1 Thing to watch for from each Packers position group in Week 2 of OTAs

The second week of OTAs is underway for the Green Bay Packers, with multiple practices scheduled for the upcoming days, including on Wednesday, which will be open to the media.

It goes without saying, but anything observed or reported at this time of the year should be taken with a grain of salt. There is a long ways to go before Week 1 arrives, and the pads aren’t even on yet. But with that said, Matt LaFleur is holding these practices for a reason. While nothing will be determined in the coming weeks, what takes place provides LaFleur and the coaching staff with additional data points for future decisions.

A few of the noteworthy items from last week’s open practice included 83 of the 90 players on the roster reporting for OTAs. Along with Rudy Ford being the starting safety next to Darnell Savage, Jayden Reed and Samori Toure rotated in the slot, and that Rashan Gary and Eric Stokes continued to work with the rehab group.

To kick things off last week, I went through some quick thoughts before OTAs began. Now with Week 2 underway, here is one thing to be on the lookout for from each of the Packers’ position groups.

Quarterbacks: Jordan Love

Really, this whole position group is worth watching as Sean Clifford and Danny Etling battle for the backup quarterback role, but the obvious choice is Jordan Love. During the one open media session last week, it was a mixed bag for Love. He finished the practice completing 6-of-16 passes, with some nice throws, batted passes at the line of scrimmage, an almost interception, and some dropped passes as well. These ups and downs shouldn’t come as a surprise, and they will continue to happen, but what we want to see and hear about Love over the next few weeks is good decision-making, him commanding the huddle and line of scrimmage, accurate passes, and good footwork–a point of emphasis over the last year for him in working with quarterbacks coach Tom Clements.

Running back: Any standouts for the RB3 role?

We know that Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon will handle the bulk of the workload at the running back position this season, but the third running back role is one of the few roster spots that truly feels up for grabs this summer. The front-runners include seventh-round pick Lew Nichols, Tyler Goodson, who impressed last season with his playmaking ability, and Patrick Taylor, who was RB3 for much of last season. Also on the roster is the recently signed Emanuel Wilson. Given that Jones and Dillon will be taking the majority, if not all, of the running back snaps, as running backs coach Ben Sirmans mentioned recently, special teams will decide the third running back role, and my guess is that blocking abilities carry some weight as well.

Wide receiver: Consistency

Brian Gutekunst left the door open on the Packers adding a veteran at the receiver position, but at least for the time being, Green Bay is going to really on their young receiver room. Inevitably, there are going to be highs and lows from this position group, not only this summer but into the season–that’s just the cost of relying heavily on so many inexperienced players. But hopefully, as things progress, there will be less volatility. This begins with not dropping passes, lining up correctly, running the right routes, being in the right spots at the right times, and making the proper pre-snap adjustments.

Tight End: Musgrave and Kraft’s blocking

Truthfully, I could almost copy and paste the wide receiver section and put it here, but to do something different, I’ll go with blocking. Now, it’s important to note that during OTAs, teams aren’t practicing in pads, but are Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft holding up at the point of attack? Are they using the proper technique? And are they sound in their assignments? Both rookies are known for their impact in the passing game from their college careers, but both also have extensive run-blocking experience as well. If they can be impactful in the run game, that added versatility will help add some needed unpredictability to the Packers’ offense, with their abilities to affect both the run and passing games, keeping defenses guessing.

Offensive tackle: Yosh Nijman and Zach Tom

With David Bakhtiari not participating in OTAs, which are voluntary, Nijman has been at left tackle. The right tackle position is where there is a clear opening on the offensive line, and will be a positional battle that takes place this summer between Nijman and Zach Tom. Nijman playing left tackle again this week and Tom playing right tackle isn’t exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but you can bet that Matt LaFleur, Adam Stenavich, and Luke Butkus are taking notes on how each performs.

Interior offensive line: How many different combinations do we see at center and right guard?

Stenavich mentioned when he was meeting with the media two weeks ago that Tom would also be taking some snaps at right guard and center this summer, along with right tackle. So obviously, Josh Myers’ and Jon Runyan’s starting jobs aren’t completely safe by any means. We will, of course, see Runyan and Myers lined up next to each other, but we could also see Tom at right guard next to Myers, or Tom at center with either Myers or Runyan next to him. Another name to watch is Sean Rhyan, who did take some snaps at center last week with the twos.

Interior Defensive Line: Where are Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks lining up?

Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and TJ Slaton will be the Packers’ “starters” along the defensive front, but with how heavily rotated this position is, with up to five players seeing regular playing time each week, rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks will have to be rotated in. Both played up and down the line while in college, so it will be interesting to see how Green Bay utilizes them early on in their careers and where they are lined up. My guess is that both primarily see the field on third downs or in obvious passing situations. The Packers aren’t short on pass rush options at the interior defensive line, but how they approach rushing downs and situations remains to be seen. Perhaps Wooden and Brooks could line up at defensive end and be edge-setters on those downs.

Edge: Lukas Van Ness

Preston Smith was one of the players who did not participate last week, and Rashan Gary is still rehabbing from his torn ACL, so naturally, all the attention at this position goes to Lukas Van Ness, who has simply been really fun to watch. Up close, it’s easy to see why Van Ness was given the nickname ‘Hercules.’ He has the frame and power to match. Van Ness wins with his strength, he’s an A to B pass rusher, and we saw that last week when he drove the 6’9″ – 340 pound Caleb Jones backwards. But there are going to be times when that power rush doesn’t work, and we will need to see Van Ness pivot to a secondary move. This may take some time to develop. Along with lining up as a traditional edge rusher, the Packers are going to use Van Ness in a Za’Darius Smith-like role, rushing from the interior on passing downs.

Linebacker: Where is Tariq Carpenter playing, and how is he being utilized?

Tariq Carpenter mentioned earlier this offseason that he was moving to inside linebacker from the safety position. However, what his exact role will be is still unknown, and as of now, I’m not even sure the Packers know. When meeting with reporters recently, defensive backs coach Ryan Downard said that he believed Carpenter could play both safety and linebacker and also mentioned him rushing the passer as well. So depending on the situation, we could see Carpenter deep, in the box, or even at the line of scrimmage as a blitzer or a pass rusher, something he did briefly in practice last season. Another name to watch here is Eric Wilson. If the Packers roster five linebackers, there is room for both Carpenter and Wilson. But if they are forced to keep only four, one of them is likely to get released. Both were core special teams players last season, but the deciding factor may be who has the greater defensive upside.

Cornerback: Who can stand out at cornerback?

If we assume for the time being that Eric Stokes is going to begin the season on the PUP list, that leaves two to three roster spots up for grabs at cornerback, depending on whether the Packers keep five or six. Presumably, seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine is going to be one of them, but Shemar Jean-Charles, Keondre Thomas, and Corey Ballentine will be competing for the final spot. Right now, I would guess that Ballentine has the edge, given that from Week 10 and on last season, he was a core special teams player. With neither Rasul Douglas nor Jaire Alexander participating in OTAs, these other cornerbacks will have the opportunity to run with the starters.

Safety: Can anyone push Rudy Ford for playing time?

The starting position next to Darnell Savage is completely up for grabs, but the favorite for that playing time should be Rudy Ford. The question is, can anyone push him? Outside of Savage, Ford has the most experience within Joe Barry’s defense. Now more familiar with it, he has the opportunity to make a big jump this season. Although Ford began his time in Green Bay as a special teams player, he provided needed stability to the safety position in 2022, by being a willing tackler and by simply being positioned correctly on the football field, which led to some turnovers. Competing with Ford will be Jonathan Owens, Anthony Johnson, and Tarvarius Moore. Owens was one of the most reliable tackling safeties in football last season. Johnson could fill an Adrian Amos-like role with his willingness to help in the run game, while Moore was primarily a special teams player in 2022 with San Francisco but does have some defensive experience.