ESPN La Crosse 105.5

On young Packers’ team, Preston Smith’s veteran leadership provides important element

By: Paul Bretl 7/2/24

Entering his 10th NFL season, Preston Smith has quickly become the veteran on this Green Bay Packers football team, which for the second year in a row, could be the youngest in the NFL. In fact, at soon-to-be 32 years old, Smith is the only player on the 91-man roster who is over 30.

“It’s always the goal of mine to make Year 10 and now that I’m here,” said Smith during minicamp, “it’s always a goal to just keep on chopping. Keep on chopping at the wood and making sure that I keep on doing what it takes to stay here and I keep on doing what it takes to reach my own personal goals and to make sure that — because I’m so close to a lot of ’em — and I got so many opportunities and I still feel like I got so much ball left in me.

“I feel like I got a lot of gas left in the tank and I still have an opportunity to make big plays and play for a long time in this league.”

Smith signed with the Packers during the 2019 offseason after spending his first four seasons with Washington. He was a part of a spending spree that GM Brian Gutekunst went on during free agency, where he also added Za’Darius Smith, Billy Turner, and Adrian Amos.

During his tenure with the Packers, which is now going on Year 6, Smith’s experience, along with the example he sets day-in and day-out, has put him in a leadership role, one that he very much embraces. Following the Packers’ playoff loss to San Francisco, it was Smith, while the team was still in the 49ers’ locker room, that set the tone for the upcoming months, describing what a “championship offseason” looked like.

As he does, Smith led by example. He was a regular member of the Packers’ voluntary offseason programs, which began back in mid-April, and is something that certainly isn’t required for a player going on his 10th NFL season.

“Man, any guy in this locker room will tell you Preston is Preston,” said Rashan Gary. “Preston is the heartbeat, man. He’s going on 10 years. I’ve been with him my whole six years. Everybody feeds off him. When Preston talks, everybody be quiet and listen because when 10 years talk, he’s coming from experience and understanding. That’s what P brings, man, just a leader through in and through outs.”

One of the more impressive feats that Smith has accomplished in his career is that he’s been the dictionary definition of durable. Over his nine NFL seasons, Smith has missed only one game and is rarely even on the team’s injury report.

As Matt LaFleur said, to a degree with injuries, there can be some luck involved. However, this is also a testament to Smith’s work ethic Monday through Saturday to make sure he prepared for Sundays. As the old saying goes, a player’s best ability, is their availability.

“Just taking care of the little things,” said Smith. “The recovery, making sure I take care of my body, I put the right things in my body and I make sure that I don’t do anything to jeopardize my health and I make sure I stay on top of my recovery process and taking care of my body so I don’t have to miss those games.

“Of course being an older guy, they feel like you start to get fragile and it’s not like that. I’m like fine wine. I’m getting better with age, as we can see, and I’m just happy to be here. I’m just happy to work with these guys and I’m looking forward to this season and the things that’s going to come.”

After a down 2020 season, Smith has recorded between 8.0 and 9.0 sacks in each of the last three seasons, although his pressure production has varied during that timeframe, with him totaling 63 pressures in 2021, 42 pressures in 2022, and 52 pressures in 2023.

However, the shift to Jeff Hafley’s defensive play style and scheme should afford Smith and the rest of the defensive front more opportunities to be disruptive, thus resulting in more steady production.

There were the instances under Joe Barry that drew the ire of the Packers’ fan base, where Smith would find himself in coverage across from some of the game’s top wide receivers like Justin Jefferson or Davante Adams. However, as Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber detailed in an article, Smith’s extensive use in coverage was more of a myth than a fact.

The more impactful change under Hafley for Smith and the defensive front will be the shift from a two-gap defense to a one-gap system. Under Barry, the defensive front used a two-gap system, where the job of the defender was to read what the offensive line was doing and what was happening in the backfield, and then fill the more vulnerable gap that they were responsible for. In short, the pass rushers were often asked to read and then react.

In this new system, however, each defender is responsible for just one gap, and in short, the responsibility of each player is much more simple: get upfield and be as disruptive as possible.

“Finally, I’m out here rushing more,” said Smith, “and I get to get after the quarterback a whole lot more. I just love the system.

“It’s definitely fine detailing in his system,” added Smith. “Everybody has a role and everybody has a responsibility. Nobody gets a pass in no way or shape or form. Everybody has a responsibility in each call and anything. You kind of know the responsibility in the run game and the pass for everybody.”

The Packers laid a strong foundation during the offseason, as LaFleur put it, and right now the vibes and energy are high. Every player in that locker room certainly understands the opportunity that is in front of them this season–and that’s exciting.

While the infusion of youth into this roster last offseason was an integral part of the Packers’ quick turnaround in 2023, Smith’s veteran leadership is a very valuable element within the Green Bay locker room. Before the Packers can worry about the Super Bowl, the first step is making sure they return for training camp both mentally and physically ready to compete.

“We just go with that mindset that we feel like we’re the underdogs, so we’ve got to go out there and hunt,” Smith said. “You’ve got to earn the right to be hunted. Right now, finishing how we finished last year, we know there’s a lot of things we can improve on that we want to go past where we were at.

“We know this year we’re working on those things, guys getting comfortable in the system – new system on defense – guys working hard, working together, working with the coaches, coaches working with us. We’ve just going out there doing the best we can to make sure we start better than we left off.”

‘Big things’ ahead for Packers’ DE Rashan Gary with fully healthy offseason

By: Paul Bretl 6/24/24

The big difference for Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary this offseason compared to last isn’t that he’s adjusting to a new defensive scheme under Jeff Hafley. It’s that he’s fully healthy and able to work on his game rather than having to rehab.

“Man, it’s a blessing,” said Rashan Gary at his locker following the Packers’ second minicamp practice. “I remember when I first got back here, and I was talking to the training staff. I’m like, ‘I miss this. I actually miss this.’ Just having the offseason to do what I need to do, I worked on parts of my game I really didn’t have time to work on last year. It’s very important and very crucial for me, so now I’m just enjoying it and thankful to God.”

Gary suffered that ACL injury during Week 9 of the 2022 season. To the surprise of many, he was available for the Packers’ Week 1 matchup against Chicago to open up the 2023 season, roughly just 10 months removed from when the injury occurred.

Easing Gary back in, he was used in a rotational capacity for the first five games of the season, averaging just 21 snaps per contest during that span. However, Gary made the most of those opportunities, totaling eight pressures and leading the NFL with a pass rush win rate of a whopping 33.3 percent, meaning that every three snaps, he was beating the offensive lineman he was lined up against.

Realistically, there was no way that pace would be maintained over the course of a season, especially as Gary’s workload returned to normal capacity. Gary finished the season with 66 pressures, which ranked 20th among edge rushers, and he was 21st in pass-rush win rate.

Oftentimes, when players are working their way back from injuries, they’re almost playing catch up to a degree throughout the offseason and even into the season–trying to work their way back to where they were rather than having the opportunity to focus on specific aspects of their game in an effort to get ahead.

A year ago, Gary was working through the former, just trying to get healthy. Now, he is living in the latter, with a full offseason to continue perfecting his craft.

“I think that’ll be great for him because he’s coming in with the right mindset,” said Preston Smith about Gary. “He’s been doing a lot of great things and of course you see what he did last season. I think this season is to realize what he needed to work on last year and to fix coming off injury.

“This year, having a chance to be healthy through a whole offseason and to get ready for the season, I think it’s gonna be big for him. I’m expecting a lot of big things out of him.”

In part, Gary’s early season success last year was a product of the situations he was being put in. With him on a snap count, the Packers were strategically using him on obvious passing downs, where all he had to worry about was getting after the quarterback. Naturally, Gary won a high number of those reps–he’s just that good.

This new defense under Hafley should afford Gary and the rest of the Packers’ defensive front the opportunity to just go and get the football, which, as we’ve seen, Gary excels at.

“Attack, attack, attack,” said Gary of Hafley’s defense. “Aggressive and I’m loving it. Just pin your ears back and relax and play.”

Under former defensive coordinator Joe Barry, it was a two-gap system, where the job of the defensive front was to read what the offensive line was doing and what was happening in the backfield, and then fill the more vulnerable gap that they were responsible for.

In this system, however, each defender is responsible for just one gap, and in short, the responsibility of each player is much more simple: get upfield and be as disruptive as possible.

“I feel like just less things to have to think about,” added Gary. “Having a younger team. We have a lot of guys who can play fast but we just need them to not think so we cut off their brain a little bit and allow them to pin their ears back and go. I feel like up front that’s what they’re allowing us to do in this scheme.”

Overall, the Packers need more consistency from their pass rush unit in 2024. This was a group that ran very hot and cold last season.

While there were seven games where they pressured the quarterback on more than 45 percent of his dropbacks – which is excellent – there were also seven games where they had a pressure rate below 30 percent, and that’s the opposite of excellent.

On its own, Hafley’s defense should help with some of that heavy lifting when it comes to generating more pressures because of what it asks the defensive front to do. But another key element will be a fully healthy Gary, who was able to attack this offseason.

“I said it before, I’ll say it again,” said defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich, “he’s the best leader on our team. I mean, every day he comes to work, every day he’s encouraging. Any of you guys that have seen pre-practice when he’s out there, he’s constantly pulling somebody aside to talk to them. He’s the engine. He drives it. It’s what he does.

“So from a mentality standpoint, I don’t see any difference. Now, the good thing is, he’s had a full year of his injury that he’s come back from, and we’re taking it day by day just like anything else, and hopefully, we’re wishing for the best for him this upcoming season.”

Good vibes and energy help Packers lay strong foundation heading into training camp

By: Paul Bretl 6/21/24

The Green Bay Packers have entered their summer break before they report back for training camp in mid-July with the energy and vibes within the locker room and on the practice field quite high.

“Mr. Larry,” said Quay Walker in response to a question from Larry McCarren, “I’d be lying to you if I said we wasn’t because honestly, I done been on a championship team and I understand that it’s college and this is the NFL, but chemistry is there already and any time you have a team with chemistry, that’s a good, good sign.

“At the end of the day, we still gotta play football, but the chemistry is there and that’s all you could ask for right now, to be honest you.”

Following the Packers’ playoff loss to San Francisco last January, Preston Smith detailed the importance of this being a “championship offseason” for the team, meaning that everything each player does is very intentional and with one goal in mind–winning. What the Packers do in the months leading up to training camp sets the stage for how they perform in critical moments during the upcoming season.

“We’ve got to have a championship offseason,” said Smith back in January, “so everything rolls into the season because, at the end of the day, those games come back to following your training, trusting your technique, and trusting everything you worked hard for this offseason. Coming into this next season, we’ve got to focus on the things that we can improve on, make sure that our weaknesses are our strengths, and we improve on the things we’re good at.”

This Packers team knows the opportunity that is out there for them this upcoming season. It’s not only outside of the building that the expectations are high. That in itself can contribute to the energy and vibes in the building–it’s exciting to believe that you’re playing on a Super Bowl-caliber team.

One way that this enthusiasm and commitment to a championship offseason has shown through during this time of the year is with the Packers’ near-perfect, and at times perfect, attendance during OTAs, which are voluntary. Perhaps this seems like a small thing, but it’s not the norm around the NFL either.

Every player in that locker room knows what the end goal is this season, and this offseason showcased a team that is working as one cohesive unit to do everything they can to achieve it, cultivating the chemistry – and subsequently the vibes and energy – that Walker described.

“I think everybody is locked in,” said Xavier McKinney following the first OTA practice. “I think we understand. It’s good to because us being young as a team, we understand the talent that we have on this team and we do understand where we can take it if we work hard and do what we’re supposed to do day in and day out. I think that’s just a credit to these guys in this locker room. Like I said, everybody’s been great. Everybody’s came in every day with a great attitude and just ready to put the work in. I know it’s going to pay off for us.”

Optimism this time of the year runs rampant throughout the NFL. The Packers certainly aren’t the only team who are excited about the upcoming season. But with that said, these feelings are certainly justifiable.

During the Packers’ season-ending stretch, Jordan Love and the offense were operating as one of the best units in football. And now in Year 2 together, as good as this group looked at the end of last year, there is the potential for a jumping-off point with a full offseason to build off of what has already been established.

Defensively, change can help breathe new life into a unit, and that seems to be the sentiment that every player is feeling playing under Jeff Hafley and his coaching staff. ‘Run’, ‘hit’, and ‘aggressive’ are a few of the words that we keep hearing from players when they’re describing Hafley’s defense. Defenders are being asked to play fast and make plays–and they love it.

“You can tell the energy around the building from top to bottom is great,” said Rashan Gary, “especially on defense having a whole new staff, a whole new life. We’re loving it on defense.

“With the offense, man, I love their swagger. It’s not like last year at all. We come back, everybody work day in and day out. Like I told everybody to come back 1 percent better than what we were today when we left, we’re gonna be fine and where we want to be.”

All of this is great, but over the course of a long NFL season, eventually, the Packers are going to get punched in the mouth – it happens to every team – and they’ll have to respond. It’s in those moments that the offseason optimism can feel like a distant memory.

While it may never truly be known how a team is going to react in those situations until they face them, as Smith mentioned, the work that the Packers are putting in now will help guide them through those critical moments.

At the end of the day, there’s only so much that can be gleaned from this time of the year, and of course, what takes place in April, May, and June doesn’t guarantee success during the season. With that said, it’s also hard to envision this Packers team being in a better spot heading into training camp than where they’re at right now–and while that isn’t everything in the grand scheme of an NFL season, it does matter.

A strong foundation has been laid this offseason, however, the work is far from done. Each player needs to come back from this time off mentally and physically ready to endure what can be a grueling NFL season and build off of the energy and good vibes that have already been established.

“I think we’ve laid a good foundation,” said Matt LaFleur following the final minicamp practice, “and I think the guys the things that we stressed to these guys in terms of our communication, how close the connection can get, I think it’s a good start.

“But it really doesn’t matter once we come back to training camp. (Then) it’s about what we do moving forward. Again, it’s just the foundation. So, I feel really good about the group in there and hopefully throughout the course of these give weeks is you cannot come back the same player. You’ve got to come back better. You’ve got to come back in better shape, and you’ve got to come back better mentally.”

Matt LaFleur ‘really confident’ in Packers’ CB depth

By: Paul Bretl 6/19/24

From the outside looking in, the cornerback position for the Green Bay Packers could be one with some question marks coming into the upcoming season. However, internally, that isn’t how the Packers view things. In fact, Matt LaFleur really likes the depth of this unit.

“We’re going to play our best players,” said LaFleur during minicamp, “but like I said I think yesterday, I feel really, really confident with the group that we have and there’s going to be some unforeseen things that happen but luckily we’ve got a lot of depth, in particular at that position.”

This confidence in the cornerback position isn’t new, either. GM Brian Gutekunst’s approach to the draft, not taking a cornerback until the seventh round even when there was the opportunity to do so early on, told us that the Packers were bullish about this group.

The way that the offseason has unfolded has only added to that confidence. Jaire Alexander has parlayed his strong finish to the 2023 season into a highly productive offseason, where he’s been present throughout the offseason programs, providing leadership off the field and competitive fire on it.

“Ja’s been outstanding,” LaFleur said. “Again, he’s been here every day, shows up, great attitude, eager to learn, is out there competing with the guys, talking trash, which I love because I love just amping up that level of competition in a fun way. He’s never demeaning. I think he’s been a great teammate and been a great leader for us.”

One of the bigger positional battles that will take place during training camp will be for the starting cornerback spot opposite of Alexander. In the early going, it has been Eric Stokes taking those starting reps with Carrington Valentine as the secondary option.

How snaps will be divided between those two over the summer is still to be determined, or at least at this time, LaFleur wasn’t going to get into specifics, but the goal is to create competition, and the best player will play.

Valentine was challenged to put on weight this offseason and he rose to the occasion, arriving back to Green Bay with added weight and muscle. Valentine’s approach to the offseason has helped him stand out among the rest, as LaFleur put it, while adding that he’s got a “bright future.”

Stokes is now fully healthy with a plan in place to keep him on the field after visiting a hamstring specialist this offseason at UW-Madison with Christian Watson and he is as good as LaFleur has ever seen him.

“I think he’s as good as I’ve ever seen him,” said LaFleur during OTAs. “Both mentally and on the field. I want to temper the expectations with that, but I really mean that. He’s out there competing each and every day. He looks fully healthy. He’s doing a great job of challenging our wide receivers.

“He’s always in great faith. I think you see that personality is back. That’s tough on players when they’re going through an offseason not having opportunity to really build upon their bodies when you’re just focusing on rehabbing and getting healthy. He’s had a chance to really develop his body. He looks in great shape. I think the play says the same.”

With Keisean Nixon’s size, his willingness to help out in the run game, and his comfortability in man coverage, LaFleur likes his fit in Jeff Hafley’s defense as the nickel cornerback.

“He’s a big guy for the position; he’s 200 pounds or whatever,” LaFleur said. “His willingness to fit in the run fits, whether it’s an A-gap or B-gap, stick his nose in there and then also his ability to play man coverage.

“Certainly, there’s going to be some elements to our scheme that are going to be different. He’s going to have to learn the new scheme. He’s played in this style of system before with the Raiders when Gus Bradley was there. So, he’s familiar with some of the things that are going to be asked (of) him. But that was a big get for us to get him back, in my opinion.”

As far as depth goes, the Packers would re-sign Corey Ballentine, who lined up on the boundary last season but has been taking snaps in the slot during offseason programs, providing the secondary with a versatile option off the bench if needed. Green Bay also has Kalen King, seventh-round pick, who many considered a steal at that point in the draft.

Last season, the Packers’ defense ranked in the bottom half of the league in yards per pass attempt allowed and recorded the second-fewest interceptions with just seven. An important contributing factor to what hopefully becomes improved play this season will be Hafley’s defense.

The heavier use of press-man coverage suits the skill sets of this Packers’ cornerback room quite well, while Hafley’s vision-based approach for the back end should result in more opportunities to make plays on the football.

A number of Hafley’s former players and now many of his current ones on the Packers have praised him for his ability as a teacher to simplify the game plan, allowing the defenders to react rather than overthinking, and putting them in positions to be successful, where their individual strengths can shine.

“I love Jeff,” said Carrington Valentine. “He pushes us. He tells us the whys, the ins and outs. We’re just not going out there lining up. We’re understanding of why we’re doing stuff and I’m learning a lot.”

Optimism runs rampant through the NFL during this time of the year. It’s a time of hope across the league. However, at the end of the day, potential has to translate to production, or it doesn’t much matter.

With that said, the foundation that is laid during this time of the year can oftentimes provide a jumping-off point for training camp that, hopefully, carries into the regular season. It’s early, but the Packers’ cornerback room appears to be on that track.

“There’s a really good vibe right now, and I think that’s a great starting point,” said Hafley about the cornerback room in May. “We’re just installing our defense, and we have a long way to go, but you can’t ask for anything else, the way these guys have attacked it and how hard they’ve worked, and that’s just one group that it’s fun to watch right now. we’ll see. I think the competition is so important, right? It’s going to bring out the best in those guys and they’re going to get coached really well.”

Upcoming off-weeks ‘critical’ for Packers rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper

By: Paul Bretl 6/17/24

For the Green Bay Packers and the rest of the NFL, they’ve reached summer break, with players and coaches having the next five or so weeks to themselves before reconvening for training camp.

This is one last time for everyone involved to recharge their batteries before the grueling NFL season begins, but for the Packers’ rookies, particularly linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, this is a “critical” five-week stretch, as Matt LaFleur put it.

“I think he’s another guy that he’s going to have to build on what he’s already put out there,” said LaFleur during minicamp. “I think these five weeks are going to be absolutely critical for him in terms of not only the mental, but the physical and making sure he’s taking care of his body.”

From the time the college football season ends to the time that the incoming rookies arrive at the team facility, there is little break for them. Many participate in Collegiate All-Star games, then they make their way to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, and there are Pro Days as well, not to mention the constant travel that comes with meeting with various teams as part of the pre-draft process.

Prospects are, of course, still training during those months, but the focus is on completing drills like the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, 3-cone, and other athletic testing events. However, there’s being in shape, and then there’s being in football shape.

“I think a lot of these guys after the draft process they’re not in the best physical condition because like Coop took a visit here,” LaFleur said. “I don’t know how many visits he had, but it’s a different style of training.

“You’re getting ready for the Combine, you’re trying to go run your fastest 40, the Underwear Olympics, if you will, and it’s different when you start playing ball. So I think this is a critical time for, in particular his case he’s got to keep building on the foundation that he’s laid and we expect him to come back even better and have a better knowledge base on what is required of him.”

Along with the physical side of things, the other part of the equation for Cooper is the mental side–specifically the playbook. As is the case for any incoming rookie, there is an adjustment to a new scheme and the speed of the NFL game.

This jump from college to the NFL is different for every player, but the linebacker position can come with a steep learning curve, given that these players are responsible for defending both the run and the pass and need to know where their teammates are going so they’re aware of any potential spacing that will need to be filled.

As LaFleur said, Cooper has laid the foundation during OTAs and minicam. Cooper would add that the final week of OTAs and the two minicamp practices are when things started to slow down for him. But in order to build off of what he’s done and to pick up where he’s left off when training camp arrives, as the defense goes through installs a second, third, and fourth time, he’ll need to keep his nose in the playbook during the off time to maximize those reps.

“You know, just going over your rules and even drawing stuff up and writing down what each guy got, and putting the puzzles together,” said Cooper when asked what staying in the playbook looks like. “Just quizzing yourself. The thing is going from there and then going back to your notes. It’s just all putting it all in your head so it’s all second nature.”

‘Run’ and ‘hit’ have been two words often used this offseason to describe what the Packers are searching for in their new defense under Jeff Hafley. In today’s NFL, the ability to run and shrink the field is a must at the linebacker position, along with running and hitting cultivating a specific type of play-style that the Packers want to have on the defensive side of the ball.

While we haven’t seen the hitting part take place yet with the pads not being on, Cooper’s 4.51-second speed has been on full display throughout the practices open to the media. His ability to move sideline-to-sideline with ease to limit outside runs, along with shooting gaps as a blitzer has been quite impressive.

“There was one play in particular today that I thought for sure we were going to get him on and he did a heck of a job with it,” said LaFleur. “And I was kind of teasing the coaches, did you preview him for that play? And they did not. So, that’s a credit to him and just how engaged he’s been and how locked in he’s been throughout the course of the offseason.”

As the Packers do with most of their rookies, they’ve been easing Cooper in. When in their base 4-3 defense, it was been Quay Walker in the middle with Isaiah McDuffie to his left and Eric Wilson to his right. Cooper then eventually takes over for Wilson. When the Packers are in nickel and have only two linebackers on the field, Cooper and McDuffie are both taking reps next to Walker.

Running and hitting is what Cooper does best. In regards to what the Packers are asking of him, he says there is not a lot of difference with what his responsibilities consisted of at Texas A&M. This is a defensive scheme where he can thrive and make an immediate impact.

Cooper is going to be a factor in the Packers’ defense this season, but in what capacity is likely still being ironed out, to some degree. How Cooper attacks the next five weeks will play an important role in him hitting the ground running during training camp and seizing the opportunity in front of him.

“I’m trying to come in and perform for my team,” said Cooper, “and doing what’s best for my team. So really just staying on the pedal and doing what I got to do. Staying in shape. Getting more shape. Staying in the playbook and doing everything I need to do.”

DE Brenton Cox showcases pass rush abilities during Packers’ minicamp

By: Paul Bretl 6/15/24

When it comes to evaluating the play of offensive and defensive lines, we won’t truly get a pulse on where these units stand until training camp arrives and the pads come on. But with that said, Packers’ second-year defensive end Brenton Cox impressed during minicamp.

During Wednesday’s practice in particular, there were two pass-rush reps from Cox in 11-on-11 drills that stood. One came against Andre Dillard and the other against Jordan Morgan. On both reps, Cox won with power, popping both tackles in the chest, knocking them off-balanced, and then beating them around the edge to get to the quarterback.

“One thing that he could always do is he can rush the passer,” said Matt LaFleur after practice, “and I think, again, we don’t have pads on, so it will really show itself as we get into training camp. But I think, that’s why he made such a great impression on us a year ago. Certainly the scheme’s a little bit different, and we’re just letting him pin his ears back and go and he’s embraced that.”

As an undrafted rookie in 2023 out of Florida, Cox’s ability to get after the quarterback earned him a roster spot last season. As the fifth-man in the edge rusher rotation, his playing time was limited, appearing in only three games defensively, totaling five snaps.

Like many NFL players entering their sophomore season, Cox benefits from having a full offseason to work on his craft rather than training for the NFL combine and doing interviews. There is also the added comfortability that comes from the experience gained over the last year and knowing what it takes to be a professional day in and day out.

“With B, it’s his confidence, having more reps,” said Rashan Gary. “He’s the type of guy you need to put him in there so he can feel more comfortable. The more comfortable he feels, the more splashy plays he has. Just his hungry and being more comfortable. Understanding he has a group of guys that just want to see him win. It don’t matter.”

Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme should also suit Cox’s skill set quite well. Under Joe Barry, the defensive front was asked to read and then react. With Hafley, this is an attacking front, as defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich put it. The goal is for the defenders to get north and south and into the backfield as quickly as possible. Or, in short, go get the quarterback.

In a deep defensive end room that features Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and JJ Enagbare, Cox may not be climbing the depth chart this season, but there certainly is the opportunity for his role to increase, specifically on obvious passing downs.

With the depth that the Packers have along the defensive front, coupled with the more aggressive play style that will be asked of this group, the need to rotate defenders more often to keep everyone fresh throughout the game will be required, potentially resulting in more reps for Cox if he can continue to build upon these recent performances during training camp.

“I think he’s got a bright future,” said GM Brian Gutekunst about Cox earlier this offseason. “He’s shown through college and his time with us that he can rush the passer. He’s got a lot of physical traits that we are looking for. I think he will be ready for his opportunity when it comes.”

Understanding the ‘why’ leads to fast, physical play for Packers’ defense

By: Paul Bretl 6/13/24

Putting players in positions to make plays sounds like a simple and obvious concept, but it is much easier said than done. Otherwise, we would see just about every defense playing at a high level.

However, for new Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, this is an area where he excels–his ability to teach. Just ask a few of his former players like Jordan Fuller or Tashaun Gipson or Richard Sherman.

“His preparation is some of the best I’ve seen,” said cornerback Richard Sherman, who was coached by Hafley in San Francisco. “I’ve had some great defensive back coaches, some great defensive coaches, great defensive minds, and he’s right up there with his preparation and how he breaks down film and how easy and simple he makes the gameplan sound. How easy he makes it for guys to understand. He paints a very vivid picture of what you’re going to see, and it’s all about executing on it.”

Accomplishing this doesn’t begin with putting together a gameplan that, on paper, looks like it will wreak havoc for opposing offenses. Instead the goal is to put together a gameplan that can be flawlessly executed on by the defenders and that starts with the basics and paying attention to the finer details.

“It’s definitely fine detailing in his system,” said Preston Smith. “Everybody has a role and everybody has a responsibility. Nobody gets a pass in no way or shape or form. Everybody has a responsibility in each call and anything. You kind of know the responsibility in the run game and the pass for everybody.”

For a large portion of offseason programs, while yes, the Packers were working on implementing Hafley’s new defensive scheme, the focus for many of those days was on the fundamentals and technique because without those elements being properly executed on, not much else matters, as Hafley put it.

There is also a heavy emphasis on the players understanding the ‘why’ behind what they are being asked to do. Why they are lined up a certain way. Why they have this certain responsibility. Why their teammates are filling that role.

When the why behind the play is understood, there is more clarity around the task at hand, how the individual responsibilities work together to achieve the ultimate goal, and perhaps most importantly, confidence–which leads to fast play.

Hafley creates digestible gameplans for his defenders to go out and execute on, however, don’t mistake digestible for simple. This is a defense that will use post-snap movement to help disguise coverages and blitz from different parts of the field to cause some chaos. The gameplans are digestible because there is a deep understanding by all 11 players about what they’re being asked to do–and why.

Good coaches – and teachers – are always mindful of what their players can learn in the allotted timeframe that they have to implement what they’re working on. Hafley can dial up the perfect defensive play call based on the situation, but if it’s not executed properly, it doesn’t matter how good the play looked on paper.

When players are confident in their fundamentals and technique and have a clear understanding of not only their role but the roles of their teammates, the gameplan can look ‘simplified’ because the end result is fast and physical play. Rather than overthinking, players are reacting and letting their natural abilities take over. As Packers’ running back coach Ben Sirmans has said, “when you think, you stink.”

“That makes a big difference knowing why you’re doing something on the field,” said Edgerrin Cooper, “because you start putting everybody pieces together and so now you can just sit there and relax your eyes and play ball.”

Right now, it’s not only the players who are learning Hafley’s system, but Hafley and the defensive coaches are learning as well, figuring out the strength of each player and in what situations they can be the most successful in.

Of course, any successful gameplan is going to fully utilize the strengths of each player. However, that’s just part of the equation. Putting defenders in a position to make plays on Sundays doesn’t solely revolve around where the players are asked to line up or what they’re asked to do. It begins with acute attention to the finer details and how the gameplan is taught and communicated so everyone understands the why behind it all.

“Pretty much everything, to be honest with you,” said Quay Walker when asked what stands out about Hafley’s defense. “It’s a lot of stuff that I did in college that I think translates very well for a lot of us. I think it fits what we do.

“I think not only that — I think Haf doing a great job so far of putting us in the right position. Whatever the case may be, I just think his attention to details and everything like that and how we are so far, but everything stands out about the defense because it’s similar to what I’ve done before. Not only that, but a lot of guys, as well, so I love it so far.”

Packers won’t know ‘best five’ on OL until the pads come on

By: Paul Bretl 6/13/24

If the hope was to come out of these OTA and minicamp practices with an idea of what the Packers’ starting offensive line is going to look like this summer, well, you’re going to be disappointed. The constant movement and lack of pads made that a very tall task.

“No, I don’t think so,” said Matt LaFleur after Wednesday’s practice when asked if there is clarity around what the starting line will look like. “I mean there’s been some good work that’s been put in. I think it’s really important to work on the fundamentals, but the fact of the matter is we’re not in pads.

“And I don’t think you’ll really, truly know until we get out there, we get pads on. I thought for the most part our guys up front did a pretty decent job taking care of one another.”

During Wednesday’s practice alone, there were two different starting offensive line configurations utilized. The first consisted of Rasheed Walker at left tackle, followed by Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, and Andre Dillard. Jordan Morgan would then end up taking Rhyan’s place at right guard for some reps.

Throughout the five OTA and minicamp practices that have been open to the media, in addition to the configurations described above, we’ve seen Morgan at both tackle spots and left guard, along with Dillard at left tackle as well, all of which has resulted in a number of different starting combinations utilized in a very short amount of practice time.

“I think it (the starting offensive line) will kind of unfold when we get into camp and especially when we get into the preseason games,” added LaFleur. “We’ve got two opportunities to practice against somebody else, so I think it will unfold for us in training camp.”

What we know so far is that Walker has been taking the bulk of the left tackle reps. Myers has been the center, Rhyan has played mostly right guard and Jenkins left guard with Zach Tom sidelined with a pec injury.

The wildcard in all of this seems to be where Morgan will end up. Once that is decided, it seems like the starting offensive line unit will begin to take shape.

In the meantime, it’s not only Morgan who is learning as an incoming rookie, but the Packers’ coaching staff is also trying to learn where he fits best in conjunction with the other four members of the offensive line unit. Remember, as the Packers search for the “best five,” it’s not necessarily about where Morgan is best but what combination makes the unit as a whole the most cohesive. When it comes to offensive line play, the sum of the parts are greater than any one individual.

In part, the Packers are moving Morgan around because they believe in the value of cross-training linemen in case injuries strike. But also, in order to properly evaluate where Morgan fits best amongst the group, the Packers need a large enough sample size of him playing each position.

This is why, throughout the practices, he has been playing musical chairs along the offensive line, which has put a heavy workload on Morgan’s shoulders. Not only is he adjusting to the speed of the NFL game and learning a new playbook, but he’s being asked to play both sides of the line and both guard positions after spending all his time in college at just left tackle.

“Yeah I think certainly he’s got a long way to go in terms of just mentally,” said LaFleur on Tuesday. “Physically, he has all the tools that you look for and we’re gonna keep pushing him and he’s gotta understand that and I think for rookies, it’s just everybody has a different learning curve in terms of how fast they can acclimate themselves to just how we play at this level, but I think he’s approaching it the right way and we’re gonna continue to push him.”

Once the Packers get into training camp, the pads come on, and they get a better idea of what that starting offensive line lineup will look like, LaFleur said Morgan will start to get regular reps at one position rather than continuing to juggle a bevy of different roles.

Admittedly, the Packers have put a lot on Morgan’s plate. But as we’ve seen throughout the years with other draft picks, this isn’t something the Packers do to every incoming rookie. There are a few examples of other early round picks who didn’t start right away while trying to fill just one or maybe two roles. Only the players that they believe can shoulder the workload are asked to do so.

“There’s nothing he can’t do,” said LaFleur. “For him, it’s just about putting it all together mentally. I think there’s been a lot put on his plate, and I think at times his head is spinning. But you’ve just got to keep chopping and grinding and working through it. There’s gonna be mistakes. I think a big part of this is just being resilient throughout that process and making sure that you don’t lose confidence because certainly he has all the skills to be as good as he wants to be.”

Observations and takeaways from Packers final minicamp practice

By: Paul Bretl 6/12/24

The Green Bay Packers wrapped up offseason programs on Wednesday with their final minicamp practice. The next time the Packers take the practice field will be on July 22nd when training camp begins.

As always, here are my observations and takeaways from what I saw on the practice field:

Joining Xavier McKinney, Jaire Alexander, and Keisean Nixon as absent from practice was Josh Jacobs. Just like the three defensive backs, Jacobs’ absence was excused by Matt LaFleur after he was present for all of OTAs.

Who was starting on the offensive line? Today’s initial offensive line configuration consisted of Rasheed Walker at left tackle, followed by Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, and Andre Dillard. A few plays later, we saw Jordan Morgan take over at right guard for Rhyan. The second unit was made up of Caleb Jones and left tackle, with Royce Newman, Jacob Monk, Rhyan, and Morgan following him.

An important thing to remember this time of the year when talking about the offensive line is that the pads aren’t on. Matt LaFleur would say after practice that they won’t truly know who their best five linemen will be until training camp unfolds and they see how each player performs in pads. LaFleur added that at that time, Morgan will be asked to focus in on one or two positions rather than four. Now, having said that, it was a rough showing for Andre Dillard today.

What about the linebackers? The linebacker configuration remained the same. In base, it was Quay Walker in the middle, with Isaiah McDuffie to his left and Eric Wilson to his right. In nickel, it was Walker lining up next to McDuffie initially and then Edgerrin Cooper. At safety, Javon Bullard and Evan Williams took the starting reps. Previously, we’ve seen Anthony Johnson in that mix. The versatility of those two is extremely fun to watch–they are being lined up all over the field.

It was a really impressive day for Brenton Cox. In my opinion he has separated himself in the early going from Keshawn Banks and Arron Mosby for that fifth defensive end role. There were two pass rush reps today where his physicality was on display as he popped the tackle in the chest driving them backwards.

Jordan Love and the starting wide receivers are playing extremely well. I mentioned this in yesterday’s takeaways, but you can see the comfort Love has as he navigates the pocket and finds the soft spots in the defense. The starting offense moved the ball quite well today.

Overall, it was another sound day for all three kickers. By my count, each of them would go 6-for-7 on the day. Practice once again ended with the team huddled around each kicker, yelling and throw water as they attempted a field goal. Jack Podlesny would miss from 51 yards while Greg Joseph and Anders Carlson would make. Then all three made from 54 yards. LaFleur said it is still “to be determined” if the Packers will carry three kickers into training camp. Also of note, the difference in power between Carlson and the other two is quite noticeable.

Two minute drill: The scenario was the offense starting at their own 25 yard line, down two points with 1:18 left on the clock and two timeouts. Love finished the drive 3-of-6 but had a few length completions in the 15 to 20-yard range that helped move the ball into field goal range, which was made by all three kickers. The other two offenses led by Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt would stall out before getting to midfield. The pass rush on both the second and third defenses were causing some havoc.

During the special teams drills, we saw the kick return team working on returning squibbed kicks, something we may see a lot of with the new kickoff rules. There was also a majority of the team taking part in special teams drills today, which tells us that there may be a number of roles up for grabs on a unit that finished 29th last season in Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings.

I’ll again mention Deslin Alexandre’s name as an under the radar player to watch heading into training camp. In a loaded defensive end room, making the final roster will be extremely tough, but he again flashed today, specifically when using his speed to get after the quarterback.

Packers RB Marshawn Lloyd focusing on pass-catching prior to training camp

By: Paul Bretl 6/12/24

Coming out of the offseason programs, Green Bay Packers rookie running back Marshawn Lloyd has one area of his game in particular that he is going to focus on before the team reconvenes for training camp: pass catching.

“Pass catching,” said Lloyd at his locker on Tuesday when asked what he will focus on. “Just being able to be available as a pass catcher. Being able to use my abilities to make people miss and be used in space. I feel like that’s something I’m gonna work on this whole offseason. It’s been pretty good.”

The pass-catching component at the running back position is an important factor in Matt LaFleur’s offense, and that not only means having reliable hands, but being able to move around the formation, handling different routes, and the ability to find and operate in space.

When the running back is able to impact the passing game, that can open up the playbook for LaFleur, helping to create one-on-one opportunities and matchup problems for both the running back and also his teammates to exploit.

“I feel like they’ve been using me pretty good and in different ways,” Lloyd said. “I’m super excited about the season. I’m just going to keep pushing throughout this whole break and just getting better and better each day.”

Lloyd wasn’t involved all that heavily in the passing game during his time in college–although as we saw with AJ Dillon, just because the opportunities weren’t there doesn’t mean there isn’t the ability. Over Lloyd’s final two seasons, he was targeted 43 times, including only 18 times in 2023. For some context, those 18 targets ranked 117th among running backs last season.

However, with those opportunities, Lloyd was incredibly efficient. He would catch 13 of those passes and averaged a whopping 17.8 yards per catch–an amount that turns your head if you’re talking about receivers, let alone a running back. Lloyd led all running backs in yards per catch in 2023 and average YAC per reception.

“He definitely can be a weapon out of the backfield,” said Matt LaFleur. “I love all the measurables. He’s a 220-pound back that runs 4.4 and can run routes out of the backfield. I think he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.”

When discussing Lloyd’s game, whether it be GM Brian Gutekunst or LaFleur, both have mentioned the speed that he brings to the Packers’ offense. That aspect of Lloyd’s skill set shows up in the aforementioned passing game numbers with his ability to work in space, but we also saw it on full display on the practice field on Tuesday.

During one particular play in 11-on-11s, there wasn’t a ton of room for Lloyd to operate as he ran between the tackles. But utilizing jump cuts and cutting on a dime, we saw his elusiveness and ability to change direction, followed by that burst of his as he turned upfield and pulled away from defenders.

Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich has said that he wants Lloyd on the field as much as possible this season. As LaFleur said, he brings a different element to that running back room, which we saw in the described play above.

However, as is the case for any rookie, there is a learning curve that Lloyd is navigating. This includes learning a new playbook, acclimating to the speed of the NFL game, along with being able to handle the additional responsibilities that come with playing running back for the Packers, specifically pass catching and pass blocking.

But helping Lloyd through this transition is an experienced running back room. Lloyd mentioned at his locker that both Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon have been very supportive and incredibly helpful, giving him advice and answering his questions.

“Oh it’s been amazing,” said Lloyd, “because like you said, AJ knows everything. He knows the whole playbook, he helps me and Josh. So if we need something, we’ll go to AJ.

“AJ’s just so supportive. He’s a massive human being. He helps us throughout everything. If I do something good on the field, he’ll let me know I do something good. If something was like ehh, he’ll let me know. It’s good to have AJ. A guy like AJ to be able to help me throughout this whole time.”

With offseason programs wrapping up on Wednesday, LaFleur said that the Packers have gone through all of their installs at this point. When Lloyd and the other rookies arrive back for training camp, that will be the second and third time that they are able to go through those installs, which will be beneficial and an opportunity to showcase the growth that has taken place.