Author: samholman

Training camp is over. As of Friday night, Green Bay completed its final preseason game. As per NFL guidelines, the Packers have to cut their roster down to 53 players on August 30. In preparation for this, I’ll be putting on my GM hat in an attempt to predict what decisions the Packers will make as they work to meet this cutdown requirement. Keep in mind that the initial 53 is unlikely to be what the Packers enter the season with. In all probability, the team will make more additions and cuts as players from other teams become available. Offense…

From all appearances, the Packers defense is set up to dominate opponents in the upcoming season. Over the first few weeks of training camp, they have consistently gotten the better of the offense. However, a few questions still remain about the defensive side of the roster. Multiple spots appear to have dubious depth. Especially at OLB, CB, and safety, youth and inexperience predominate behind the starters. However, based on last week’s preseason game against the 49ers, it appears that Green Bay may be set up for success at least one of those spots. With Rashan Gary and Preston Smith inactive,…

(NOTE: Apologies for the video quality on these clips. I was unable to obtain high-definition footage of the Family Night practices) For Packers scheme enthusiasts, the offseason is often a bit of a dead zone. Studying and restudying the previous season can get old. Information from training camp is limited by the team’s restrictions on videos taken during practice. Luckily, each year the Packers broadcast the team’s Family Night practice to the general public. This provides fans a chance to see the Packers play in Lambeau for the first time in months. Often, it can also supply an interesting look…

As the 2022 NFL season approaches, expectations for the Green Bay Packers defense are high. The unit performed inconsistently in 2021. However, this offseason has seen Brian Gutekunst make a concerted effort to strengthen multiple areas of the defense. In free agency, Green Bay added veteran DT Jarran Reed. During the draft, they picked up DT Devonte Wyatt, LB Quay Walker, and OLB Kingsley Enagbare. In addition to these moves, the Packers secondary will be boosted by the return of Jaire Alexander, who missed most of 2021 with a shoulder injury. With Davante Adams gone, more stress is placed on…

As has been covered to exhaustion this offseason, numerous questions surround the 2022 Packers offense. With Davante Adams gone, who will be Aaron Rodgers’ top target? How will the running backs be used? How much will the rookie receivers contribute? What will the offensive line look like? With any luck, the answers to these questions will become clearer as the team navigates training camp and the preseason. However, we can also examine past offensive performances for hints about the direction that the offense will take. As some have observed, Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers have engineered offensive success without Adams…

Recently, the city of El Paso honored one of Green Bay’s offensive stars for his off-field work. Aaron Jones is well-known for being one of the best running backs in the league. However, he has also shown that he is an incredible human being. In his sophomore season in the NFL, he gained recognition for wheeling an elderly woman through the Appleton airport. In 2021, the Packers selected Jones as the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man Of The Year Award. It is clear that Jones values helping the less fortunate in his community. Helping Out His Hometown In…

When considering how a team’s pass rushing unit can improve, we don’t often talk about coaching. The discussion around upgrading a position group usually centers around players added through the draft, free agency, or trade. This is understandable. The influence of coaching is often hard to discern. Thus, it is hard for fans to get excited about the addition of a new coach, simply because they are uncertain what impact that coach will have. Despite this ambiguity, however, I think Packers fans should be excited about what a recent addition to the defensive coaching staff can bring. In February, the…

For quite a while, the Packers defensive line has consisted of Kenny Clark and little else. After Mike Daniels was cut following the 2018 season, Green Bay made do with Clark, Dean Lowry and an assortment of draft picks and undrafted free agents. Players like Montravius Adams, Kingsley Keke, and Tyler Lancaster have come and gone. Some flashed at times, but consistent contributors never fully appeared. Under Mike Pettine – and, last year, Joe Barry – the Packers run defense regularly failed to hold up. Every offseason, fans highlighted the defensive front as an area of the roster that needed…

Over the last few weeks, the beginning of the Packers offseason programs – normally an exciting time for fans – has been marred by worry. Star LT David Bakhtiari is still absent from practice. Apparently, he continues to deal with his recovery from the ACL tear he sustained in December 2020. Naturally, this delay is concerning to many. After the injury left him unable to play in 2021, fans hoped that he would be back for 2022. Matters haven’t been helped by Matt LaFleur’s messaging in recent press conferences. In his most recent update, LaFleur commented “He’s been working really…

In 2021, Rashan Gary was one of the NFL’s top edge rushers, recording one of the highest pressure rates in the league. According to PFF’s statistics, he produced 10 sacks, 15 QB hits, and 2 forced fumbles in the regular season. Down-to-down, he was arguably the most effective pass-rusher on the Green Bay defense. In Weeks 1-18, Gary put together an elite 89.3 PFF score, including a 88.9 pass-rush grade. He performed at a similarly high level in Green Bay’s Divisional Round matchup against the 49ers, recording 2 sacks and getting an impressive TFL on a critical fourth down late…