Packers vs. Browns: What to watch for

GREEN BAY – The Packers open the 2024 preseason Saturday in Cleveland. Here is what to observe for.

Get in, get out: Head Coach Matt LaFleur has mentioned the starters will play on each side of the ball, and the aim is for the offense and protection to execute effectively and exit wholesome.

Jordan Love & Co. will not have beginning proper deal with Zach Tom however will look to place collectively a productive drive (or two) and get factors on the board. In the meantime new coordinator Jeff Hafley’s protection wish to make a very good, if temporary, first impression in its debut.

The explanation for the strategy is to have the starters undergo a whole warmup to bodily and mentally put together to play a recreation, even when their precise recreation time is brief.

Security dance: The competitors to start out alongside veteran Xavier McKinney stays open, and all of the Packers’ younger candidates – rookie draft picks Javon Bullard and Evan Williams, together with 2023 seventh-round choose Anthony Johnson Jr. – have had their moments in coaching camp.

All three ought to anticipate a very good chunk of enjoying time, and which one(s) can carry over their massive performs from the follow discipline to the sport will assist outline the pecking order.

Constructing depth: In Tom’s absence by way of the primary two weeks of camp, the Packers used Andre Dillard, Kadeem Telfort and Caleb Jones at proper deal with with the beginning offensive line. Nobody has but emerged, although, as the following man up at deal with and these preseason video games can be used to type out that depth up entrance.

New kickoff: The Packers, together with everybody else within the league, can be getting their first reside reps on the modified kickoff applied within the NFL this season. It’s going to require ongoing adjustment because the reside motion is executed and reviewed, however each workforce has to start out someplace.

Extra kicks: Talking of kicking, there’s been little separation in camp so far between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph, and one other third candidate has entered the combination in Alex Hale. Nothing was revealed prematurely relative to how the kicking reps can be divvied up, however the highlight on the competitors will get slightly brighter now.