The Green Bay Packers officially open training camp in 2025 on Wednesday. Matt LaFleur’s team is scheduled for a 10:30 a.m. practice start time at Ray Nitschke Field, with Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur speaking with the media before practice.
Training camp is a time for answering important questions before a season. And the Packers have a lot to learn over the next month or so.
Here is one thing that actually matters for the Packers at each position group:
Quarterback: Is Jordan Love dominant?
Reports out of OTAs indicated Jordan Love had taken another step entering year three as the starter, showing a higher level of mastery of the offense and appearing in full command. Love has had elite stretches of play in the last two seasons, most prominently in 2023, but a host of injuries robbed him of the opportunity to kick on in 2024 before he could even get going. The most straightforward path to the Packers becoming a legitimate Super Bowl contender is Love elevating to being a no doubt top-10 quarterback, if not closer to the top five. Whether he can do it will have a huge bearing on the outcome of Green Bay’s season, and his performance in camp should provide an early indication of whether the lofty expectations for him in 2025 are justified.
Running back: Can MarShawn Lloyd hit the ground running?
After a bizarre rookie season which included four separate injuries: hip, hamstring, ankle and appendix (!), with the first two of those ailments costing him time in training camp, Lloyd appears to be good to go this summer. This should give him a greater opportunity to have a real impact in his sophomore season. Lloyd is a more explosive runner than Jacobs, and this element would be a welcome addition to a Green Bay backfield which was efficient, but short on home runs in 2024. The second-year back could raise the ceiling of the Packers’ rushing attack in a significant way, but he needs to get off to a better, or just a less unlucky start than he did at this time last year. Keep an eye out for reports on how sharp he is looking in camp.
Pass-catcher: How good is Matthew Golden?
The Packers have no shortage of breakout candidates at the receiver position in 2025, but the unknown quantity of how impactful Matthew Golden can be as a rookie has the most potential to positively impact Green Bay’s offense. It has become more common to see receivers burst onto the scene in their first NFL season, and there is a world where Golden is the team’s best receiver in 2025. In another perfectly plausible scenario, he comes along more gradually, having a more modest role in the offense in year one. The Packers do not need Golden to play much this year if he is not an upgrade on what they already have as a rookie, but arguably the biggest question of all entering training camp is: “How talented a player do we have here?” We are about to find out.
Offensive line: Have offseason moves improved interior?
The Packers made a commitment to beefing up the interior of the offensive line this spring, signing left guard Aaron Banks, moving Elgton Jenkins to center and drafting mammoth lineman Anthony Belton in the second round, who could potentially compete with Sean Rhyan at right guard. Brian Gutekunst has spoken about wanting the offense to control games more, and that could be achieved by becoming a more physical unit, especially on the interior. Green Bay had a below average run blocking group in 2024, making life harder than it needed to be for Josh Jacobs at times. If the interior of the offensive line is exerting its will on the defensive front in both phases this summer, it will bode well for their chances of being a more dominant unit overall.
Defensive front: Does Lukas Van Ness look the part?
It seems pretty clear Van Ness is going to be the starting edge rusher across from Rashan Gary come hell or high water, and the Packers are relying on him to become worthy of that role in 2025 as they seek improved play from the front four in as a whole. An underwhelming second season can at least in part be explained by a broken thumb which Van Ness admitted impacted him for most of the year. Entering year three, and his second season in Jeff Hafley’s defense, there are no excuses left, and eyes will be on Van Ness in training camp to see if there are signs of tangible progress.
Linebacker: How does bulked-up Edgerrin Cooper look in Year 2?
Cooper exploded onto the scene and was one of Green Bay’s best defenders as a rookie. The assumption is that he is set to truly take off in year two, but as Packers fans have seen, progress is not linear, and sophomore slumps happen. Cooper has put on weight this offseason in an effort to hold up better physically against the rigors of a long NFL season, which provided he does not lose any explosiveness as a result, should help him be a better and more available player in 2025. He should also have a firmer grasp on the intricacies of Jeff Hafley’s defense, after making a lot of plays last season despite not necessarily executing his assignment. Cooper being as impactful as he was in 2024, or even better in year two, will be crucial to helping Green Bay’s defense get where it wants to go.
Secondary: How will Nate Hobbs be used?
Signing Nate Hobbs is arguably the single biggest decision the Packers need to be proven right on in 2025. After inking him to a four-year deal and releasing Jaire Alexander, Green Bay seems to be betting on a ‘no weak links’ approach to their cornerback room, but the team has been non-committal on how their new corner will be used, claiming he can play both in the slot and outside. While Hobbs has had some real highs in the NFL as a slot corner, his lone season playing mostly on the perimeter was a disaster. When the rubber meets the road, will Hobbs actually spend the majority of his time inside? Or will the Packers think they can unlock something the Raiders couldn’t, and play him outside hoping for better results?
