Buying or Selling Packers' Top Training Camp Performances
The Green Bay Packers have now been in training camp for nearly two weeks. The pads are on and we're now just over a week from the first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
It's at this point that players have started to put together a body of work to get noticed. Performance at training camp can often be a predictor of success once the games start to matter.
At the same time, there are training camp darlings that don't end up living up to the hype every year.
Here, we'll take a look at three players who have stood out so far in training camp and analyze whether to buy into the hype or not as the Packers get closer to their first live action against another team.
Eric Stokes Is Making Strong Case to Start
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Eric Stokes is one of the most interesting Packers heading into the 2024 campaign. How well he plays could have a huge impact on how good the defense is in its first year under Jeff Hafley.
The former first-round pick got off to a strong start in his rookie season in 2021. He gave up just 5.3 yards per target and a passer rating of 71.3.
Then things went down hill. Injuries cost him all but 12 games over the last two years. He wasn't the same player when he was on the field, giving up 10.4 yards per target in 2022 and 9.9 in 2023.
Stokes appears to be primed for a return to his 2021 form at training camp.
Zach Kruse of Packers Wire noted that Stokes had four interceptions through the first seven training camp practices. He also passed along Matt LaFleur's thoughts:
"Stokes has looked like the guy we thought he could be. I think he's done an outstanding job out there," the head coach told reporters.
This is an easy one to buy. Stokes' primary issue has been health. Last season he was plagued with a hamstring injury that cost him most of the season. Hamstring injuries tend to slow down a player even when they are healthy enough to play.
It's not surprising that Stokes has recaptured his form now that he is healthy.
Verdict: Buy
Romeo Doubs Draws High Praise from Jaire Alexander
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Romeo Doubs is no stranger to generating training camp buzz. He introduced himself to the NFL media at his first training camp in 2022 establishing that he was going to be part of the Packers offense moving forward with impressive work.
He immediately challenged the idea that he was going to get significantly less work than Christian Watson. That was all true, although he still wound up fourth on the team in receiving.
He took another step forward in 2023 with 59 receptions for 674 yards and eight touchdowns. He was the second-most productive receiver in the offense with rookie Jayden Reed taking that top spot despite playing in one less game.
To hear Jaire Alexander tell it, there's another jump in production coming.
"I always want to go against Doubs," Alexander said, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "The dude's freaking really good. He come in his rookie year not catching a single pass on me. Now we're going up for 50-50 balls. Dude is really good. … I think his route running is very (good). He's a pro."
Doubs is definitely going to be a big part of the offense, but his production might be capped by a deep group of Packers receivers. Reed should be even better in Year 2, Christian Watson is healthier and Dontayvion Wicks came on strong at the end of the season.
Doubs is undoubtedly a good player, but this seems like a case of a veteran leader gassing up one of his teammates. Doubs has always been a good training camp player but there probably won't be an appreciable bump from his 2023 campaign.
Verdict: Sell
Jordan Morgan Claiming Right Guard Job
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One of the biggest questions heading into Packers training camp was where rookie Jordan Morgan would be playing. The widely-held assumption would be that the first-round pick would be battling for the left tackle spot with Rasheed Walker.
Thus far, that hasn't been the case. Morgan has been working at right guard and is reportedly making a push to be starter there.
Mike Spofford of the team's website noted that Morgan has been taking the first reps at right guard with Sean Rhyan still competing for the role.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's group of beat writers covering training camp also highlighted Morgan's performance in training camp noting that he beat Devonte Wyatt in two of three reps in one-on-one's with another win over T.J. Slaton.
It shouldn't be surprising that Morgan is thriving on the inside. The biggest questions surrounding him as a prospect were how he would compensate for his lack of arm length and questionable redirect skills. Those question are why B/R's Brandon Thorn gave him a second-round grade as an interior offensive line.
Morgan is talented enough to be a Day 1 starter. That's especially true with the Packers moving him to the inside where his strengths will be accentuated and his weaknesses mitigated.
Verdict: Buy
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