And we got 5 takeaways for my 15th training camp stop here with the Green Bay Packers.
Takeaway number 1, really one of the big things that the Packers need is a difference maker to emerge on offense.
And this is where they were last year, and that they needed, Guys to ascend from good to great and losing to guys that were really becoming great players were great players, and Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft last year really hurt.
So on the offensive side of the ball, there are a couple of candidates, just guys who can take their games to the next level.
The most obvious one is Kraft himself.
Now he's coming back off the torn ACL and he isn't in 11 on 11 work yet, but the plan is to have him back for week one.
They're being careful with him right now.
Because the hope is that they can get him back at the highest level at some point early in the year.
And they do have a little bit of an issue depth-wise at the tight end position.
Another candidate would be Matthew Golden, who has flash Eling camp, elite hands, elite speed .
Top 3 receivers are going to be Golden, Christian Watson, and Jaden Reed, and Golden probably has the highest ceiling of the three and can be the biggest difference maker.
So those two guys will be guys to watch just as far as guys that could ascend to the top of the league at their position.
Take away number 2.
Um, there's a ton of belief in Jordan Love and his command of the offense here, and the feeling is he's now getting to a point where he can be part of the solution when the team has problems on the offensive side of the ball, just in the way that he's able to run the show out there.
So where could those problems be?
There were a couple that came up here.
Number 1, is depth behind Josh Jacobs at running back as his legal situation plays out.
We'll see what happens with that.
But what would really help is having Marshawn Lloyd healthy.
He hasn't been able to stay healthy since he's been in the league.
And so, potential is there.
And he's been healthy in camp, but whether or not he actually makes it through the season healthy could be another question.
And then another is replacing Romeo Dobbs, who brought a physical tough presence.
Um, he's going to be missed in the red zone.
So, is there someone in the receiver group that can be a big red zone target for him?
One guy to watch could be the 2025 3rd round pick out of TCU, Xavian Williams.
They've seen some promise from him.
The third takeaway from here , left tackle is a very big deal.
Rasheed Walker is now gone.
Jordan Morgan, who was their first round pick a couple of years ago, moves from guard out to tackle, and how he plays is going to be a swing factor in the team season.
Now Walker did slide a little bit at the end of last year, so the hope is that Morgan can be an upgrade.
But there's also the reality.
That's a very difficult position to play, so he could take some lumps early on.
Hope is you get 8 games, 10 games, 12 games in.
Now he's playing like a first round pick at the position.
And the good news is that they feel good about where they are elsewhere on the line.
Hope is that that can be a more physical, edgy group than it was a year ago.
Take away number 4.
Massive question on the defensive side of the ball, of course, is the status of Micah Parsons.
He is going to start the season on PUP.
That means he can't practice until after week 2.
That means he can't play until after week 4.
A lot of people here have circled that week 6 game against Dallas, but the question is what they do until then.
There are a number of names that they're going to be relying on to really do a little bit more than they did last year.
Baron Sorrell has won, um, a draft pick out of Texas in 2025.
He's had a nice offseason.
Former first round pick Lucas Van Ness, they're going to be relying on him to take another step.
He hasn't lived up to his draft position.
But somebody that does have talent and ability, and then rookie Danny Dennis Sutton out of Penn State would be a name to watch.
They do feel good about where they're at elsewhere in the front seven though , Javon Hargrave's been a nice addition upfront.
And then at the linebacker level, of course, Adrian Cooper is becoming one of the best linebackers in the league.
There is some question on who's going to play next to him.
One name to watch is sort of an interesting one, is a guy who's gotten a lot better over the course of the offseason is Tyronne Hopper, former 3rd round pick out of Missouri.
Finally, take away number 5, they are very optimistic about the secondary here, and they believe they might have the best safety tandem in the league in Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney.
And a corner, there's a little bit more depth than they've had over the last few years, bringing in Benjamin Saint Juice in free agency and then drafting Brandon Cisa.
Those two guys have really challenged Keyshawn Nixon and Carrington Valentine at the position.
The one question that remains in the secondary is the nickel.
Javon Bullard is still coming back from injury.
He was in a walking boot at the practice I was at, but they really feel like the secondary is going to be the basis for the foundation for their defense, and having a good secondary should help Jonathan Gannon, who's going to be a little bit more exotic with his front than than than Jeff Hafley was, um, and he's going to need to be early in the year without Parsons.