Packers Training Camp: Rashan Gary Emerging as Animated Defensive Leader
We’re now seven stops, and a full week, into the training camp tour after previous reports about the Bears, Bills, Browns, Colts, Steelers, and Bengals. Here are five takeaways from Packers camp, across the street from Lambeau Field …
1) Rashan Gary is about to have a huge year. He was dominant by the end of 2021, and looks ready to take another step this year. And the Packers have seen that in the leadership department, too. At one point in Monday’s practice, Gary came off the sideline and into the second-string defense’s huddle, ripping into the players inside it for their effort. My understanding is the staff has seen more and more of that from Gary of late—and he looks like he’s ready to give the defense that sort of presence, which may be needed since other leaders in the group, like De’Vondre Campbell, are a little more level in their approach.
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2) The team is excited about its corner situation in general, and its sophomore star, Eric Stokes, in particular. Stokes learned in a trial by fire last year after Jaire Alexander went down, and Alexander’s return to the lineup should give Stokes a lot of opportunities to make plays on the ball. Between those two and Rasul Douglas, Jerry Gray’s done a masterful job developing the position into a strength. The big question remaining is how DC Joe Barry will deploy them, inside vs. outside, when the season starts.
3) Quay Walker’s got the look of a Day 1 three-down linebacker, and his pairing with Campbell should give Barry two versatile pieces that’ll make the defense both difficult to attack and a nightmare to deal with on third down. Both Campbell and Walker can cover backs and tight ends, and bring value as blitzers. And if you can’t tell by now, I’d say it’s fair to say the defense has a shot to be really, really good, with seven (!!!) former first-round picks in the starting lineup.
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4) With Davante Adams gone, there’s work to be done to figure out who’ll play at receiver. And the rookies there are interesting. Second-round pick Christian Watson has proven to be a quick study, and could fill the void left by Marquez Valdes-Scantling. But he’s a little raw, and now he’s hurt. The real revelation might be fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs, who already is showing promise that he can develop into a do-it-all kind of receiver, and is building a good rapport with the quarterbacks.
5) The biggest question in camp remains along the offensive line. No one’s ruling out David Bakhtiari or Elgton Jenkins for Week 1, but Green Bay’s not putting a timeline on either guy, and will be judicious with both. With that in mind, the continued development of 2020 rookie Jon Runyan and ’21 rookies Josh Myers and Royce Newman will loom large the next few weeks as the pads come on.
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