Packers Training Camp: Thank Goodness We’re Back #Packers #GoPackGo
Packers Training Camp: Thank Goodness We’re BackThank god it’s over. You know, the so-called Dead Zone, where everything you read or hear is someone’s opinion or just inane click bait. Finally, we’re back to actual football.
As expected, Micah Parsons is on PUP. Tucker Kraft is, too, but he still seems likely to play Week 1. Mar’shawn Lloyd is somehow practicing in full and by all accounts looking quite good (I know, don’t jinx it).
And while all these Power Rankings that keep popping up typically have Green Bay as somewhere near the middle of the pack going into this fresh new season, hope, as usual, springs eternal. Talking heads sleeping on the Green Bay Packers just means we won’t hear as much uninformed hype.
I truly love this time of year. Players riding kids’ bikes to practice, fans sitting in the bleachers at Ray Nitschke Field, where you can hear the players and coaches talking to each other, the area around Lambeau Field buzzing with excitement. It’s magical.
Meanwhile, Jordan Love and Christian Watson are hooking up for touchdowns, Isaiah Nayor is making highlight-reel catches and we’ve got great storylines to follow, from Lukas Van Ness’ potential breakout season to Jordan Morgan’s future at left tackle to Barryn Sorrell’s anticipated jump in playing time. It’s training camp; it’s hope and dreams of what could be.
That said, we’re all staring down a kicking competition we never wanted between a sixth-round draft pick that Brian Gutekunst traded UP for and someone from Germany that most of us are unfamiliar with. There’s yet another new defensive coordinator in town, which creates uncertainty for a defense that absolutely fell apart last year sans Parsons and Devonte Wyatt.
And in that defense is a cornerback room that is a question mark bigger than the one on the Riddler’s green leotard. That there’s no sure thing at cornerback is probably the only sure thing. Keisean Nixon is Keisean Nixon. Carrington Valentine didn't seem to progress much last season. Benjamin St-Juste has shown flashes in the league, but is he starter-worthy? He’s getting some work with the No. 1 defense early in camp, so maybe we’ll find out.
We also have high hopes for rookie Brandon Cisse, but I’ve heard him described as “raw,” which means we probably won’t get much production from him early on. Besides, the Packers tend to bring young players along gradually.
Additionally, I can’t be the only one nervous about Josh Jacobs’ status, can I?
OK, enough of that. Let’s talk about the newly-streamlined pass-catching core, which comes into 2026 sans Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks (obviously). The expectation is that Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden will be the headliners, with Savion Williams hopefully pressing for snaps and targets. And when Kraft returns at full-strength, the potential for big things with Love coming off his best statistical season is beyond exciting.
“The more reps we can get as a group, the better off we’ll be as an offense,” Watson told the Green Bay media. “That’ll build that trust, that connection, there’s a lot of intricacies with timing and everything, so I’m excited to mesh with this group. We’ll hopefully get Tuck back soon and take that another level further."
Dare we dream? Ah, why the hell not? It’s training camp. Heck, even Head Coach Matt LeFleur is sounding like that little ol’ ant.
“I told the team yesterday: This is as excited as I've ever been coaching this football team in my time here, and it's because of the people we have in the room,” LaFleur said this week.
That’s what I’m talking about. Bring on Sept. 13.
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Filed Under: FeaturedKevin Gibson
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Kevin Gibson is a professional writer and author based in Louisville, Ky. He's also a former sports writer who covered high school, college and professional sports, a Packers shareholder and a fan since 1975. Even John Hadl couldn't break him. Follow him on Twitter: @kgramone
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NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Micah ParsonsTraining CampJordan LoveChristian WatsonMatt LaFleur
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