Yes, it’s happening, there are 24 hours until Green Bay Packers football!
There are so many reasons to be excited for Packer Nation in 2024. Today I want to point out a few areas to keep an eye on for tomorrow’s game.
Green Bay Packers Offensive Line: Rotation to Find the Best Five
Training camp has been a concern for folks in the Packerverse, as the team’s starting lineup has been off the clock due to injuries. The Packers have Zach Tom back on the field this week, but we’ll see how many games he plays on Saturday.
First-round pick Jordan Morgan also sat out this week with a shoulder injury and will not be available for the Green Bay Packers this Saturday. Morgan definitely told me to put my foot down after I doubted he would be a better candidate than Graham Barton for the No. 1 pick. Morgan had been a big hit at right guard before his injury.
That drafting wizard Gutey may have done it again!
With Morgan sitting out, there is sure to be some confusion as Matt clings to the age-old Packers adage: “We have to put our best five on the field.”
Here is the current lineup on Packers.com
I believe Caleb Jones will make a splash on Saturday and easily overtake Andre Dillard in the race for swing tackle. Dillard’s training camp was lackluster and I don’t think he will make it past the roster cuts to the 53. Jones also played with the first team this week. I’ve also heard from sources that they want to give him his chance this year after he was injured last season.
I also wonder if they’ll slide Jenkins over and let him take some snaps at center like he did during some workouts this offseason.
Also look for Jacob Monk to get some action at right guard. Monk played on the first team offense earlier this week due to Jordan Morgan’s injury.
This battle will become more and more exciting until the end of the preseason!
Green Bay Packers defensive line: Hands in the dirt with a 4-3 front
I spoke to Aaron Nagler of Cheesehead TV this week and asked him who he saw starting on the defensive line during practice.
He said the first-team starting lineup consisted almost exclusively of Preston Smith and Rashan Gary at ends and TJ Slaton and Kenny Clark in the middle.
I’m not worried about Rashan “Bane Gary” heading into the head this season. Preston Smith has been consistent and TJ Slaton has been great in camp. I also expect Kenny Clark to play confidently and hold down the infield after getting a nice contract extension.
However, this week I will be focusing on Devonte Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness.
These two linemen are poised to have a big year. Look for Devonte Wyatt to step up and take a big step forward and establish himself as a disruptor on the interior this year.
Van Ness is entering his second year. We’ll see if Hercules can make the jump to year two and live up to his potential as a first-round pick under new DC Jeff Hafley.
Nothing is secondary about these linebackers!
Mock draft junkies rejoiced at the draft this year when the Green Bay Packers selected Edgerrin Cooper to back up Quay Walker and Co. in the linebacker room. Unfortunately, Cooper is currently out with a hip injury.
I’m curious to see how Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson do after hearing a lot about them cleaning up in camp.
Isaiah took a big step forward last season after De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker both suffered injuries, and he’ll likely hold down center on Saturday.
Wilson has traveled around the league a bit. He played with the Vikings, Texans and Eagles. He was a rock-solid special teamer and was even named a captain by Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Look for Wilson to make some plays this weekend, and people remember the 49ers game in January…
Hafley’s DB-centric roots bode well for our new stallions in the area
This is going to be an exciting competition as we work our way through the preseason. I think we all collectively gasped when we heard that Xavier McKinney was joining us to lead alongside our franchise cornerback, Jaire Alexander. I think it goes without saying that we can expect some fireworks with those two leading the new defensive back room. Not to mention the man at the helm of the defense, Jeff Hafley, has received high praise from several players, including Keisan Nixon and Ja$ himself, for being a cornerback-focused coordinator.
I think people will be surprised by Kalen King’s game.
King has a huge grudge after only being drafted in the seventh round this year.
King has been at his best during training camp and has made some great plays. Look for him to storm out of the gate with something to prove.
I also think people have largely neglected Evan Williams. I wrote about Evan in June, and for more on his trip to Green Bay, check out the link below.
Also check out this video from Cheeshead TV which gives an insight into Evan’s skills in training. Personally, I think he has the potential to become Micah Hyde 2.0.
With Eric Stokes back in the team, he loses the CB2 position to Jaire at outside, but with Carrington Valentine unavailable this Saturday, Kalen is likely to be seen on the field.
Javon Bullard will put pressure on the defense
Without a doubt, I’m most excited to see Javon Bullard on the field. I’ve had Javon in almost every mock draft I’ve done this year. His speed and physicality are incredible, and he’s versatile enough to be a solid option in the slot if Nixon stumbles. He also comes from a Georgia defense that Gutey has treated like a farm league for the Packers locker room over the past few years.
Check out the Bullards’ highlights from last year.
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Of all the competition this year, the wide receiver position has gone from a dry spell to a feast over the last two years.
I hope Christian Watson stays healthy this season, but I’m putting my money on the Romeo Doubs/Tay Wicks/Jayden Reed trio being the consistent threat this season.
I’m ready to watch my favorite Romeo Doubs go full throttle this week. I watched the video and heard all the noise, and I’m in. While Jayden Reed is a cheat code and Tay Wicks is a route master, Doubs is Mr. Reliable. Read last week’s article to learn more about Romeo.
Look for Doubs to take a big step forward starting with this performance against the Browns.
Who will be QB2?
The race for the spot behind Jordan Love is between Sean Clifford (left) and Michael Pratt (right). Matt LaFleur said during his press conference Thursday that he expects Sean to see the majority of the snaps after his great performance on Family Night last week.
Clifford was a solid backup, but I have a feeling Pratt will quickly take over the QB2 slot. Here’s a report I wrote on Pratt on draft day for Packerstalk.com.
I think more teams see potential in the 7th round, which makes the decision to keep Pratt at 53 easier, whereas I don’t feel like many teams would poach Clifford if he was initially released after roster cuts.
Ultimately, it will come down to whether or not the Packers want to keep three quarterbacks (I see no reason why they shouldn’t given the new third quarterback emergency rule), but I believe Clifford will find his way to the practice squad after Pratt gets through his preseason workouts.
And finally, will there be a hailstorm in Green Bay in August?
Yes, it’s another bad dad joke in my article…
While I’ve been hesitant on Anders Carlson because I’m not sure he deserves the hatred many fans have toward him, it looks like Alex Hale could be a real threat to Carlson’s starting spot as a sophomore.
He’s an exceptional athlete with a BIG leg. Hale was part of the Australian Football Development Program for the World Cup, a capable tennis player and, not to mention, a junior world champion wake skater. He made 5/6 on his first day in the building with the Green Bay Packers and it will be interesting to see if he gets a chance in the season opener.
Predictions for Green Bay Packers vs Cleveland Browns
Although it is only a preseason game against the Browns, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the game as LaFleur has spoken openly about how important he thinks it is for the regular players to play.
I also realize that previous season wins and losses are pretty irrelevant.
However, these games will be crucial in deciding on squad cuts as the competition is so fierce at all levels of the game.
I predict a clear 31-10 victory in which the Green Bay Packers defense will massively cripple the Cleveland Browns offense.
We’ll see what happens tomorrow, August 10th, at 3:25pm CT live in Cleveland, OH!
