GREEN BAY, Wis. — It was the last thing anybody wanted to see, but also something seen far too much this summer: A receiver injured after a play.
On Tuesday at Ray Nitschke Field, Packers wideout Romeo Doubs got tangled up on a deep ball before tumbling to the ground. After a few minutes on his hands and knees, Doubs rose to his feet while holding his lower back before going inside with a trainer. He was done for the day.
With Doubs hurt for an uncertain period, Green Bay gets even thinner than it already was at the position.
Only hours after it was announced starting quarterback Jordan Love would miss about a week while getting thumb surgery on his non-throwing hand, the Packers are now looking at a depth chart which includes injuries to Jayden Reed (sprained foot), Christian Watson (ACL), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Doubs. Watson is expected to miss at least the first month of the season recovering from a torn ACL sustained in Week 18 of last year, while Reed remains in a walking boot.
If the Packers are going to avoid a slow start while playing two games in five days against the Lions and Commanders to begin the regular season, it could be up to the defense.
“With the offense, we really can’t control that,” edge rusher Rashan Gary said of the offense’s injuries. “All we can control is how we attack the day. The number one thing is to cause havoc and get turnovers. We know as a defense, especially as a front, if we’re doing our job, then we’re going to be good as a team.”
The good news? Gary and his defensive mates looked ready to answer the challenge.
Throughout much of Tuesday’s two-hour practice, blessed with picturesque weather, Gary and the front tore through Green Bay’s starting offensive line, be it in individual or team drills. On the first team rep of the day, second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper leapt into the air to deflect a Malik Willis throw before catching it on the rebound.
The play set the tone for the morning, and also showed the kind of talent lurking on a Packers team long on good players but short on great ones.
Cooper, 23, has the potential to become a star, having racked up 13 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks and an interception as a second-round rookie out of Texas A&M.
Cooper was everywhere during the practice, ranging from sideline to sideline against the run while also showing zone chops in pass defense. On the second level with Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie, Cooper has a chance to stand out in his second campaign after becoming a consistent starter in Week 6 of his rookie year.
“The sky’s the limit for [Cooper],” Gary said. “All he has to do is keep staying locked in, keep getting better, day in and day out. I haven’t seen someone with his movement skills, how fast he’s able to flow, how fast he’s able to dissect the play. As long as he keeps taking steps forward, how he’s been through OTAs and camp, the sky’s the limit for him.”
The same remains true of Gary, who at 27 is entering his seventh NFL season after earning Pro Bowl honors for the first time in 2024. Last year, Gary totaled team-bests in sacks (7.5) and quarterback hits (15) while also playing all 17 games and 59% of the defensive snaps.
If the Packers are going to contend with the Lions and Vikings for the NFC North title, Gary might need to be even better. In the defense’s first year under coordinator Jeff Hafley, Green Bay finished 16th in pressure rate (22.1%) while tying for eighth in sacks (45). However, the team accomplished the latter number with nobody garnering eight sacks, allowing the Packers and Gary to grow.
This offseason, Gary says he’s been working on multiple facets of his craft, including recognizing play-action passes quicker while also setting the edge on run downs. Now, though, Gary believes the most significant jump could be from better team-wide communication, something that took time in the first year under Hafley.
“Last year at this time, we weren’t able to do that,” said Gary of the evolved communication. “We were just trying to get the scheme down. Off the communication, you can see the confidence our group is having. Everybody is running to the ball. We’re trying to get the ball out a lot. You saw that happen today. We have to be more consistent at it.”
While the Packers’ offense is mending, the defense is mashing. It must stay that way in the season’s early weeks if Green Bay is to avoid an early hole in the standings.
Best thing I saw: MarShawn Lloyd needs a chance
Last year, Lloyd was a third-round choice from USC and barely played. After putting up 820 yards on a comical 7.1 yards per attempt with the Trojans in 2023, Lloyd played only in one game as a rookie due to ankle and hamstring injuries before suffering from appendicitis. This summer, he’s been sidelined a bit once more with a groin issue.
That said, Lloyd was explosive Tuesday, consistently torching second- and third-team defenses with a variety of one-cut runs that dazzled the fans. Listed at 5' 9" and 220 pounds, Lloyd has the height of a jitterbug and the weight of a power back, but he runs with elusiveness and quick feet.
While Josh Jacobs is going to be the lead back after posting 1,329 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the first of a four-year deal last season, Lloyd could carve out a role if he can stay on the field.
Best thing I heard: Mecole Hardman in the locker room
Hardman is a three-time Super Bowl champion, having won them all with the Chiefs. During his time in Kansas City, teammates, coaches and executives raved about the teammate and person he is above all else, and it was easy to see why during our hour-long foray into the locker room.
Playing cards with a few teammates, including offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, Hardman spent the 60 minutes yelling across the room, including telling tight end Tucker Kraft that he loves him while media surrounded Kraft. Only in Green Bay for a few months and on a one-year deal, Hardman is making his presence felt.
With all the aforementioned injuries at receiver, Hardman should have a chance to bring more than just his infectious personality and veteran leadership. In Kansas City, Hardman was targeted only 35 times over the past two years (while playing 18 regular-season games) while primarily playing a reserve role.
Suddenly, he could be much more important than anticipated.
Rookie who impressed: Speaking of the receivers …
While first-round pick Matthew Golden is going to understandably get the hype, don’t forget the player Green Bay chose two rounds later.
Savion Williams showed why the Packers used the 87th pick on the TCU product during team drills Tuesday. In the span of a few minutes, Williams twice took jet-sweep snaps from Willis before blasting around the edge of the line for significant gains. On the first attempt, Williams darted off the left side and got the corner, leading to what would have conservatively been a 20-yard gain in real game action.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Williams ran a 4.48 40-time, a respectable but far from blazing number. And at 6' 4" and 220 pounds, his game could give coach Matt LaFleur a unique talent who can line up all over multiple formations.
While Williams’s highlights were confined to run plays Tuesday, there’s reason to believe he can ascend as a receiver despite Green Bay’s crowded depth chart. At TCU, Williams went from 29 catches to 41 and then 60 over his final three years, amassing 14 receiving touchdowns in that time.
Veteran who impressed: Don’t sleep on Devonte Wyatt
For years, the Packers’ best defensive lineman has primarily been recognized as Kenny Clark, with Gary getting his due as the top edge rusher on the roster. But perhaps nationally unsung is Wyatt, who showed just how dangerous he could be during Tuesday’s practice.
Wyatt was a monster in OL/DL drills, hammering away at different linemen, including a pair of immediate wins on consecutive snaps early in the practice. One of those victories came against guard Aaron Banks, whom Green Bay gave a four-year, $77 million deal to this offseason.
While that might sound negative for Banks, it’s more a continued positive for Wyatt. The 27-year-old spent much of this offseason working on improving his game against the run by focusing on a variety of details to make him even more challenging to keep out of the pocket.
“I’m just getting better at getting off blocks,” Wyatt said. “I’m trying to do that a lot more. My pass rush is good; I’m not going to say it’s perfect, but I’m trying to work on my game with better hands, better eye placement.”
Having posted 10.5 sacks and 20 quarterback hits across the past two seasons, Wyatt is one of the league’s better interior rushers. If he plays better against the run, he’ll be one of the elite players at his position.
Song of the Day: Everyday Hustle by Future, Metro Boomin and Rick Ross
Hustle is going to be the central theme in the NFC North after the division won 45 games combined last year, the most of any four-team division in league history. For Green Bay, which might have the deepest roster while lacking elite talents, hustle could make all the difference.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Packers Training Camp Report: Early Season Success Could Fall on the Defense.
