Packers Training Camp: Three Big Reasons to Worry

The start of training camp is less than two weeks away. The Packers need positive developments in these three phases – one each on offense, defense and special teams.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 14, 2022 5:07 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When Aaron Rodgers walks on the field for the first practice of training camp on July 27, he’ll begin his 12th run at a second Super Bowl championship.

A lot of things have derailed the Packers in past seasons. Sometimes, it was a porous defense. Sometimes, it was jaw-dropping meltdowns on special teams. Sometimes, it was the Rodgers-led offense. In 2021, it was the offense lobbing a can of gasoline onto the special teams dumpster fire.

What could go wrong this year? Here is one possibility on offense, defense and special teams.

One: Who Will Get Open?

That is the million-dollar question. With Davante Adams, somebody was almost always open for Aaron Rodgers. That led to easy completions on first down and big completions on third down. With Adams traded to the Raiders, who will get open with consistency?

Will Allen Lazard, who was excellent down the stretch last season, be as productive while facing better cornerbacks and confronting game plans focused on taking away what he does well? Will Sammy Watkins be able to create a new NFL legacy? Whether it’s veteran Randall Cobb or unproven Amari Rodgers, will anyone produce in the slot? Will the rookies, especially second-rounder Christian Watson or fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs, defy history and become instant playmakers for Aaron Rodgers?

To be sure, Aaron Rodgers’ arm talent, experience and accuracy will help answer all those questions. So will coach Matt LaFleur’s schematic creativity. Of course, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady also are great quarterbacks who play in great schemes, but they’ve been given better supporting casts.

When push comes to shove, and when it’s time for those quarterbacks to make a big play, they’ll have an easier time than Rodgers. To that end, nothing will matter more in training camp than the play of Watkins and the development of Watson. As they go, so will go the rest of the offense.

Two: Glaring Lack of Depth on Defense

On paper, the defense could be great. It’s hard to match a core of Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, De’Vondre Campbell, Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. That’s eight players who have proven they can play significantly above-average football.

Injuries are inevitable, though, and the Packers are woefully short on talent at three position groups.

At outside linebacker, the Packers lack a proven No. 3 behind Smith and Gary. Jonathan Garvin and Tipa Galeai weren’t good enough last year, and veteran Randy Ramsey and fifth-round rookie Kingsley Enagbare haven’t proven anything.

At cornerback, nickel is the NFL’s universal base defense. So, if Alexander, Stokes or Douglas go down, who’s the next man up? At the moment, it’s Keisean Nixon, who entered the NFL in 2019 has one pass defensed in his career.

At safety, the lack of depth is even more glaring. Behind Savage and Amos, there isn’t a safety on the roster who played a regular-season snap of defense last season. Shawn Davis, who played a handful of snaps on special teams in his only appearance last season, spent the offseason as the third safety.

From GM Brian Gutekunst's point of view, finding depth at those three spots – whether it’s in the preseason or waiver wire – will be arguably the biggest priority of training camp.

Three: Kicking Operation

The Packers are really good at finding long snappers. They’re just unbelievably bad at recognizing it.

It’s funny in a dark-humor sort of way to look at NFL long snapper depth charts.

Cincinnati’s longtime long snapper, Clark Harris, got his start with the Packers. So, too, did Philadelphia’s Steven Wirtel, Carolina’s J.J. Jansen, Tampa Bay’s Zach Triner and San Francisco’s Taybor Pepper. Seriously, how is it that four of the NFC’s 15 other teams found long snappers who played for the Packers and the Packers can’t find one?

The Packers will go into camp with Steven Wirtel and Jack Coco. Wirtel wasn’t exactly Capt. Consistency upon replacing former seventh-round pick Hunter Bradley at midseason. At least he snapped. Coco spent last season playing tight end at Georgia Tech and he hasn’t snapped for a punt in a game since high school.

The rest of the special teams should be better under new coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Kicker Mason Crosby might be better with veteran punter Pat O’Donnell doing the holding. But it won’t matter if the snapper can’t put the ball in the right spot.