What is one thing that could happen that would make you optimistic about this year?

[Smidgeon]

I have two things and an honorable mention I'd like to see, with either of the two being things I would call promising:

Honorable Mention: Damarius Randall plays like his rookie year or better, showing the post-injury year rebound that Davante Adams showed.

1. Kenny Clark consistently putting on displays in training camp, showing an improvement after his playoffs performance.

2. Kevin King flashing several times in training camp going up against Jordy Nelson and Davante. He's going to be covering big and tall receivers, and these two will be good tests. If he can hold his own and win a fair share, I think our DBs will be a strength.

[gbgary]

other than no serious/extended injuries to key people...an emergence of a better than average pass rush.

[Zool]

Monty getting more and more comfortable lining up behind the line. Being a true dual threat RB.
Clark making the proverbial 2nd year jump and actually commanding double teams often.
Adams taking another step forward making Cobb's salary a question next year.
Anyone on D covering a TE on crossing routes. Seriously, anyone.

[red]

getting a defensive coordinator that can produce an above shitty defense in this millennia

[Radagast]

getting a defensive coordinator that can produce an above shitty defense in this millennia

Entering his 45th coaching season, Dom Capers is not to blame for GB's defensive failures , it has been the poor personal he has had to work with. However as this thread seeks potential positives for the Packers looking forward , I give you Kevin King and Josh Jones . Vince Biegel (R-LB) may just emerge into the spotlight provided he can get/stay healthy .

GB's offense is not a great concern, DEFENSE is the KEY to the Packer's future success !

[Radagast]

getting a defensive coordinator that can produce an above shitty defense in this millennia

Entering his 45th coaching season, Dom Capers is not to blame for GB's defensive failures , it has been the poor personal he has had to work with. However as this thread seeks potential positives for the Packers looking forward , I give you Kevin King and Josh Jones . Vince Biegel (R-LB) may just emerge into the spotlight provided he can get/stay healthy .

GB's offense is not a great concern, DEFENSE is the KEY to the Packer's future success !

[pbmax]

1. King starting
2. Clark starting and playing good run D and some pass rush
3. Randall regaining form
4. Heathy OLBs, Fackrell and Elliot stepping up
4. Rollins regaining form

[Patler]

I don't need anything to happen to be optimistic. I already am optimistic for these reasons:

1. They have AR and are always at least in the hunt, so if a few things fall right it can always happen.
2. The big need was CB, and they have opportunities galore to be better: Randall and Rollins to bounce back; King and House to make a difference; Gunther, Hawkins or Waters to progress; one of the presently unknowns to be the next Shields and come out of no where. They don't need all of those thing to happen. They don't need any to happen in a big way. They just need two to happen in a modest way and they will be better. It won't take a lot to be better. They will be better, in part because they have so many opportunities to be better and in part because they can hardly be worse.
3. The new TE group should make a huge difference for the offense. Kendricks alone would have been an improvement. Bennett is a big step beyond that. MM has never had a top receiving TE and top blocking TE at the same time, let alone rolled up in one player like Bennett. To be fair, Kendricks alone might have been a better all around combination TE than MM has ever had, if the evaluations on him are accurate. This should open up the offense perhaps to as good as we have seen under MM.
4. Clark started to come around last year. Lowry (late in the season) and Fackrell (earlier, before injury) each flashed some when given opportunities and healthy. Not predicting great things, but any or all could be pleasant surprises. Again, not looking for pro bowlers, just progression of one or more. Jean Francois will be a steadying influence. Guion will be history.
5. Jones will be given a limited role, but as the season moves on will make a big impact as an almost perfect athlete for the "new" NFL middle linebackers.
6. Nice group of RBs to pick from, at least to start.

Of those things, only Jones is a flat-out guess. All the others are just the natural state of things. Some will happen, some will not. For the most part for the uncertain ones, it doesn't matter which happen and which don't.

I think the team is quite well set up, overall, to be a better team than last year, even if weaker in one or two areas than last year.

[Patler]

Entering his 45th coaching season, Dom Capers is not to blame for GB's defensive failures , it has been the poor personal he has had to work with. However as this thread seeks potential positives for the Packers looking forward , I give you Kevin King and Josh Jones . Vince Biegel (R-LB) may just emerge into the spotlight provided he can get/stay healthy .

GB's offense is not a great concern, DEFENSE is the KEY to the Packer's future success !

I will admit, I was hoping he might retire; because I came to understand it is unlikely MM will clean house again on that side of the ball. But the funny thing is, Capers still has his moments, not for a season but for games here and there when he really does make it work. This could be a very young, very fast, very enthusiastic defense with strong safety play and some unusual/unique/interesting pieces in guys like King, Jones, Adams and Fackrell. If the offense can be as good as I think it can, the defense may only have to rise to the level of "not awful".

[Zool]

If the offense can be as good as I think it can, the defense may only have to rise to the level of "not awful".

Look at this dreamer. Honestly though, just like 15th in the league scoring and yards. That doesn't seem too much to wish for

[Harlan Huckleby]

Jordy or someone looking like a #1 WR. Not criticizing Jordy's progress last season, it's just every year is new.

[Patler]

Look at this dreamer. Honestly though, just like 15th in the league scoring and yards. That doesn't seem too much to wish for

The way they might get to where the need to be is the way they have sometimes in the past, with a defense that gives up a lot of yards, but gets a lot of turnovers. Even last year Randall showed a sense for interceptions, until he was hobbled. Dix has a knack for it. Rollins did in college, and showed some sense for it in 2015, though seemed to get fooled more than anything last year. With Jones's speed and quickness, I could see him getting his share, and the tall CBs like King, Gunther and House always seem to have a few, even though Gunther did not last year.

If the Packers can win the interception battle by at least about 3:1, the defense might be OK even if it gets chased up and down the field a lot of the game.

[wist43]

Dunderdummy is our DC; hence, there is no hope.

Since I own Jordy in a couple FF leagues... hope he has a big year

[Tony Oday]

The player not to be named plays all 19 games.

[Bub]

I think Clay staying healthy and returning to form would make a significant positive impact on this team.