Green Bay Packers: Grading Strength of Every Position Unit Before Camps Begin

The Green Bay Packers open training camp with practice on July 30. 

When that happens—and especially when the pads go on—we will finally be able to make some definitive conclusions on everything from who will play where to how strong each position group looks. 

The Packers are in solid shape overall, with their offense being their bread and butter heading into the 2015 season. Some units that were strengths in 2014, such as the wide receivers and quarterbacks, look to be just as valuable this season. 

However, only time will tell whether the Packers' tight end group and special teams will have a solid year or hold the team back in its Super Bowl bid. 

Every position group has received a letter grade and then a breakdown explaining why it graded out well or had room to improve. 

Quarterbacks

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: A+

It doesn't get any better than Aaron Rodgers. 

There's never a consensus among analysts as to the top quarterback in the NFL, but Rodgers holds that title in many people's eyes. Though Rodgers was the No. 2 overall player in the NFL's annual Top 100 rankings, he was the No. 1 quarterback.  

Could Rodgers still be ascending? Though he hasn't since touched his remarkable 2011 production, with 4,643 yards and a completion percentage of 68.3 with 45 touchdowns to just six interceptions, he has improved in other areas.

In 2014, Rodgers posted his lowest career interception percentage to date: just 1.0. He threw only five interceptions to 38 touchdowns, and many of them were drops by his receivers.

As he gets more accurate with age, it seems the game has slowed down for Rodgers. With a loaded stable of weapons in 2015, a balanced run-pass game and, hopefully, his health, Rodgers could set new records in 2015.

Scott Tolzien stands behind Rodgers, finally having earned the No. 2 job from Matt Flynn, who departed in free agency. His knowledge of the playbook and live-game snaps under his belt can give Packers fans some relief if for any reason he needs to step in for Rodgers in 2015.

In past years, the Packers may have kept their third quarterback on the practice squad, but expect them to keep three on the 53-man roster in 2015 as Rodgers' injury scares the last two years have taught them a lesson about being prepared.

Though rookie Brett Hundley, for whom the Packers traded up in the NFL draft, will probably win the No. 3 job, veteran journeyman Matt Blanchard is making a strong push for it this offseason despite the odds. 

Wide Receivers

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: A

Quality is always more important than quantity, but the Green Bay Packers have both when it comes to their receiving corps. 

Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb may be the best duo on any team in the NFL, but the Packers also have a rising star for their No. 3 in Davante Adams.  

Nelson and Cobb had 2,806 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns between them during the 2014 regular season. They also had the top two wide receiver ratings in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, a stat that measures the passer rating a quarterback has while throwing to a particular receiver. 

Packers quarterbacks (Matt Flynn had some playing time in 2014), but mostly Rodgers, had a passer rating of 134.3 when throwing to Cobb and 128.2 when throwing to Nelson. 

Having a duo like that would help out any quarterback in the NFL, but Rodgers' ability to throw his receivers open and fit the ball into impossible holes has helped Nelson and Cobb's play as well. 

Adams' breakout game in 2014 was in Week 13 against the New England Patriots, when he connected with Rodgers on six receptions for 121 yards. The Patriots' game plan was to stifle Nelson, and so the Packers turned easily to Adams, who by that point had earned enough trust with Rodgers to be a legitimate weapon. 

Defenses will have a tough time blanketing Nelson, Cobb and Adams, so expect the latter to continue to increase his production. 

The Packers could keep three additional receivers on the roster behind Nelson, Cobb and Adams. Rookie Ty Montgomery is a lock, though he might be a bigger special teams contributor in his first season. A good use for him in the offense would be in package plays, such as out of the backfield. 

Second-year players Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis also have more left to show after Janis was essentially kept off the field and Abbrederis spent his rookie season on injured reserve. 

Running Backs

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: A-

Eddie Lacy has quickly established himself as one of the league's elite running backs in just two years, but the backfield behind him is average. That gives the group a solid grade of A-minus. 

Lacy finished the 2014 season ranked as the No. 4 halfback in the league, per Pro Football Focus, with 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. He was the second-most elusive running back in the league, based on a Pro Football Focus stat that measures how hard a back is to bring down. (The formula takes into account missed tackles forced, carries and receptions, and yards after contact per attempt). 

Though the Packers scaled back their usage of Lacy in 2014, with 246 attempts compared to 284 in 2013, he was more effective. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry compared to 4.1 in 2013.

Behind Lacy, James Starks has one more year on his contract. Over the last two seasons, he has been able to spell Lacy for entire drives at a time, keeping the latter fresh. He also picked up two touchdowns last season. 

The Packers have two other young backs who could factor into their future plans: practice-squad holdover Rajion Neal and undrafted rookie John Crockett. Only one is likely to make the 53-man roster, rounding out the halfback group at three, but the other could continue to develop on the practice squad. 

Crockett brings kick-return ability into the mix, while Neal is a skilled pass-catcher. 

In addition to their three halfbacks, the Packers could keep two fullbacks on the roster in veteran John Kuhn and rookie Aaron Ripkowski.

Ripkowski should have no problem stepping into Kuhn's important run-blocking role in the future, given his success at Oklahoma, but the rookie needs time to learn the offense and become more comfortable handling the ball. 

Tight End

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: B-

One of the Packers' weakest units overall, and certainly the weakest on offense, is tight end.

Green Bay's front office needs to hope that second-year man Richard Rodgers is ready to take the next step and put work into becoming a more complete tight end (mainly through better blocking), because he's their best bet in 2015. 

Andrew Quarless' court date for his July 4 altercation in which he allegedly fired a gun in public has finally been set for August 10, as Brian Carriveau of 247Sports reported Monday. That means the Packers will need to proceed into camp as if he'll be available for the whole season and deal with a potential suspension or other punishment later. 

Rodgers played 543 snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus, and had five starts. Quarless received more snaps than Rodgers last season, with 715, and 11 starts, per Pro Football Focus. 

Quarless is now entering a contract year, and it's not on the best terms. That should lead to more opportunities for Rodgers. 

Former practice-squad player Justin Perillo is also looking for a chance to make the roster, but he'll likely get beat out by rookie Kennard Backman. 

Undrafted rookie tight ends Mitchell Henry and Harold Spears could land on the practice squad. 

Offensive Line

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Grade: A

Green Bay is poised to boast one of the NFL's best offensive lines in 2015. Last season, this configuration of David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang and Bryan Bulaga helped limit sacks of Aaron Rodgers to just 28 and allowed Eddie Lacy to rush for 1,139 yards, including 690 after contact. 

Per Pro Football Focus, Lang was the No. 2 right guard in the league in 2014, and Sitton was the No. 2 left guard.

Linsley finished his rookie season ranked the No. 5 center in the league, per Pro Football Focus. While he and Rodgers had a couple of televised lapses in communication, he looked comfortable and seasoned by the end of the year and will develop even more trust and rapport with Rodgers in camp. 

Right tackle Bulaga finished the 2014 season the No. 4 right tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Left tackle Bakhtiari didn't earn quite as impressive a ranking but graded favorably in pass-blocking and limited pressures on Rodgers. 

In addition to getting Don Barclay back from injury, expect the Packers to offer a roster spot to undrafted rookie Matt Rotheram. 

Defensive Line

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: B+

This defensive line has so much potential, but returns from injury and suspensions could limit its productivity this fall. 

Much of the line's performance will depend on the return of B.J. Raji anchoring the line at the nose tackle position. After spending the 2014 season on injured reserve, Raji has taken up yoga and changed his diet to get into better football shape, as Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported this offseason.

A potential starter at defensive end opposite Mike Daniels, Datone Jones, has been suspended for the season opener against the Chicago Bears for a citation for marijuana possession early in the offseason, as reported by Ryan Wood and Doug Schneider of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. 

Letroy Guion, who is freed up from his nose tackle post in 2014 by Raji's return, could have taken his place to start the season, but his punishment from the league as a result of his February arrest for possession of marijuana and a firearm remains undetermined. He could also miss time.

Jones hasn't necessarily performed at the level expected of a former first-round pick (2013). In his rookie season, he ranked 71 out of 79 total 3-4 defensive ends by Pro Football Focus; in 2014, he improved to 24 out of 89 in 13 games. 

The substance policy-related suspension is a disappointing setback to Jones' career, as he could have earned more starts this season. Now, Josh Boyd will likely start the season on the outside in the base defense. 

The Packers have some talented players behind their starters on the line; it's unclear, however, which will make the final roster. 

Khyri Thornton spent his rookie year on injured reserve, and this year's camp is make-or-break for him. Rookie Christian Ringo will show the team what he can do in pads this summer. 

Lavon Hooks is one of the more intriguing undrafted free agents from this year's class, and if there's not room for him on the 53-man roster, the Packers will almost certainly try to continue to develop him on the practice squad. 

Mike Pennel and Bruce Gaston can back up Raji at nose tackle, but the Packers only need one on the 53-man roster. 

Linebackers

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Grade: A-

Having talented players like Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers as part of this unit automatically boosts the grade to an A-plus, but the relative inexperience of the inside linebackers balances the grade for the unit as a whole back down to A-minus.

If we were grading the outside linebackers independently, they'd receive a grade of A, while the inside linebackers would get a B-plus. Thus, the average of A-minus. 

With Matthews moving inside, Mike Neal and Julius Peppers will start at outside linebacker. Peppers had seven sacks in 2014, as well as two interceptions returned for touchdowns. He's clearly better utilizing his talents as an elephant rusher in Green Bay than he did as a defensive end in Chicago. 

Neal was solid in 2014, with 33 combined tackles and 4.5 sacks, and has earned the snaps he'll get in 2015. 

After the Packers opted not to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason, Nick Perry will enter a contract year. He was drafted to start on the outside opposite Matthews but so far hasn't lived up to his potential. 

Sam Barrington has emerged as a legitimate starting inside linebacker, as his snaps increased in 2014 while A.J. Hawk's and Brad Jones' decreased. 

Rookie inside linebacker Jake Ryan can replace Matthews on third downs, given his coverage skills. 

Cornerbacks

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B+

The Packers appear to have a stable of talented cornerbacks on their roster and certainly made sure to address the position during the draft. However, the relative youth and inexperience of the unit lands it a B-plus grade until we see more during camp. 

Veteran Sam Shields keeps the value of the position overall high. His stats dipped a little in 2014, with 33 total tackles compared to 51 in 2013, but his experience will be necessary as he leads such a young group. 

If Casey Hayward moves to the outside to fill the hole left by Williams, defensive back Micah Hyde will likely earn Hayward's former snaps as the primary slot cornerback.

Both Hayward and Hyde have been enormously productive during their careers in Green Bay. Hayward had six interceptions during his rookie season, then missed most of the 2013 season. He had three interceptions in 2014, the same as starter Tramon Williams. Hyde had two interceptions and seven passes defensed in 2014 in 12 starts, playing mostly at safety. 

Rookies Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins could become future starters on the outside (Randall) and the go-to slot corner (Rollins). Training camp will help the team get a better sense for whether they could switch, but their talents seem suited to those positions.  

Second-year player Demetri Goodson has experience, which will be useful if there are any injuries to the group. 

Safeties

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Grade: A-

The Packers safety group may be small in 2015, but it packs a punch. 

Morgan Burnett leads a young group including second-year player Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Sean Richardson and Chris Banjo. Banjo is on the roster bubble, depending on if the Packers want to keep another cornerback. However, Banjo is a core special teams player.

Burnett had a career-high 130 combined tackles in 2014, as well as 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. He also had four passes defensed. 

After starting out last season on the practice squad, Banjo was signed to the active roster in December. 

Clinton-Dix ended his 2014 season strong, with three passes defensed and two interceptions in the NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks. 

The Packers spent money this offseason to keep restricted free-agent Richardson in Green Bay. He should play a role on defense as more than just a backup. He's a strong run defender and could come in as an extra defensive back on first and second downs and keep contributing on special teams. 

Hyde also provides depth at free safety and can move over from slot corner should the team need him to. 

Special Teams

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: C+

This unit is lucky that Mason Crosby is a part of it, because the average grade would be much lower were he not. 

Crosby, who is entering the final year of his contract in Green Bay after eight seasons, turned in a nice performance in 2014, making 81.8 percent of his field-goal attempts. 

However, Crosby had three field-goal attempts blocked and two extra-point attempts blocked, both of which were career highs. That's an indictment against his blocking unit, but it's worth noting as the Packers decide whether and for how long to re-sign their 30-year-old kicker. 

Meanwhile, punter Tim Masthay had the worst season of his career in Green Bay.

The Packers signed former Alabama punter Cody Mandell to bring in competition in training camp for Masthay. Masthay posed a career low in net yards per punt with 37 and had two punts blocked.

The Packers' underwhelming return game in 2014 averaged only 19.1 yards per kick return, 31st in the league. But Green Bay can try rookies Ty Montgomery and John Crockett there during camp. Montgomery averaged 27.4 yards per kick return at Stanford.