Worst-Case Scenarios at Training Camp as Packers add 3 more players to non-football injury list

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Veterans reported to Green Bay for training camp on Sunday, just a day before the team’s first practice. Earlier this week, rookies and players who were previously injured during the Packers’ spring practices also reported, leading to five players being placed on the physically unable to perform or non-football injury lists. Among them, quarterback-turned-receiver Alex McGough has already been released to make room for a new pass-catcher.

The news wasn’t much better when the veterans arrived. Rookie draft pick safety Kitan Oladapo (foot) joined three veterans on the non-football injury list: cornerback Corey Ballentine, tackle Caleb Jones, and receiver Jayden Reed. The team did not disclose the nature of their injuries, which were not previously reported.

Both Ballentine and Jones have been with the Packers for several seasons but are now on the roster bubble after recent draft picks at their positions. Ballentine will need to outperform rookie seventh-rounder Kalen King to secure a spot. Jones faces competition from long-time tackle project Luke Tenuta, as well as Andre Dillard, Royce Newman, fifth-round rookie Jacob Monk, sixth-round rookie Travis Glover, and highly-touted undrafted free agent Travis Glover.

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Reed is expected to be a key contributor for the 2024 team and is even considered a potential number-one receiver this year, especially after leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Hopefully, these injuries will not prove significant. Reed’s status, in particular, could impact the Packers’ early-season performance. The team will hit the practice field tomorrow, so more details on the situation should emerge on Monday.

Green Bay Packers training camp has arrived, and what transpires on the practice field will shape their aspirations for a potentially super season.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will kick off their training camp with the first practice on Monday. Over the next month, the team will focus on preparing to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, unseat the Detroit Lions as NFC North champions, and ultimately make a triumphant return to the Super Bowl.

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What would constitute a successful training camp? Conversely, what would signify a bad training camp? Here are the best- and worst-case scenarios.

Best Case: New Contract, Same Jordan Love

The worst-case scenario for the season, and the short-term future of the franchise, is if Jordan Love’s level of play resembles the inconsistency of the first half of his debut season rather than the improvement seen in the second half.

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Love’s contract extension is on the horizon. Whether it’s for four or five years, it will be worth more than $50 million per season, a sum that significantly impacts the franchise. The Packers are banking on Love continuing his impressive performance from the end of last season.

If Love’s strong offseason practices extend into August and beyond, the Packers will be well-positioned. The foundation for an explosive passing game must be established during training camp.

Worst Case: Oh-Oh

Love’s contract extension is inevitable, but it’s crucial that negotiations don’t extend too far into training camp. The Packers exited minicamp with their sights set on the Super Bowl and can’t afford any distractions.

There’s an obvious concern: Love might become the highest-paid player in NFL history by average salary. But what if he turns out to be merely mediocre? What if he throws too many interceptions against Jeff Hafley’s defense, struggles against the Broncos and Ravens during joint practices, or falters in preseason games?

Best Case: Healthy Christian Watson

Green Bay’s passing game has the potential to be exceptional. During the final eight games of the regular season, Love led the league in touchdown-to-interception ratio, ranked second in passer rating, and third in completion percentage. Love’s success was also due to the support of promising and productive young players around him.

Among these players, none is more promising than Watson. He is a big playmaker, capable of scoring a touchdown every time he touches the ball. His presence on the field should create easier opportunities for his teammates.

Watson’s full participation in offseason practices was a significant step forward. He’ll be ready to start on Day 1 of camp. If he continues to build throughout July and August, reaching peak performance by September, a good offense could become great.

Worst Case: More Tears Than Sweat

Training camp is about blood, sweat, and tears. But what happens if there’s too much blood and too many tears?

Injuries are the wild card for every team. Despite having a new training staff and a revamped warmup routine, there’s only so much a coach can control in a physically demanding sport.

What if Watson and cornerback Eric Stokes can’t stay healthy? What if right tackle Zach Tom’s pectoral injury leaves him less than full strength for Week 1? And what if the Injury Bug takes too many bites out of a specific position group?

Best Case: Rookie Studs

The Packers used their second-round picks on linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Javon Bullard. If they meet expectations, they will address two of the biggest holes on defense.

Cooper and Quay Walker could form one of the rangiest linebacker duos in the NFL. Bullard, alongside veteran Xavier McKinney, could transform one of the league’s weakest safety groups into one of the strongest.

Worst Case: Backfield Duds

The Packers replaced explosive running back Aaron Jones with 2022 NFL rushing champion Josh Jacobs. They also re-signed AJ Dillon and used a third-round pick on MarShawn Lloyd.

Surrounded by an improved passing game and running behind a stronger offensive line, Jacobs should perform even better in 2024 than he did in 2023. But what if 2022 was the peak of his career, and the Raiders exhausted his best days during a 400-touch season?

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What if Dillon remains the same player he was last year, struggling to break tackles and gain yards after contact? And what if Lloyd continues to be the fumble-prone player he was at South Carolina and Southern Cal?

Love was at his best last season when Jones was at his best. Replicating that dynamic is crucial.

Best Case: Swag on Offense

In 2011, Green Bay’s offense scored the second-most points in NFL history. Aaron Rodgers delivered his first MVP season, and the pass-catching group was so strong that rookie Randall Cobb finished seventh on the team in receptions.

Love played at an MVP level down the stretch last year, and the current receiving group might have similar depth.

With all that talent, what are the expectations for the offense?

“Our expectation is to win a Super Bowl,” Watson said. “Regardless of where we were at last season at this point, I think that individually our goal was the same: to win a Super Bowl. Obviously, it becomes more of a reality the more you have success on the football field. So, as we were getting going last year, it was definitely becoming more realistic for us to make that run. Obviously, we came up short, but our goal this year definitely is to make it to that big game.”

If Green Bay’s offense is dominant and its defense is at least feisty and opportunistic, this could be a Super season.

Worst Case: Doubts on Defense

Everyone’s got a plan until they’re punched in the face. That’s what Mike Tyson famously said at the height of his powers.

The Packers raved about Jeff Hafley’s defensive plan throughout the offseason. The defensive line is ready to attack and pile up sacks and tackles for losses. The cornerbacks are eager to play aggressively and make plays.

It all sounds great. A tackle for loss on first-and-10 can lead to an interception on third-and-long. But what if the Packers aren’t tough enough? What if they’re overwhelmed by the formidable offensive lines of the Eagles and Lions? What if they don’t have enough defensive backs to cover the prolific passing games on their schedule?

The tone will need to be set during training camp.

“My mindset is coming back 1 percent better so we can have the season that we want, and that’s to be a championship team and go to the Super Bowl and hold the Lombardi,” defensive end Rashan Gary said. “That’s our goal and the main thing.”

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