WSJ : More uncertainty than usual entering Packers' training camp

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Few, if any, NFL teams have the roster stability of the Green Bay Packers.
Training camp for the Packers is usually more about refining schemes and looking at young players than making major personnel decisions. After a fifth consecutive season of falling just short of the Super Bowl, however, the Packers have more uncertainty than usual when practices begin Tuesday.

Here are 10 questions that need to be answered on the field during camp:

Who is the No. 3 wide receiver?
Assuming Jordy Nelson plays sparingly in exhibition games, we won’t know about his surgically repaired knee until the regular season. Still, Nelson and Randall Cobb will be the top two wide receivers. After that, who knows? The Packers finished the season with only three healthy receivers, so they could keep six or even seven instead of the usual five.
Davante Adams is the incumbent No. 3, which is essentially a starting position in Green Bay, but he was so inconsistent in an injury-plagued sophomore season that he could fall out of the picture entirely. Adams figures to bounce back if healthy, but the coaches could use a committee approach at the No. 3 spot anyway. Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis, a rookie fifth-round pick, have deep speed and, like Adams, are primarily outside receivers. Jared Abbrederis and Ty Montgomery are primarily slot receivers.
Janis and Abbrederis showed flashes when they got their chance late last season and both could take another step up. Janis might not be complete enough to be the full-time No. 3, but the coaches need to find a niche for him. Montgomery’s versatility could give him a leg up on Abbrederis inside. The best guess is Abbrederis and Davis will compete for the sixth and final spot.

How much does Eddie Lacy weigh?
Lacy reported to camp at 260 pounds last year and wasn’t the same ferocious, aggressive runner he had been in his first two seasons. Lacy sought out P90X founder Tony Horton in January and began a fitness program that saw him lose about 15 pounds by late May. He needed to lose about 10 more before the start of camp and all eyes will be on him Tuesday morning to see if he looks like the Lacy of old.

Who will emerge as the third-string halfback?
John Crockett, who showed some explosiveness as an undrafted rookie last season, is the leader in the clubhouse for the spot behind Lacy and James Starks, though it’s possible the third halfback will be someone not currently on the roster. Recently signed Brandon Ross provides an intriguing alternative to Crockett, who needs to show improvement. An undrafted rookie who was already released by the Minnesota Vikings, Ross averaged 6.4 yards per carry at Maryland and has good speed. Of the other undrafted rookies, Nevada’s Don Jackson, a tough inside runner, outplayed Troy’s Brandon Burks in offseason workouts.

Can John Kuhn be replaced at fullback?
The Packers didn’t re-sign Kuhn, a dependable, versatile player for nine seasons, and handed the job to Aaron Ripkowski after a one-year apprenticeship. Ripkowski is a more robust blocker than Kuhn was last season, but it’s doubtful he can give the team what Kuhn did as a runner, receiver and emergency tailback. The Packers figure to keep only one fullback this season, though they probably won’t throw away Kuhn’s cell number.
Does the offensive line have enough depth?
Although injuries undermined the pass blocking at times last season, the starting five is among the NFL’s best and J.C. Tretter proved to be a valuable sixth man. Still, the Packers have to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers better than they did and can’t get caught short again.


To that end, all eyes will be on rookie tackles Jason Spriggs (second round) and Kyle Murphy (sixth). If those two progress in camp, especially the athletic Spriggs, the Packers will no longer have to rely on Don Barclay or Josh Walker at tackle. Barclay could be improved now that he’s a year removed from knee surgery, but he could move inside and battle Lane Taylor and Matt Rotheram at guard. Impending free agency for four of the top six linemen could force the team to keep nine or even 10 linemen with an eye toward the future.

Is Brett Hundley ready to back up Rodgers?
Scott Tolzien left in free agency, leaving the backup quarterback job to Hundley, a fifth-round steal in the 2015 draft. Hundley was awful early in camp last season, but developed quickly and led the NFL in preseason passer rating. Another strong August would give the coaches confidence he can fill in for Rodgers if needed. Undrafted rookies Joe Callahan and Marquise Williams will vie for the third-string job, though the winner likely will land on the practice squad.

Can tight end Jared Cook stretch the field?
The Packers like tight end Richard Rodgers’ size and hands, but he makes little happen after the catch and he doesn’t threaten the deep middle. Seeking a tight end to stretch the field, the Packers dipped into free agency and signed Cook, who could make a Jermichael Finley-type impact with his size and speed. One problem is Cook missed some of the offseason workouts after undergoing “preventative” foot surgery. Also keep an eye on the young tight ends because unless one emerges, the Packers could keep only two, especially if they keep six or seven wide receivers.

Are there enough defensive linemen?
B.J. Raji’s surprising retirement, Mike Pennel’s four-game suspension, Datone Jones’ move to outside linebacker and Ted Thompson’s shaky history of drafting defensive linemen has turned the front three into the Packers’ thinnest area. Ends Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion are the only returnees with any experience, so it will be necessary for rookies Kenny Clark (first round) and Dean Lowry (fourth) to show in camp they can play right away.
Clark might be forced to replace Raji as the starting nose tackle even though he’s 20 years old and missed considerable offseason work due to school conflicts. The Packers line up in their base defense 20 to 25 percent of the time and they’ll at least need Clark to play in that unit because Daniels and promising practice squad player Christian Ringo should provide the inside pass rush.

How will inside linebacker sort out?
Since coach Mike McCarthy has decreed Clay Matthews will return to outside linebacker full-time, the inside positions are up for grabs, making this the team’s most uncertain area. The leading men are veteran Sam Barrington, a sturdy run-stuffer type; rookie fourth-round pick Blake Martinez, who can run and cover; and 2015 fourth-rounder Jake Ryan, who can do a little bit of both.

Barrington played only one game last year before he was lost with an ankle injury and Ryan showed noticeable improvement in five late-season starts. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers likely will use all three in various schemes, though the details will be worked out in camp. The best guess is Barrington and Ryan will start in the base and Martinez will be a regular in the nickel and dime packages.
Who will step up at cornerback after the big three?

The Packers have lost Tramon Williams, Davon House and Casey Hayward at cornerback in the past two years, though drafted rookies Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins alleviated the stress by making a major impact last season. One will start with Sam Shields at cornerback and the other will replace Hayward at nickel back. However, a team never wants to be caught short at cornerback and the Packers need to find a reliable fourth guy.
At this point, LaDarius Gunter has the edge over veteran Demetri Goodson, if only because Goodson must serve a four-game suspension. The lanky Gunter was the hit of camp last year as an undrafted rookie but saw little regular-season action. Should he take a step up, the position would be solidified. If not, there are five undrafted rookies trying to become the next LaDarius Gunter.

Really good read
 
Good read... lots of good questions. Ran the season through the prediction model. Could go 13-3 or 11-5. The hard part is at this point you don't know key injuries and how beat up we will be in the stretch. A healthy GB team late is going to contend regardless... lose a guy like Rodgers and 'POOF" everything changes. Thanks for posting 78.
 
Lacy might be 240 or so at camp but if he has added muscle instead of fat is it a big deal if he's 240 and it's muscle instead of just a lean 230?
 
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