We will finally get to see the true or false leadership quay of MLF now that there will not be the lingering question…have their wins been because of AR covering things up that might not have been so good. MLF and Barry need to have “A+” years as they shape, guide and motivate this team. I wish I were more optimistic of those two right now but I’m just hoping I’m wrong about what we have.

Guessing 10-7 or 9-8 and a fairly early playoff loss. LaFleur seems a bit like Bud Grant, to me, though more erudite.

Says something about ML that he’s reading the youth and adjusting. But also, the Packers draft character guys. They always have. That’s important now I think. Young guys might hit a wall, but I believe they won’t quit. It’s the Packer way.

I'm really not worried about the win loss record this year. If every player gives 100% effort on every down, all season long, that will create a winning culture for at least the next decade. Until week 1 this is all on the coaches to develop everybody, and then evaluate talent correctly. (I'm assuming players are all doing their best, and hungry)

The offense will certainly gel better next year no matter how well they might do this year, and this season promises to be full of surprises!

As far as being contenders for the Lombardi, 2025 is our next reasonable chance for that but this time right now is critical towards that goal.

Current roster has:

18 O linemen
18 defensive backs
16 linebackers
10 WR
9 D linemen
6 RB
5 TE

Is there a practice squad in addition to this?

There should be plenty of talent to have greatness at all these positions, eh? And hopefully QB, K & P.

Long snappers get to be the unsung heroes this time

There will be drops, interceptions, fumbles, miscommunication, and general confusion for the first few games and maybe all in the same game. Yet the two stable groups that will hold things together long enough to keep them competitive are the oline and defense. I wish I had a crystal ball to see how long it will take for the young QB and receivers to get comfortable with the offense, but once they do…look out!
Just MHO

This team is refreshing to watch. There will be mistakes, blown plays. So the pressure is on the coaching staff to really train & develop! We'll soon find which assistants to keep. GPG!!!!

Talent plus inexperience typically leads to head in the hands moments and plays that just shouldn’t be possible. It’s likely a wild ride of exceeding hopes and then shooting ourselves in the foot.

The coaches can greatly influence the preparedness and thus tilt the balance by how they approach tones, schemes and usage and manage players preseason as well as after. This will be a true test of how well we can coach individuals and get them ready in a system that has to be significantly different from those of recent years.

It’s a great test of coaching. Fairly or not we need that. It’s come. What I hope to see is that performance is firmly tied to playing time: that those playing best get the snaps, regardless of how they got here. Let those most ready play in all phases. That’s not been a characteristic of recent seasons, but it’s vital with so much youth and where potential predominates over track record. We are young, we need to accept that, not fight it, and wring what advantages we can not try to minimize risk.

I think this team will be very competitive. Teams turn it around all the time now in the NFL. Look at Trever Laurance and Jacksonville last season. Our O-line and D are way better than theirs. This team is good enough to make Love's job easy.

You have to differentiate between 'youth' and 'inexperienced'.

The Packers are young. But the starting three wide receivers all have a year under their belts. The tight end spot has inexperience, but Deguara has three years in the NFL. Excepting David B., the offensive line is young but experienced. The backfield is experienced. We all know the Jordan Love story, and he's been around more than three years.
On defense, the line has youth and experience. The front three have a year or more under their belts. At linebacker, Campbell is an old pro and Walker started all last year. At the corners you have two experienced players. At safety Savage has been around and Ford or Owens have played years in the league.

So while the media types will trumpet 'youth movement', the reality is this is a team that has a majority of players who have NFL experience. Where youth will be a critical issue is at tight end and kicker. But honestly, the team needed to get younger at both of those positions.

Very exciting to look forward to young , fast players getting the snap off before the play clock hits zero because you think you are smarter than the other team - just play fast and trust your offense to move the ball - yes it just might be fun and less predictable watching gb again !!

Love, love the two new TEs, Musgrave and Kraft. TEs have trouble acclimating to the league but I think at least one of these two if now both will make a difference this year. Musgrave is fast and gets open, although he has a tendency to go down a little too easily from what I've seen. Kraft isn't as fast but he too gets open and is a load to bring down. Lightening and Thunder at the TE position. Reminds me of when the Patriots drafted Gronk and Hernandez in 2010. Gronk scored 20 TDs his first two years and Hernandez 13 in 3 years. After that he never played again, can't remember why, maybe he lost his love for the game and decided to seek other pursuits. Yes, Gronk is an all-time great, and maybe it's a million to one that one of Musgrave turn into a Gronk, I'm just saying, it's possible.

I don't think our first opponent, the Bears, are any more experienced. Nor are the Falcons.

All part of the process and to be expected....It's just magnified because we have so many rookies and second-year players who will be playing significant time this season. But once these lumps are out of the way, the organization will be able to do the fine-tuning they need to put us back in contention mode again-- hopefully the Super Bowl kind, not just the division kind.

Great piece, Joseph.

I am looking forward to seeing how this team comes together this season, and for many more to start this new era. I'm more confident in how they will play this year, but it doesn't hurt to temper the expectations this early in the process.

There is a palpable unified enthusiasm amongst the players on this team I haven't seen since their 2010 run.

GPG
Carry the G

This Packers team still has quite a few veterans sprinkled throughout the team. If they are good leaders to all the rookies I think they will learn the NFL way in short manner. The competing for some positions is going to be spirited. I’m excited to see Spring training competition for the receivers, TE’s and safeties. Other teams have young rosters also with new QBs just starting out like Jordan Love. I trust that the improvement the Packers coaches have seen in his QB skills will make this team exciting to watch this coming season. Might even spring for the YouTube NFL ticket to see all their games this season.

I'm not convinced that veteran players are typically the ones who make the intelligent plays to put their team over the top. I think youthful exuberance is just as valuable as veteran experience. While there will be a learning curve with the new QB and young WRs and TEs, they will have a whole season to get in sync.

A few of TT's teams were quite young. Most of the youth is on offensive side. Defensive side is pretty experienced at this point, with the safety position being the biggest question mark and potential for rookie to start. Offense on the other hand, RBs and left side of line is the only known quantity. Offense is a box of chocolates.

I think, this year I'll have to drive up to watch training camp practice, the last time I was there, I asked some guy, where you from? He said Chicago. And I was concerned because I am from Illinois...