What’s happened in these 3 months?

The 2026 NFL Draft, specifically for the Green Bay Packers saw them address need. While I don’t like drafting for need, if the best player available happens to fill a “need,” then that’s perfect harmony. Without having a 1^st round pick (traded to Dallas in the Micah Parson deal last August), Green Bay added a couple of high-potential (potential) contributors. Mainly CB Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) could see himself starting as early as Week 1. Again, expecting rookies to be key contributors on a Super Bowl-caliber team is dangerous due to the rarity, but here we are.

Micah Parsons was listed on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) meaning he’ll miss at least the first 4 games – which is good considering rushing him back from injury could easily cause more harm than good. He’s essential to this team in order for them to win the Super Bowl and must be available in the 2^nd half of the season and throughout the playoffs. All we have to do is look back at last year prior to his injury, the Packers were a top-5 defense and as soon as he was hurt in Denver, the Broncos had no issue putting up points and the Packers never won a game after that.

Tucker Kraft also is beginning training camp on the PUP list; however, as of yesterday (7/31) he was removed from the PUP and expects to be ready to play Week 1. Kraft is in a contract year and I doubt he’d put himself in a position where he could cost himself 10’s of millions of dollars. Then again, he’s about as plain a football player that exists, and truly desires to play and win.

The other main item is the Josh Jacobs story…while he, allegedly, got himself in hot water no charges have been filed (up to this post), meaning is interesting on a few different levels. In the United States, you’re innocent until proven guilty, therefore he’s practicing and is on the roster with no changes, ‘nor should there be at this point.

What to Watch in Camp

First and always to be concerned with in training camp is health. Getting through August healthy is a difficult task and the most important. Injuries in camp could easily be torn ligaments putting players’ entire seasons at risk because most of the injuries are non-contact. It also means that they’re more likely to get reinjured due to something being weaker than 100% if coming in hurt off training camp, so staying healthy is paramount.

The next item – how do the rookies look? There are 2 rookies that will/should be under a microscope, Brandon Cisse and Trey Smack. Both will either start, or in Cisse’s case see significant playing time. Reminder, Smack is the rookie kicker from Florida and is the front-runner to land the kicking duties after Green Bay released Brandon McManus (cost the Packers 7 points with his missed kicks in the playoff loss @ Chicago back in January). The 3^rd rookie that could see important snaps is Chris McClellan (DT), hopefully as a reliable rotational player along the defensive front. The last rookie to keep an eye on is the Edge Rusher from Penn St., Dani Dennis-Sutton. Many had him as a 2^nd-round graded draft pick when Green Bay selected him in the 4^th round of this past April’s draft. He has a high-potential to turn into something very good, and hopefully can step right in and fill the shoes left behind from Kingsley Enagbare as a rotational pass rusher and may even be called upon for key passing downs with Micah Parsons missing the first quarter of the season.

Have Fun Watching the Process

Once the preseason ends and cuts have been made we’ll have a much better idea of the strength and makeup of this team – which, as of today, SHOULD have high expectations and compete for a Lombardi Trophy.