By Marques Eversoll
Coming off a turbulent 2013 season that ended with a 8-7-1 record and the NFC North division championship, the Packers enter 2014 as the favorite in the division but have a handful of key position battles to sort out in training camp.
Several veterans are no longer with the team; Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly have moved on from the defensive line, making way for a youth movement, James Jones is in Oakland playing for the Raiders and Jermichael Finley is still jobless after undergoing neck surgery in the offseason.
There are certainly more than five jobs up for grabs as training camp is set to kick off July 26, but let’s put the top five training-camp battles under the microscope for a closer look.
5. Center: J.C. Tretter vs. Corey Linsley
Is it a battle? Sure. But Tretter, despite missing his entire rookie season in 2013, seems to have a significant lead in this position battle. He’s smart, athletic and could give the Packers a mainstay in the center of the offensive line—something they haven’t had since Scott Wells left for St. Louis. The head coach and his fellow teammates on the line have spoke glowingly of Tretter throughout the spring.
Linsley is an interesting case. It’s hard to imagine a more attractive scenario for a fifth-round draft pick than stepping into a competition with a second-year player with no game experience. And, oh yeah, he’s a natural center. He won’t be learning a new position.
Best guess: J.C. Tretter
4. Defensive End: Datone Jones vs. Mike Daniels vs. Jerel Worthy vs. Khyri Thornton vs. Peppers/Neal?
This much we know: B.J. Raji goes back to nose tackle, where he excelled in the Packers’ 2010 Super Bowl run. He signed a team-friendly deal to prove himself, in hopes of landing a more lucrative, long-term deal next offseason. But who plays alongside Raji in the Packers’ base 3-4 defense?
The odds-on favorite for one of the two jobs is Jones. Last year’s first-round pick showed flashes as a rookie, but 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks left much to be desired. Still, at 6-4 285, Jones fits the bill from a physical perspective and holds an athletic advantage over the guys he’ll be battling for a job.
Daniels, whether he’s a starter in the base defense or not, will be on the field a lot. He was probably the team’s best defensive lineman in 2013 and racked up a career-high 6.5 sacks. In the spring, he told the media that the defense needed to get “meaner.” He’ll certainly have an opportunity to set an example.
Worthy and Thornton are the same type of player, and both fit the bill from a height-weight perspective. Both will likely crack the rotation in some capacity, and either could make a realistic push for a starting job in the base defense, if the Packers opt to keep Daniels in his occasional pass-rushing role.
And finally, it’ll be interesting to see how Peppers and Neal fit into the conversation. Both worked with the outside linebackers – Neal last season, Peppers this spring – but both players could certainly play some with a hand on the ground.
Best guess: Datone Jones and Mike Daniels
3. Wide Receiver: Jarrett Boykin vs. Davante Adams – and – Jared Abbrederris vs. Jeff Janis vs. Chris Harper vs. Kevin Dorsey vs. Myles White
The wide receiver battle will be an interesting one. Boykin and Adams will duke it out for the No. 3 job, while a handful of guys will fight to crack the 53-man roster.
With injuries to Randall Cobb and James Jones last year, Boykin stepped up and filled in admirably. He shook off a poor debut against the Baltimore Ravens and had a huge game against the Cleveland Browns. Boykin doesn’t have top-notch speed, but he has reliable hands and Aaron Rodgers seems to trust him.
Adams, the team’s second-round pick, played just two years at Fresno State, but he’s got boat loads of potential and his college production was off the charts. It may not come right away, but Adams certainly looks like he could be the next in a long line of successful second-round receivers under Ted Thompson.
The top four (Jordy Nelson, Cobb, Boykin and Adams) are guaranteed to make the team, but the Packers will almost certainly carry five receivers and could opt to keep six. Abbrederris and Janis, two newcomers, could figure into the return game, so that could help their stock. Harper had a nice spring, and Dorsey is finally healthy after sitting out much of his rookie year. Ultimately, I think Abbrederris wins the No. 5 receiver and punt return job, and the Packers choose to stick with their “Big Five,” rather than keeping six. They can likely stash Janis on the practice squad.
Best guess: Boykin No. 3, Adams No. 4, Abbrederris No. 5 – no sixth
2. Safety: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix vs. Micah Hyde
Hyde spent the entire spring with the No. 1 defense, but anything else would have been out of the ordinary. Eddie Lacy wasn’t an immediate starter last summer, and he went on to win the job and become the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. So from that perspective, this job still looks like Clinton-Dix’s to lose.
Many mock drafts had Clinton-Dix off the board to the Detroit Lions at No. 10 overall, but the former Alabama star fell all the way to the Packers at No. 21. While the team is still trying to discover exactly who Morgan Burnett is, it’s pretty clear what Clinton-Dix is, despite not having played a professional game yet; Clinton-Dix is a prototypical center fielder.
It’ll be interesting to see whether both Clinton-Dix and Hyde play alongside one another at some point this season. Burnett struggled mightily last season after signing a contract extension.
This is probably the most unpredictable position battle. Hyde proved he belongs as a rookie, and the team is clearly positioning itself to giving him more playing time. But again, despite Hyde being “the guy” in the spring, it feels like this is Clinton-Dix’s job to lose. And the Packers can get creative to get Hyde on the field.
Best guess: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
1. Tight End: Andrew Quarless vs. Richard Rodgers vs. Brandon Bostick vs. Colt Lyerla
Jermichael Finley is gone. For now. And that’s exactly what makes this position battle the most intriguing on the Packers’ roster this summer. Finley isn’t around and the Packers have a plethora of young guys fighting for his starting spot.
Quarless, 25, is the de facto starter after filling in for an injured Finley in 2010 and 2013, Rodgers, 22, was a superstar this spring in shorts and Lyerla, 21, is the second-chance story that could be a home run if he keeps his head on straight.
And then there’s Bostick. The 6-3 250 25-year old former wide receiver can do some of the things Finley did with the Packers in terms of stretching the field up the seam. But he’s inexperienced, and the team may have better options.
Best guess: Andrew Quarless starts – Lyerla makes the team
You can hear Marques on SportsLine, Monday through Friday 4:00-6:00pm on WDUZ 107.5 FM and 1400 AM “The Fan” and on the Saturday Morning Showcase at 8 am on Saturdays. You can follow him on Twitter @MJEversoll and/or email him at [email protected].
