Jamaal Williams, like so many other backs, ran through the Packers in 2022. (Photo by Wm Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images)

4 Days Until Training Camp: 4 Biggest Questions

Skipping the obvious – how will Jordan Love play in his debut season? – here are four critical questions with Packers training camp on the horizon.kipping the obvious

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 22, 2023 5:45 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Coming off an 8-9 season and with a seismic change at quarterback following the trade of Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers are a team shrouded in questions entering the 2023 NFL season.

Obviously, the biggest question of them all is Jordan Love and his ability to thrive with a bunch of young receivers. That’s too obvious for this list, though. Moving on, with four days until the first practice of Packers training camp, here are four huge questions.

4. Where’s Zach Tom?

Looking beyond Love, the key on offense will be the play and continuity on the offensive line. Assuming left tackle David Bakhtiari truly is healthy and primed to build upon last year’s zero-sacks-allowed season, let’s turn to one of the most intriguing questions.

The Packers’ goal is to have their five best blockers on the field. Based on his play as a rookie last season, when he started games at left tackle and left guard and played extensively at right tackle, Zach Tom should be one of those five.

But at what spot? Will he beat out Yosh Nijman at right tackle? Will he challenge Josh Myers at center? Or is Tom’s greatest ability his versatility? When you think back, this three-game stretch was rather incredible: At Washington, he started at left tackle on 90 minutes notice when David Bakhtiari was a surprise inactive; at Buffalo, he started at left guard when Elgton Jenkins wasn’t feeling right following a pregame workout; at Detroit, he played right guard and left tackle.

Keeping him on the bench would allow the Packers to avoid a game of musical chairs up front to adapt to an injury. For Tom to be something more than Super Utility Man, he’ll need to show more power in the run game.

3. Can Luke Musgrave Make an Instant Impact?

In the Super Bowl era, rookie tight ends have combined for only:

- 10 seasons of 50-plus catches.

- 10 seasons of 600-plus yards.

- 17 seasons of six-plus touchdowns.

Since 2010, there have been only two seasons of 600-plus yards. Even two of the greatest of all-time, Rob Gronkowski (42 receptions, 546 yards but 10 touchdowns) and Jimmy Graham (31 catches, 356 yards, five touchdowns), failed to put up overwhelming numbers.

Packers rookie Luke Musgrave, a second-round pick, will face that reality in trying to make a sudden impact. Following a nondescript career at Oregon State, outside expectations are low. He’s a distant +10000 in the Rookie of the Year race at FanDuel Sportsbook.

However, with a superb combination of size and speed, he displayed game-changing ability throughout the offseason practices. Can he be the same player in full pads that he was in helmets and shorts? If so, Green Bay’s offense could be the surprise of the league.

2. Can Anders Carlson Make a Field Goal?

OK, the question is hyperbole. Of course he can make a field goal. In fact, showing an incredibly powerful leg, he hit 11-of-12 in front of reporters during the minicamp.

But can Carlson make a field goal in a clutch situation? Can he make a field goal in the freezing cold of Lambeau? His college career isn’t encouraging, with 71.8 his percent accuracy in five seasons at Auburn including 53.6 percent from 40-plus yards. Plenty of so-so kickers in college have turned into quality kickers in the NFL, though.

Packers fans have been spoiled, going from Chris Jacke to Ryan Longwell to Crosby (with one year of Dave Rayner) over the last three-and-a-half decades. Critically, Crosby was a real X-factor at Lambeau Field. In December and January home games over the last decade, Crosby was 31-of-35 on field goals (88.6 percent). That’s four misses in 25 games. Minnesota (two) and Detroit (one) missed three in the final two games last year alone.

Generally, when the team needed him, Crosby delivered. Will Carlson be anywhere near as reliable? And if he struggles, how will he respond?

“I think Anders has a lot of talent,” esteemed kicking coach Jamie Kohl, who worked with all six drafted kickers and punters as well as Carlson’s All-Pro brother, Daniel, told Packer Central. “He’s got a chance because of the people around him. He’s going to have a couple bad practices, I’m sure, but you’ve got to respond. That’s where Mason Crosby, that Cowboys games a couple years back, that’s still one of the best games I’ve ever witnessed. Every time he had a chance, he came through like nails. It’s going to take some time.

“If he can make it through the early storm, he’s got a chance to be a really good player. Really good player.”

1. Will They Play Winning Run Defense?

Stopping the run just hasn’t been a priority. Sure, everyone from the head coach to the defensive coordinator to the team leaders have said stopping the run is the starting point to winning defense. But the results say something else.

Here are the annual run-defense rankings since the Packers finished first against the run and second in yards allowed per carry in 2009.

2022: 26th overall, 28th per carry.

2021: 11th overall, 30th per carry.

2020: 13th overall, 21st per carry.

2019: 23rd overall, 24th per carry.

2018: 22nd overall, 13th per carry.

2017: 17th overall, 8th per carry.

2016: 8th overall, 14th per carry.

2015: 21st overall, 29th per carry.

2014: 23rd overall, 20th per carry.

2013: 25th overall, 29th per carry.

2012: 17th overall, 26th per carry.

2011: 14th overall, 26th per carry.

2010: 18th overall, 28th per carry.

In a way, downplaying run defense isn’t the worst idea. The Packers were terrible vs. the run in 2010 but won the Super Bowl by finishing second in points allowed. Green Bay’s only top-10 ranking in yards allowed per carry came in 2017, when Aaron Rodgers missed half the season with a broken collarbone and the Packers missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record. Their next-best ranking in yards allowed per carry, 13th, came in 2018, when they finished 6-9-1.

Rodgers won MVPs in 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2021. The run defense was bad in all four seasons because, with Rodgers putting up points by the bushel, sacrificing some explosive runs here and there was largely irrelevant.

In 2022, however, the Packers finished with a losing record, Rodgers struggled and the run defense was still terrible. In fact, the 4.95 yards allowed per carry was second-worst in franchise history behind the 1956 team that went 4-8 behind Lisle Blackbourn.

With so many questions on offense, the Packers absolutely must play better run defense in 2023. Can they with such a young defensive line? That question, perhaps more than the play of Jordan Love, could define the season.