Packers rookies report for training camp

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Rookies report, Packers make moves

2024 Green Bay Packers rookies began reporting to Lambeau on Wednesday and the team made a handful of moves as they ready for the start of training camp.

Donovan Jennings, Tucker Kraft, Alex McGough and Zach Tom were all placed on the active/physically unable to perform list. Kitan Oladapo has been placed on the non-football injury list.

Players on the PUP list can participate in team activities but are not allowed to practice. Players can be can be removed from the list at any time during camp, but they can’t be placed back on it. The non-football injury list is for players who suffer an injury while away from the team. Both Tom and Kraft suffered torn pectoral muscles during the offseason and are most likely still recovering. Head coach Matt LaFleur indicated during the offseason program that he expected both to be available for most of camp. The Packers are undoubtedly being their usual cautious selves here.

As for Oladapo, he missed much of the offseason work while recivering from surgery to fix a broken toe. Now it would appear he's hurt himself again while away from the facility. Tough start to the young man's Packers career.

Can Hafley "turnover" the Packers D?

Jersey Al writes that while winning and losing isn't as simple as winning the turnover battle, it does go a long way. Various studies have shown that teams winning the turnover battle by +1 win appx. 70% of the time, +2 or +3 win roughly 90% of the time. And that brings us to Jeff Hafley. The aggressiveness doctrine he espouses SHOULD lead to more turnovers from the Packers defense versus the "play it safe" mantra of Joe Barry. If Hafley's defense can deliver in the critical turnover department, that could hold the key to a potential playoff run to the Super Bowl.

Where would you rank Love’s weapons?

Ahead of the 2023 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers had the youngest collection of offensive skill players in the entire league, and one of the youngest in history. As one might expect, the youth reared its ugly head at certain points throughout last season. Dropped passes. Players running the wrong routes, leading to two players in the same area. An ineffective run game without running back Aaron Jones. All of it was a defense’s dream. But as you may recall, those miscues were temporary as the offense finally started to click down the stretch.

In the end, Green Bay was one of the most efficient offenses from Week 10 until 18. Most Packer fans worldwide, and some media members, are high on quarterback Jordan Love’s weapons going into the 2024 season, but there are certainly doubters. While ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Packers’ collection of skill players (wide receiver, tight end, and running back) are improved from a season ago – he had them ranked 28th prior to the start of last season – he still does not believe they are a top-half group in the NFL. He ranked them No. 17, the worst in the NFC North.

Carry The G Radio: Confidence levels

Aaron is confident a deal will get done between the Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love. Billy is not. The two discuss that and plenty of other NFL/Packers stuff on the latest Carry The G Radio The Podcast.

Gadget Plays: More, or Less?

What's more exciting to see on 3rd and 11? A standard Quarterback to Wide Receiver 12-yard forward pass for a first down? Or the QB hands it off to the Running Back who flips it back to a Wide Receiver and then the WR passes it to another WR for 12 yards and a first down? If you said the standard pass, well, more power to you for finding more excitement in the ordinary. But most of the time, it will be that crazy WR reverse pass that goes on the highlight reel. Why? Because it's different, it's unusual, and it most likely made the defense's head spin for a few minutes.

In 2024, expect to see things like jet sweeps and reverses continue. Maybe even more than last year. You can't have speedy dynamic receivers like Jayden Reed and Christian Watson and not try to get the ball in their hands by any means possible. They're like the Swiss army knives of the Packers offense. They can do a lot, so we should take advantage of that. However, that’s most likely where it drops off. Jordan Love proved in the second half of the season that he can be that Franchise Quarterback. And though Love has a long way to go before he can be compared to Aaron Rodgers, you still don't take the ball out of the hands of your Franchise Quarterback.

What Is Jayden Reed's Ceiling?

Throughout the 2023 season, it became clear that the Packers saw Jayden Reed as their "do-it-all" gadget player on offense. He played 478 snaps in the slot and 150 wide. In a brief sample, Green Bay even lined Reed up in the backfield for five snaps. Reed was heavily involved in the passing game. Additionally, Matt LaFleur designed some trick plays with Reed as a runner in jet sweeps, including a notable 32-yard touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers that put the Packers up 7-3 early in the second quarter.

The Packers' receiver room complements Reed effectively. Watson serves as the deep threat option. Doubs specializes in contested catches, leading the team in this category last year. Wicks ranks among the league's top receivers for route running, finishing in the top three for slot receivers last season. He excelled in separation and post-throw performance from the slot, even outperforming Tyreek Hill in these aspects. The beauty of Green Bay's current receiver room is that there isn't a clear number one option, so Reed won't be double or triple-teamed every week. With defenses not solely focused on him, he will have plenty of opportunities to disrupt opposing defenses. He has the skill to become a top versatile player in the league, which would greatly benefit the Packers.

Green Bay Blizzard head coach Corey Roberson talks playoffs!

Did you know that playoff football is coming to Green Bay on Friday, July 26th?

That’s right, head coach Corey Roberson has the Green Bay Blizzard back in the playoffs and Aaron chats with Roberson about the Blizzard's number one defense and the challenge of getting ready for the postseason.

Speaking of the Blizzard, CHTV co-founder Corey Behnke is going to be on the call during the playoff game!

Check out exclusive Cheesehead TV merch!

Projecting What Love Could Be

The Packers have been playing in the NFL for 103 years, but after Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, the franchise has surprisingly no other quarterbacks in their long and storied history with truly impressive passing numbers.

Favre is the all time leader with 61,655 passing yards in 255 games. Rodgers is second with 59,055 passing yards in 230 games. But the dropoff after that is dramatic. Bart Starr is third with 24,718 yards in 196 games. Adjusting that to make it apples to apples, Rodgers leads with an average of 256 yards per game, Favre averaged 241, while Starr averaged 126. In terms of touchdown throws, Rodgers leads with 475 all time, an average of just over two per game. Favre is next with 442 scores, averaging 1.7 per contest. Starr finished with 152, an average of .77 per game.

What is intriguing is how easily current quarterback Jordan Love could move up in the all time Packers passing rankings. After just one year as the starting signal caller, Love already ranks eleventh in all time passing yards. And he is already in the top ten, currently ranking ninth, in touchdown passes.

Nothing is guaranteed. We don’t know if Jordan Love is going to continue his rise toward the elite level, whether he will stay healthy, or whether he will slip into decline. It’s just that, every time I hear an analyst sing his praises, they always follow with a caveat, cautioning “now, I’m not saying he’s going to be another Favre or Rodgers”. But in a passing league, with a pass-happy head coach, and seventeen game seasons (perhaps soon to be eighteen games), it won't take Love long to move up swiftly on the all time passing list. We've come a long way from Arnie Herber and Babe Parilli.

#PackersDaily: Rookies report

The 2024 rookie class made their way to Green Bay on Wednesday as training camp begins to rumble to life. Check out Aaron’s latest chat with Packers fans worldwide about all things Green and Gold.

Get your official 2024 Packers Yearbook!

We’re proud to be partnering with the official Packers yearbook again this season. Use code "CHTV" for 10% off when you order yours right here!

Be on the lookout for updates on this season’s release of Carry The G Cream Ale, the official beer of Cheesehead TV!

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