Five Things to Watch for As the Green Bay Packers Open OTAs This Week

The Green Bay Packers meet this week for OTAs as their offseason program continues. While the season is still four months off, there are important things happening in the coming weeks as the team prepares for training camp. Here are five things to look for at Packers OTAs this week and what they mean for the team’s future:

Five Things to Watch for at Packers OTAs, Number Five: The Kicking Battle

The Packers have three kickers on their roster and by opening day, they will only keep one on the active roster. It is also possible that one of the three is let go before the start of training camp.

Incumbent Anders Carlson has a strong leg but was inconsistent last season. He missed more kicks than any kicker in the league. For the season, the Auburn alum missed six field goals and five extra points. If he can become more consistent, Carlson has the potential to be a reliable kicker.

Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia worked with Carlson’s brother, Daniel, and helped him become an All Pro. He hopes to do the same with Anders.

Competing with Carlson are former Vikings kicker Greg Joseph and undrafted free agent Jack Podlesny. One of them will likely have to win the battle at OTAs to compete with Carlson in training camp. This will be a battle worth watching all offseason.

Number Four: Where Do the Offensive Linemen Line Up?

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has repeatedly said he wants the top five offensive linemen on the field. That is why the team values versatility in their offensive linemen. So, we will see where various players line up at OTAs. This will be the first indication of where the coaching staff thinks each player is best suited to play.

We know Elgton Jenkins will be the left guard. Rasheed Walker is likely to start OTAs at left tackle and Josh Myers at center. Zach Tom will start at right tackle with Sean Rhyan likely to get the first opportunity at right guard.

The team drafted three offensive linemen and we’ll see where each of them gets the most reps in camp. Any differences between the opening of OTAs and the closing will give us an idea of how the coaches view the players on the current roster.

Five Things to Watch for at Packers OTAs, Number Three: The Backup QB Battle

GM Brian Gutekunst drafted Sean Clifford in the fifth round of last year’s draft, then selected Michael Pratt in the seventh round this year.

The Packers are likely to keep only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster with the other likely to land on the practice squad.

The battle between Clifford and Pratt will begin at OTAs. Clifford has one year of experience in the Packers offense which will give him an initial advantage. How quickly Pratt learns the playbook and adjusts to life in the NFL will be important.

This battle will continue throughout training camp and the preseason, but it starts now at OTAs.

Number Two: How Will the Draft Picks Look?

This will be the first time the draft picks and other rookies practice with the full team. They will get a better idea of the talent level in the NFL as they face veterans on a regular basis.

This will be a very preliminary first impression, but we’ll get our first look at players like Jordan Morgan, Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, and MarShawn Lloyd at OTAs. We’ll see how they do, how quickly they pick up the playbook and where the coaches line them up.

Five Things to Watch for at Packers OTAs, Number One: How Quickly Will the Team Pick up Jeff Hafley’s Defense

There will be an adjustment for the players on defense as they change from the 3-4 base that Joe Barry ran to the new four-man front of Jeff Hafley.

Players like Rashan Gary and Preston Smith will now be starting plays with their hands on the ground instead of lining up at outside linebacker.

The defensive backs will be playing a different form of zone and will be more aggressive at the line of scrimmage and pressing receivers more frequently off the snap of the ball. There will also be more frequent blitzes.

The new system will take time to learn and implementing that system begins now at OTAs. Hopefully, the process won’t take too long, and the defensive players will be ready to start the season feeling comfortable in Hafley’s defense.