The Green and Gold are stirring Packer fans. Kids are shining their bicycles and players are putting on uniforms. The Packers are undefeated and hopes are sky high. The pads go on July 30th. The first real day of practice will begin and end with more questions than answers for this 2023 Packer team. Forty two days after the first padded practice is when all those questions will begin to be answered. Until then, we will see every pass by Jordan Love over-analyzed and every practice drive by the offense scrutinized.
That’s the NFL when a team is starting a new quarterback. While that media firestorm is getting all the headlines, under the radar camp questions may impact the Packers success as much if not more than Love’s confirmation party. The health of David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins are critical to the Packers success in 2023-24. Zach Tom’s ability to improve at right tackle will also be a key to keeping holes open for the running game and to keep Love alive.
But improvement from 2022-23 will be required by the defense if the Packers want to compete in their division. The Packer defense ranked 21st last year, but their run defense was ranked 26th. While the Packers jettisoned two of their older interior linemen, the linebacker and safety play also disappointed with stops at the line of scrimmage being nearly nonexistent and missed tackles becoming a frustrating normality.
The defense was rewarded with the Packers top draft pick. Lucas Van Ness needs to impact the defense in year one. If the defense is to improve, one other rookie on the defensive line will need to shine and the safety and linebacker tackling must eliminate the whiffs.
So for forty two days, we can watch every Jordan Love pass while he wears a red “don’t touch me” tank top over his jersey. We can count every field goal attempt the rookie Carlson misses and ponder if Crosby is still available but we won’t know if the defense can play like a contender. Last year San Francisco’s defense was second ranked and almost went to the Superbowl with a seventh round rookie QB. The Packers have 42 days to right the defensive lapses of last season. There first of 17 final exams comes against the Bears September 10th at Soldier Field.
Or we could have kept tired old Aaron Rodgers and Mason Crosby and gone 8-9 again. You don’t get better in the NFL staying the same. It’s a young man’s game. Time to let the kids play and see what we have. Lots here to get exited about. After the sixth or seventh exam we’ll know if we’re going to pass the course or not. The NFL doesn’t grade on a curve….
6th or 7th exam…hmmmm
Kind of like you attempting to pass your GED exams.
Don’t be at all surprised if you see another kicker or two visit camp in the next couple weeks to come if Carlson doesn’t turn it around and soon. The reports so far are that Carlson is missing, and missing to a degree of concern. This is fair weather missing in practice and not in a game situation during cold weather. I’d give it Family Night, and maybe a week.
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This dude was a 6th round pick. So far I’m not “exited” about him.
Lol, nice one Mitch.
I think they’d call up Crosby if it came down to it.
I know, that would have me pretty exited!
Kids…Stay in School!!
Forty Two Days of Questions =
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