GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers wrapped up their offseason on Thursday with the final practice of minicamp. Reporters were allowed to watch five of the 10 practices. Here is the MVP and other award-winners from the offseason.
MVP: Jordan Love
Really, the $200 million question is whether Jordan Love is good enough to get the Packers back to the Super Bowl.
Through two years, he’s looked like that kind of quarterback for only about a half-season. During the second half of 2023, he played at Aaron Rodgers-level efficiency. Last year was a disappointment. Were the injuries a factor? Or were they a big factor?
Shorts-and-helmets practices, of course, aren’t a realistic indication of quarterback play. Nonetheless, Love was as sharp as could be during the five practices open to reporters. During “live” periods, he didn’t throw any interceptions and, really, wasn’t close. On Thursday, he threw three consecutive touchdown passes during a red-zone period.
“I feel pretty confident that we know what we have in Jordan, and we got a lot of confidence in him,” coach Matt LaFleur said.
Offensive Player of the Offseason: Tucker Kraft
Pro Football Focus considers Tucker Kraft to be the 18th-best tight end in the NFL. That seems impossibly low. Last season, Kraft ranked 18th among tight ends with 50 receptions. Despite the somewhat limited catch total, he was seventh with 707 receiving yards, tied for fourth with seven touchdowns and tied for first with 15 broken tackles. He was No. 1 in YAC per catch by a mile; 9.3 for Kraft and 6.6 for the 49ers’ George Kittle.
Most of Kraft’s production last season came on passes into the flat, usually after providing a bit of help in pass protection. During the spring practices, Kraft was much more of a down-the-field threat, including a touchdown of about 15 yards on Thursday.
Even with a lot of weapons in the passing game to support a run-first offense, expect Kraft to have a superb season and solidify his spot in the pantheon of the NFL’s top tight ends.
Defensive Player of the Offseason: Edgerrin Cooper
You just can’t miss No. 56. During the first week of OTAs, Jordan Love fired a pass to tight end Luke Musgrave about 15 yards downfield at the sideline. Cooper got so much depth and width in coverage that he made a leaping deflection.
Because of the noncontact nature of offseason practices, all running plays were run at half-speed. Still, Cooper knifed into the backfield several times, perhaps a sign of improving instincts for a player who has elite physical tools.
“He’s a dog. Yeah, he’s a dog. Nothing less. Nothing less,” fellow linebacker Isaiah Simmons said. “He’s going to be real special in this league, for sure.”
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) beats a block by Chicago Bears center Coleman Shelton.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) beats a block by Chicago Bears center Coleman Shelton. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Comeback Player: Mecole Hardman
There are a few candidates here.
About five months after tearing his ACL, Christian Watson was sprinting up and down the sideline. That’s not the same as running and cutting on a September Sunday, but he seems well on his way to an impressive comeback.
Tight end Luke Musgrave was a nonfactor last season even before the ankle injury against Minnesota that required surgery. Musgrave had an impressive spring that included a handful of downfield catches.
But let’s go with Mecole Hardman. A second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2019, Hardman caught 26 passes as a rookie, 41 in 2020, 59 in 2021 and 25 in only eight games in 2022. The last two seasons, he caught 27 passes for 214 yards and zero touchdowns for the Jets and Chiefs. He caught 14 passes for the Chiefs last season with a long of just 17 yards.
Hardman capped 2-minute drills on Tuesday and Wednesday with highlight-reel touchdown catches. On Tuesday, it was a leaping, one-handed grab of a desperation throw by Sean Clifford. On Wednesday, it was his 4.33 speed turning into a 74-yard touchdown bomb from Jordan Love.
“Versatility. I can play all three (receiver) positions,” he said. “From that standpoint, I can do a lot. Bring speed to the offense, as well, whether it’s the gadget plays or the deep balls down the field, the screen game, YAC, I think I do bring into my game. I’ve shown that over the years that once you get the ball in my hands, I can make things happen.”
Rookie of the Offseason: Matthew Golden
In one way, Golden won by default. Second-round lineman Anthony Belton is impossible to critique during noncontact practices. Third-round receiver Savion Williams was limited as he recovers from end-of-season labrum surgery. Fourth-round defensive end Barryn Sorrell didn’t stand out. Fifth-round defensive end Collin Oliver, sixth-round defensive tackle Warren Brinson, seventh-round cornerback Micah Robinson and seventh-round offensive lineman John Williams missed some or all of the offseason due to injuries.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (22) catches a pass at minicamp.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (22) catches a pass at minicamp. / Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Golden showed a lot of potential, though. While he’s got the great stopwatch speed, it was the route running and hands that stood out during the practices that were open to reporters. Golden got open and caught the ball. If you can do that in June, it usually translates to September.
Coach of the Offseason: Luke Butkus
This “award” is based on degree of difficulty. Butkus was:
- Handed five rookies, including draft picks Anthony Belton and John Williams, and a veteran starter, Aaron Banks.
- Is cross-training multiple blockers, including last year’s first-round pick, Jordan Morgan.
- Had to adapt to the absences of three starters, center Elgton Jenkins, left guard Banks and left tackle Rasheed Walker, along with second-year backup Travis Glover for the minicamp.
Most Improved Player: Cornelius Johnson
No player made more plays during the final couple days of minicamp than Cornelius Johnson.
Cornelius Johnson? Who’s that?
In five seasons at Michigan, he caught 138 passes for 2,038 yards and 14 touchdowns, including 47 receptions in 2023 to help the Wolverines with the national championship. At 6-foot-2 3/4, he ran his 40 in 4.44 seconds and finished with aRelative Athletic Score of 9.46. A seventh-round pick by the Chargers last season, he spent most of last season on Green Bay’s practice squad so he knows what he’s doing.
During a 2-minute drill on Wednesday, he caught three passes, including a 40-yard strike from Malik Willis, to set up the winning field goal. During a red-zone period to wrap up the offseason on Thursday, he scored two touchdowns on three targets; a better pass might have made it 3-for-3.
Green Bay’s receiver room is crowded, but Johnson could work himself into the mix with Malik Heath, Bo Melton and Mecole Hardman for the final spot.