Players of interest breakdown thread

[run pMc]

If Wyatt can hold up better against double teams, stay on his feet and in his gap it will be a positive. He struggled with that last year.
Not sure what two Day 3 rookie DL will get you, but I think they improved the DL pass rushing. I think there's a real possibility they have gotten worse at run defense -- unless TJ Slaton and Wyatt show improvement and consistency.

The defense gave up 5.0 ypc last year on average. You allow that and it doesn't matter who you have playing at corner or rushing the passer, it's just the other team running the ball down the field.

One caveat to this is the ILB and safeties - if they play their run fits better and improve their tackling that will help the run defense. DL has to hold up better at the POA though. Wyatt will play an important role and hopefully makes a jump. There have not been many Packer Year 2 jumps lately.

[Fritz]

So DL has no one I'm really keying in on. Like everyone I want Wyatt to show his late season surge is real, but I almost expect that to happen. The rookies are developmental and won't be on the field a ton this year. They are both tweener guys who played a decent amount of edge in college I think. Part of the deep edge class, but are too bulky to play it in the pros. I guess Ford is the guy I will sort of watch to see if he makes a 2nd year jump.

Given that Ford wasn't even activated last year, I don't think, for him a second year jump will be just being on the game day roster.

[bobblehead]

Given that Ford wasn't even activated last year, I don't think, for him a second year jump will be just being on the game day roster.

Like I said. Not a real exciting position group. Clark has to earn his money. Wyatt merely has to play as he did late in the season. I can't say any other players make me expect a lot. They all need to be serviceable in rotation while wyatt and Clark need to be good.....and that is all I expect or hope of them.

[Fritz]

Like I said. Not a real exciting position group. Clark has to earn his money. Wyatt merely has to play as he did late in the season. I can't say any other players make me expect a lot. They all need to be serviceable in rotation while wyatt and Clark need to be good.....and that is all I expect or hope of them.

That's true. I had hopes for TJ Slaton (or is it "Slayton," or is that Chris?), but I noticed, when I focused on him during games, he seemed to get pushed around a lot. He makes splash plays but is not consistent, especially in what should be his calling card - stopping the run.

Wyatt really needs to play well for this defense to live up to any kind of the expectations you'd have for a defense that has a zillion first-round picks on it.

[bobblehead]

Where to start with the offense. I'll start at the OL. I don't have any one guy I'm watching too intently as this is a great and talented group. What I will watch most is Yosh Nijman probably. He is sort of the key to a lot of things that could happen. If he takes that final step (and I hear LVN ate his lunch several times in shorts) a lot of options open up. The biggest one would be trading Bak since he is effectively in a contract year (40M hit next year). If Yosh looks good enough to be a starting T long term we have options. A healthy Jenkins can play LT. Yosh can play LT. A stronger Tom can play LT. The rest can fill in multiple ways.

There is constant chatter around trading Bak and I think its the right move long term, but if you can't trust Yosh to be more than he has been (adequate) then you can't trade Bak. Yosh has improved every year. The only thing missing now is a nasty streak. Steel sharpens steel. I would put him heads up with LVN every day over and over. Clifton vs. Kampman was an epic camp battle that made both players better. If Yosh can take that last step to being very good then Bak for a 2nd is viable.

I know people dump on Meyers and clearly Humphries has been better, but a healthy Meyers is decent at center. He reach blocks very well for a big man. He can man the C until we can do better. I could see a world where Tom plays center, but its certainly not the best scenario.

[Joemailman]

Myers needs to step it up this year. He was hurt as a rookie, but started all 17 games last year. He was just too inconsistent. Jenkins and Tom are both capable of playing Center at a higher level than Myers did last year. And Sean Rhyan has just as much athleticism if not more.

[Fritz]

Myers definitely playing for his job. It's his third year. Time to put up or shut up.

[texaspackerbacker]

I hope Myers has a better year than last year. I expect him to be better - at least as good as his rookie season. I've always been convinced he's a better player than Creed Humphrey. But I hardly think Myers is "playing for his job".

This Sean Rhyan thing - switching to Center, I see that as just a last gasp of a chance for him - it is about who will be the backup. Hanson proved to be total crap. Tom could be the backup and still may be if Rhyan bombs, but I think they see Tom as better at Guard or Tackle.

[run pMc]

Myers needs to step it up this year. He was hurt as a rookie, but started all 17 games last year. He was just too inconsistent. Jenkins and Tom are both capable of playing Center at a higher level than Myers did last year. And Sean Rhyan has just as much athleticism if not more.

Yeah, Myers and Rhyan were the first guys that came to mind for me, although last year the team really underperformed compared to the year before, so you could throw almost everyone on a list of "players of interest". I'd say any of the picks from this year's draft going back to Stokes/Myers draft of 2021 could be candidates.

Agree Myers is playing for his job. I don't think he's going to get cut - he's not a bad player - but if someone else can play C better they should bench Myers. Clock is ticking on Rhyan - they are going to look for any reason this camp to keep him. Remember, TJ Lang took a while to come around. I think he's a G but if he can play C that helps him greatly. They do have a lot of OL under contract and competition should be pretty fierce. Will be interesting to see it play out.

[bobblehead]

I won't be watching Rhyan because he is a flop. A wasted pick. If the guy can't even break the gameday roster as a 3rd round pick then I have no faith in him making any real contribution this year. At best he is now a long term project except I haven't seen the developable traits that yosh or Jones has.

[Joemailman]

I won't be watching Rhyan because he is a flop. A wasted pick. If the guy can't even break the gameday roster as a 3rd round pick then I have no faith in him making any real contribution this year. At best he is now a long term project except I haven't seen the developable traits that yosh or Jones has.

Mike Wahle was pretty useless until they found the right position for him. So we'll see. I think we'll find out pretty soon whether he can play. This won't be a multi-year developmental project like Yosh.

[bobblehead]

Mike Wahle was pretty useless until they found the right position for him. So we'll see. I think we'll find out pretty soon whether he can play. This won't be a multi-year developmental project like Yosh.

I agree, because as I have stated he doesn't possess the incredible feet that Yosh has and his size is already maxed out for his frame. I thought he could maybe play tackle given his huge lower frame, but in the limited action I have seen him he doesn't have anywhere near the footwork required, nor the natural agility. As a guard he may be serviceable with enough work, but as you said, they won't spend that much time on him. You spend that kind of time on guys who have the natural ability to reach high levels. He just hasn't displayed that anywhere on tape.

[Fritz]

I keep wondering what they saw that they drafted this guy in the third round. Fifth round, maybe? Okay. A flier. But the third round?

[Joemailman]

I keep wondering what they saw that they drafted this guy in the third round. Fifth round, maybe? Okay. A flier. But the third round?

He was drafted about where most people had him rated. Some actually had him rated as a 2nd round pick. He was actually kind of a classic Packer mid-round pick. A guy who played LT in college who most think will have to play inside in the NFL. He's been getting reps at Center with he 2's, but you can't start to grade OL guys until the pads go on. We'll find out pretty quickly I think whether he's a talented guy who had trouble as a rookie transitioning to the NFL, or whether drafting him was a colossal mistake.

[Sparkey]

I won't be watching Rhyan because he is a flop. A wasted pick. If the guy can't even break the gameday roster as a 3rd round pick then I have no faith in him making any real contribution this year. At best he is now a long term project except I haven't seen the developable traits that yosh or Jones has.

I think that is somewhat harsh. He was 21 on draft day, two years younger than Tom was when he was drafted. I think the kid still has a future. Guys with his athletic ability at his size don't grown on trees. I think he discovered that athletic ability alone isn't enough in the NFL. Obviously, this year is a big year for him.