20 Questions That Will Demand Answers When Packers Start Training Camp

The first practice of Green Bay Packers training camp will be held on July 29. When this story was published on July 9, that marked 20 days until the start of training camp. Here are 20 critical questions that must be answered between the kickoff of training camp and the kickoff of the season at Minnesota on Sept. 13.

What Does Jordan Love-Led Passing Attack Look Like?

Jordan Love will roll into training camp with a slimmed-down receiver corps. Not only are Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks not on the roster, but Tucker Kraft might not be on the field for the start of camp.

So, Love will get an incredible number of opportunities to throw the ball to Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden. That will be great to build chemistry with his new Big Three.

Who Will Be QB3?

Jordan Love will start and Tyrod Taylor will be the backup. That’s the easiest prediction in the world. Who will be the No. 3 quarterback?

Kyle McCord had a sensational final season at Syracuse in 2024, was drafted in the sixth round by the Eagles in 2025 and earned a year of seasoning on their practice squad. Undrafted free agent Kyron Drones will give off some Malik Willis vibes but without the polish.

The No. 3 battle will be irrelevant for this season. However, a season-long stint on the practice squad will set that player up to be the potential No. 2 quarterback in 2027.

What’s MarShawn Lloyd’s Biggest Challenge?

A third-round pick in 2024, MarShawn Lloyd has played in only one game in his career. His 10 snaps, as you might expect, are the fewest from the 35 players selected in the third round of that draft.

Entering Year 3, there are two huge questions.

One, can Lloyd get on the field and stay on the field?

Two, can Lloyd use his explosive skill-set to make a difference while overcoming the fumbles that plagued him in college? He hasn’t been on the field enough to work on his game, let alone show he fixed any of the weaknesses that followed him from South Carolina to USC to Green Bay.

Will Matthew Golden Be Unleashed?

By moving on from Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, the Packers have cleared the path for Matthew Golden to be a full-time part of the offense.

Golden showed his potential throughout training camp last year. This year’s training camp will be the time to unleash the sure-handed speedster into the difference-making weapon he must become.

Can Savion Williams Be a Real Receiver?

Green Bay Packers receiver Savion Williams (83) scores a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After drafting Matthew Golden in the first round last year, they added Savion Williams in the third round. Williams caught all 10 targets in a season that was practically irrelevant in his development.

Last year, 167 receivers were targeted at least 10 times. Williams had the second-shortest depth of target at 1.2 yards downfield. He caught one downfield strike, a huge 33-yard catch that was pivotal in the win against the Giants. That pass was thrown 32 yards downfield. The other nine targets were caught a combined 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

So, considering Williams will enter camp as the frontrunner to be the No. 4 receiver – or the next man up in any three-receiver sets – can he actually play receiver?

Can Skyy Moore Help at Receiver?

Skyy Moore was a second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022. He caught 43 passes during his first two seasons but only five passes the last two seasons.

Moore should make the roster because of his excellence as the 49ers’ kickoff and punt returner last season. But with the lack of proven depth at receiver, it would be a big deal if he can show he can help on offense, too.

Can Luke Musgrave Be an Impact Player?

It might be now or never for Luke Musgrave, who was drafted before Tucker Kraft in 2023 but has been left in the dust.

Musgrave the last two seasons has scored zero touchdowns. He had chances to regain a role on the offense each of the past two seasons; he’ll get another opportunity at the start of camp as Kraft puts the finishing touches on his comeback from a torn ACL.

How Will O-Line Gel?

The Packers have a new starting five on the offensive line with Jordan Morgan at left tackle, Aaron Banks at left guard, Sean Rhyan at center, Anthony Belton at right guard and Zach Tom at right tackle.

The best offensive lines are the lines that practice and play together. Getting those five players through training camp and into the regular season healthy and playing well would be huge, because the blocking wasn’t good enough for Josh Jacobs or Jordan Love last year.

Can Jordan Morgan Thrive at Left Tackle?

Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Jordan Morgan (77) runs through a drill during training camp last year. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

That’s especially true for Jordan Morgan, who will be replacing three-year starter Rasheed Walker as Jordan Love’s blindside protector. Morgan had an excellent series of offseason practices, showing his ability to handle speed around the corner. When camp starts, he’ll have to show the strength to stop a bull rush and open holes in the run game.

“He’s done an outstanding job,” coach Matt LaFleur said during OTAs. “These guys aren’t in pads, so you can’t get the full effect of exactly how they’re going to be, but you know we’re really pleased on what we’ve seen thus far.”

Can Jager Burton Live Up to Hype?

Given the limitations of evaluating offensive linemen during the spring practices, this was an interesting quote from coach Matt LaFleur about fifth-round center/guard Jager Burton before Day 2 of minicamp.

“I see a really young guy that’s extremely coachable, athletic and is maximizing the most of his opportunities. So, I think every practice he gets a little bit more comfortable, a little bit better, and he’s definitely going to be in the mix to compete for playing time this year.”

Burton took first-team reps at all three interior positions during the offseason. He’d be a huge asset if can be a quality blocker as the universal interior backup because, at some point, chances are one of the starters is going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and miss some time.

Can Chris McClellan Live Up to Hype?

The Packers drafted Chris McClellan in the third round, and he became the first rookie to earn first-team reps.

McClellan almost certainly will be the starting nose tackle and perhaps the next man up behind Devonte Wyatt and Javon Hargrave in the four-man fronts. Like with Burton, though, McClellan will have to show he can handle the physicality of the NFL game. It can be a difficult transition. Remember, as a first-round pick in 2016, Kenny Clark started only two games.

Does Javon Hargrave Have Any Juice?

It had been rumored for a couple weeks that the Vikings would be releasing highly paid defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. In turn, it was assumed the Packers would be interested. After all, the Packers needed a defensive tackle and the coordinator for Hargrave’s best seasons, Jonathan Gannon, was the Packers’ new coordinator.

Sure enough, the Vikings released Hargrave and the Packers signed him about an hour later.

Hargrave is 33. Nobody should be expecting Hargrave to post 11 sacks, like he did with Gannon in 2022. But can he do better than last year’s 3.5 sacks and four tackles for losses? The Packers desperately need it. The player he’s replacing, Colby Wooden, didn’t have any sacks but he did record six tackles for losses.

Who Will Rush the Passer?

Green Bay Packers edge Lukas Van Ness takes a bike to training camp in 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This is an absolutely incredible number. The Packers finished last season with 36 sacks. Micah Parsons (12.5) will miss most of the first half of the season and Rashan Gary (7.5), Quay Walker (2.5) and Kingsley Enagbare (2.0) will be playing elsewhere. That leaves 11.5 sacks on last year’s roster who are scheduled to be on the field for the start of the season.

So, who’s going to rush the passer? That could be the season-defining question. If they can’t find enough consistent pass rush – whether it’s returning players Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness, the addition of Javon Hargrave or the kiddie corps of Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, Brenton Cox and Dani Dennis-Sutton – the season could be in jeopardy before Parsons returns.

Can Collin Oliver Contribute?

Collin Oliver, a fifth-round pick in 2025, was a havoc-creating monster at Oklahoma State for his first three seasons with 22.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for losses. But a foot injury limited him to two games as a senior and hamstring injuries limited him to one game as a rookie.

The Packers need pass rush. Oliver can bring pass rush.

Will he be able to turn up the heat, though? That he missed the offseason practices again wasn’t a good sign.

Who’s LB3?

The Packers are strong at linebacker with Zaire Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper as the starters and Ty’Ron Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie in reserve. Hopper was a third-round pick in 2024 who has played only 144 snaps in two seasons. McDuffie has started 37 games the last three seasons.

Will there be a true next man up at linebacker? Will the Packers go with Hopper as the backup for Cooper and McDuffie as the backup for Franklin? Is there a trade to be made?

When Will Brandon Cisse Take a Significant Number of No. 1 Reps?

The Packers, who obviously weren’t good enough at cornerback last season, used their first draft pick on Brandon Cisse. He got a few first-team snaps during the offseason practices but not a lot. Unless he falls on his face, there will come a time in training camp when he is inserted into the starting defense to see if he can handle Jordan Love and Christian Watson.

“It’s been good. Just taking it one day at a time, but it’s been a fun process,” he said after practice. “Something I’m excited for, just to keep improving. Still going through those growing pains and you going to make a lot of plays as well, just excited for it. It’s been a good transition so far.”

Can Benjamin St-Juste Challenge, Too?

The Packers, obviously, need better coverage, playmaking and tackling than they got from Keisean Nixon, who broke up a lot of passes but also was guilty of a bunch of penalties, and Carrington Valentine, who didn’t intercept any passes until the playoffs and missed a bunch of tackles.

St-Juste had a superb coverage season in part-time duty for the Chargers last season. He had elite size and plenty of experience. He also has a history of inconsistent play and sat out the offseason practices due to injury.

What Will Jonathan Gannon’s Defense Look Like?

Former Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon is shown before last year's game against the Packers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There was no real flavor to Jonathan Gannon’s defense during the offseason practices. There was a scheme to install and players to learn, but it would be foolish to say the groundwork had been laid for the regular season.

That will happen during training camp once the players learn the scheme and Gannon learns his players and what his unit as a whole does well and doesn’t do well enough. Getting to go against Jordan Love every day will be a huge help in determining the strengths he can ride with and potential fatal flaws.

Can Trey Smack Win the Job?

The Packers traded up to draft Trey Smack and then whacked Brandon McManus.

The Packers have a chronic kicking problem. In 2025, McManus was hurt for most of the season before a disastrous playoff game. In 2024, McManus came to the rescue at midseason. In 2023 with rookie Anders Carlson, the Packers were 24th in field-goal percentage. In 2022, Mason Crosby’s final season, they were 22nd in field-goal percentage. In 2021, they were 31st.

The last time the Packers finished inside the top 15 in field-goal percentage was 2020.

Smack struggled through the offseason. The Packers aren’t nearly good enough to endure a kicker’s growing pains.

Which Undrafted Free Agent Makes His Move?

The Packers have had at least one undrafted free agent make the opening roster for 21 consecutive seasons.

Who will keep that streak alive?

Will it be receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, tight end RJ Maryland or edge Nyjalik Kelly, who joined position groups without a lot of proven depth. Will it be one of the undrafted linemen, such as Dillon Wade? How about linebacker T.J. Quinn or safety Murvin Kenion, the only offseason additions at their positions?

As Sturdivant said when asked why he chose the Packers: “Being able to pick to go to a very stable situation that could allow me to play and develop more as a receiver under people that know what they’re doing and have receivers in the room that look like me, that have been successful in the league to be able to play next to is great.

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