The Green Bay Packers’ preparations for the 2023 regular season are officially underway. The team opened up training camp this week and there are a lot of things that people will be keeping an eye on throughout the practices.
While they are still very early in the process, there have been a few major observations to take away in the early going. With Day 2 in the books, one of the biggest takeaways has been the performance of rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed.
According to Paul Bretl of Packers Wire, Reed made a big play off of an end around, showcasing his speed and athleticism. That was on display gain during the team’s red zone drills as Reed lined up in the slot and found a soft spot in the zone on an in-breaking route which linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was the closest person to him.
There is a chance for Reed to carve out a major role in this offense as the Packers have a ton of targets and reps available. He wasn’t the only standout on offense on Day 2, as running back Tyler Goodson is also drawing attention.
Goodson is in a battle for the No. 3 running back spot behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. However, based on his usage thus far, he may have a bigger role than just out of the backfield. He was used regularly as a motion man, which could lead to a gadget role in the offense where he lines up all over the formation.
The tight end position is one that many people are keeping a close eye on. In the Packers’ system, blocking is of the utmost importance for tight ends. That is one area that Tyler Davis excels in and could very well lead to him having a role on this offense.
With Marcedes Lewis not being re-signed, there is a void in the Packers’ lineup for a big blocking tight end. All of the attention has been on rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft for their pass-catching abilities, but until they can prove capable of blocking at this level, getting on the field consistently may not happen. Regarded as the best blocking tight end on the roster, Davis may have the inside track.
Last but not least, the defensive line is beginning to come alive. Some major concerns existed entering training camp about the depth at the position as Kenny Clark was the only established player that the Packers had. But, the young guys are making a name for themselves in the early going.
The speed that Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks provide along with Clark is something to behold. They can seemingly get the job done sideline-to-sideline, which is huge for the Packers. After getting steamrolled on a regular basis by opposing running games last season, the youth on the defensive line alongside Clark could turn things around.
