.
Who Will Be QB2?
The race to sit behind Jordan Love is firmly in place between Sean Clifford (left) and Michael Pratt (right). Matt LaFleur said during his press conference on Thursday that he expects Sean will see the bulk of the snaps coming off of a great outing at Family Night last week.
Clifford has been a solid back up, however I feel like Pratt will quickly takeover that QB2 slot. Here’s a write up I did on Pratt on draft day for Packerstalk.com.
I think that more teams see an upside in the 7th rounder making it an easier decision to keep Pratt on the 53, whereas I don’t feel like many teams would come to poach Clifford if initially released after roster cuts.
In the end it comes down to whether or not the Packers want to keep three QBs (which I don’t see why they wouldn’t given the new emergency 3rd QB ruling), but I believe Clifford will find his way to the practice squad after Pratt gets his reps during the preseason.
Lastly, Will There Be A Hale-Storm in Green Bay In August?
Yep, it’s another bad dad joke in my article….
While I have been holding water for Anders Carlson as I’m not sure he deserves the hate that a lot of fans are pushing his way, it looks like Alex Hale may be the real deal threat to Carlson’s sophmore starting position.
He’s a freak athlete with a BIG leg. Hale was part of Australia’s World Cup soccer developmental program, a proficient tennis player, and not to mention, a junior world champion in wakeskating. His first day in the building with the Green Bay Packers, he went 5 for 6, and it’ll be interesting to see if he gets a shot during the preseason opener.
Green Bay Packers v Cleveland Brown Predictions
While this is just a preaseason game against the Browns, there’s a lot of excitement around the game as LaFleur has openly discussed how important he views the starters getting snaps.
Also, I know, the W’s and L’s in preseason are a bit irrelevant.
That being said, these games will be pivotal in making those roster cut decisions with such stiff competition at every level of play.
I predict a 31-10 blowout with the Green Bay Packers defense shutting the Cleveland Browns offense down in a big way.
We’ll see what comes of it tomorrow August 10th at 3:25 p.m. CT live in Cleveland, OH!
