11 Big Things to Watch for on Offense During Packers Training Camp
By Paul Bretl
With Green Bay Packers training camp just about here, there will be plenty to keep our eyes on this summer.
Here are 11 big things on the offensive side of the ball to be on the lookout for in the coming weeks.
Will Packers OT David Bakhtiari be a full participant?
After David Bakhtiari would tear his ACL late in the 2020 season, he would appear in only one game last year for the Green Bay Packers–a Week 18 matchup with Detroit where he played just 27 snaps. As we know, he would then miss the playoff game against San Francisco.
Unfortunately, Bakhtiari was not at full capacity during OTAs and minicamp either, participating off to the side with the rehab group. When asked, Matt LaFleur told reporters that Bakhtiari will hopefully be a full participant for training camp, but he didn’t guarantee that either.
"“Time will tell,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said via ESPN. “We fully anticipate him being ready to go, but we did last year, as well. So I think time will tell. But we feel good about the work that he’s put in and where he’s at.”"
Bakhtiari’s return will not only provide a big boost to the left tackle position but to the entire offensive line as well, as it will give them more flexibility with Elgton Jenkins when he returns if Yosh Nijman is proving capable at right tackle. Thus potentially providing the interior offensive line with a big boost as well.
Some good news is that Bakhtiari was not one of the nine players placed on the PUP list; however, it’s important to keep in mind that he has not yet reported, and more additions can be made next week when most of the veterans are expected to show up.
Offensive tackle is one of the most important positions in football, and as good of a duo as Bakhtiari and Jenkins could be, the depth becomes a bit of a concern if the Packers are without either for an extended period of time.
The offensive line play this season can be the catalyst to the Packers’ success on offense. An improved run game and more time for Aaron Rodgers will have a positive trickle-down effect to just about every facet of this offense–and that all begins with Bakhtiari’s return.
Aaron Jones’ involvement and usage in the passing game
When discussing the Green Bay Packers passing game, Aaron Jones must be a part of the conversation. In each of the last three seasons, he has finished second on this Packers team in targets–behind only Davante Adams.
So with all of the question marks surrounding the receiver position and how the Packers will overcome Adams’ absence, Jones is going to play a pivotal role in that answer.
He has already been a key member of the passing game, as evidenced above, but does his usage in those situations go up? Will we see more of him lining up in the slot? And could this lead to more two-back sets with Jone and Dillon being on the field more often?
I very much believe all of that is in play and to varying degrees, somewhat expected. At the end of the day, teams want to get the ball in the hands of their playmakers, and right now, Jones is this offense’s most proven playmaker.
An important year ahead for Josiah Deguara
Josiah Deguara is entering his third NFL season, but from a playing time standpoint, it’s more like his second after he missed most of his rookie season with an ACL injury. It’s oftentimes in Year 2, where we see players take a big step forward.
As we’ve seen over the years and across the NFL, the transition from college to the NFL for tight ends can take additional time because of all the added responsibilities that comes with this role—from being a pass-catcher to being a blocker. This rings especially true for Deguara, who is more of an H-back and in the very nuanced Matt LaFleur offense.
We saw these ups and downs a season ago with Deguara dropping some passes and not being where Rodgers expected him to be. However, there was a stretch from Weeks 11 through 15 where Deguara caught. 10 of 14 passes at 11 yards per catch with a touchdown. According to PFF, he would rank 13th in total YAC among tight ends during that span and sixth in YAC per catch. Deguara was also the 17th highest graded run-blocking tight end for the entire season as well.
It’s going to be important, not only for Deguara but for this Packers offense, that he continues to progress. We will get an idea of where he’s at this summer.