The Green Bay Packers open training camp on July 26 with their first practice at Ray Nitschke Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Here’s a closer look at the Packers' camp, which wraps up on Aug. 30.
Top storyline: Jordy Nelson will be almost a full year removed from the knee injury that ended his 2015 season before it even started. Nelson tore the ACL in his right knee last Aug. 23 in a preseason game at Pittsburgh. The Packers held Nelson out of all team drills during organized team activities and minicamp this offseason despite Nelson’s insistence that “there’s nothing physically that’s holding me back.” At the close of the offseason program last month, coach Mike McCarthy expressed hope that all of the injured players would be cleared to practice in time for the start of camp but added that there “maybe one that I can think of” who might not be cleared. He wouldn't say if that would be Nelson but said he would be “disappointed if everybody’s not ready to go, but we’ll see.” The Packers typically play it conservatively with injuries, but we’ll know shortly if that one player is Nelson.
If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t …: play in more than two preseason games, don’t be surprised. Even though the Packers have five exhibition games this summer (the fifth being the Aug. 7 Hall of Fame game against the Colts in Canton, Ohio), Aaron Rodgers’ preseason playing time has waned in recent years. Last year, Rodgers played in just two of the four preseason games. He hasn’t played in a preseason finale since 2012, and McCarthy said this offseason that “our younger football players will benefit from the extra time [in the preseason],” which was an indication he might not play Rodgers any more than he has in the past.
Player who will have fans buzzing: Doesn’t it always seem like it’s Jeff Janis. After all, he might be the new Mr. August around here. In his two NFL preseasons, he's had five touchdown catches. That’s five more than he has during his two-year regular-season career. After his seven-catch, 145-yard, two-touchdown performance in the playoff game last year against Arizona, there’s no doubt that fans will be champing at the bit to see him get more playing time this year.
Position battle worth watching: On paper, it seems like the Packers have at least seven NFL-caliber receivers if Nelson and Ty Montgomery come back healthy. They rarely keep more than five. Randall Cobb along with Nelson, Montgomery and Davante Adams look like locks, and there’s seemingly no way they could dump Janis after what he did in the playoffs last year. Even if they keep six, it could come down to Jared Abbrederis and rookie fifth-round pick Trevor Davis.
That rookie should start: The only Packers rookie who has worked with the starters since day one is linebacker Blake Martinez. The fourth-round pick from Stanford gained valuable experienced this offseason while Sam Barrington was held out as an injury precaution. Perhaps Martinez was simply a placeholder until Barrington is cleared, but he appears to possess the kind of coverage skills defensive coordinator Dom Capers needs in an every-down inside linebacker.
Veteran whose job is in jeopardy: Punter Tim Masthay faces a competition for the second straight summer. Last year, he held off Cody Mandell but still had an inconsistent season, especially late in the year. This year, the Packers brought in rookie Peter Mortell, who may be more than just a local feel-good story.
Lacy’s shape: Eddie Lacy appeared to take McCarthy’s ultimatum about his conditioning to heart, but there also was concern about whether the bruising running back would be able to stay in shape -- or even get into better shape -- during the break between the end of the offseason program and the start of camp. At one point, Lacy had dropped approximately 18 pounds since the end of last season and got his weight down into the 240s while working out with P90X founder Tony Horton. The July 25 weigh-in should answer a lot of questions.
Summer of Favre II: If last year marked Brett Favre’s welcome back to the Packers’ organization with his induction into the team’s Hall of Fame and the retiring of his No. 4, this summer should complete the process with the legendary quarterback’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
What fans will be saying after camp: Barring a catastrophic injury like Nelson’s last year, the Packers will enter the regular season as one of the leading Super Bowl contenders. If Nelson comes back strong and Lacy is in shape and free-agent tight end Jared Cook can add another dynamic to the offense, there’s little reason to doubt that Rodgers has all the tools around him to lead this team to a title.
For daily updates at camp, check out the Green Bay Packers clubhouse page.