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By PRO FOOTBALL TALK
By MICHAEL DAVID SMITH
No Jordan Love? No problem. Packers run all over Colts
The Packers didn’t have quarterback Jordan Love today against the Colts, but they had plenty of offense anyway.
Green Bay’s running game pounded the Indianapolis defense for four quarters in a 16-10 win for the Packers. The Packers ended up with 261 rushing yards, and Josh Jacobs led the way with 151.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur deserves a lot of credit for devising a run-heavy game plan that dominated the Colts’ suspect run defense. Malik Willis, starting for the Packers for the first time in place of the injured Love, didn’t throw the ball a lot and didn’t need to, but he was efficient with mostly short and safe passes.
The Colts have to be concerned about their run defense after back-to-back losses to the Texans and Packers in which both teams’ running backs topped 100 yards. And they also have to be concerned that quarterback Anthony Richardson isn’t showing the kind of poise as a passer that they need from him.
But the Packers should be thrilled that after losing Love in Week One, they regrouped in Week Two and got a big win, with Love likely returning in Week Three.
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By PACKERWIRE
By Zach Kruse
Glazer: Malik Willis expected to start for Packers in home opener vs. Colts
In a report on the injury status of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports stated Malik Willis is expected to start while Love recovers from a sprained MCL.
“In the meantime, Malik Willis will get the start,” Glazer said on FOX’s NFL pre-game show on Sunday.
The Packers will welcome the Indianapolis Colts to Lambeau Field for the home opener next Sunday.
Glazer confirmed reports from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on a Grade 1 or Grade 2 sprain of Love’s MCL in his knee.
“It’s about a two-to-four- week injury,” Glazer said. “Matt LaFleur said we do want to be conservative with him, but much better news than it could have been.”
The Packers play the Colts, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams over the next four weeks.
Willis, a third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, was traded to the Packers for a seventh-round pick during final cuts last month. Over two seasons in Tennessee, Willis appeared in 11 games and made three starts. He was the No. 3 quarterback for the Titans this summer and likely to be released before the Packers swung the trade.
During regular season appearances, Willis completed 35 of 67 passes for 350 yards, zero touchdown passes and three interceptions while rushing for 144 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers were impressed with Willis’ progression as a pocket passer during the 2024 preseason. He took over the job as Love’s backup after Sean Clifford, who remains on the practice squad, and rookie Michael Pratt failed to earn the job during training camp.
Brandon Carwile of Packers Wire dug into Willis’ tape to highlight more about his game here.
Given Willis’ inexperience in the scheme and stage of development as a passer, LaFleur and the Packers offense might need to get creative to produce offense while Love recovers. Willis has a big arm and legitimate running ability. Can LaFleur scheme up easy throws and use all the talent around the quarterback position to help Willis navigate a tricky situation?
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By PACKER REPORT
By Daire Carragher
5 off-field stories for Packers kicking off season in Brazil
The Packers are bound for São Paulo in just a couple of days.
The week is finally upon us. The NFL season is here once again and the Green Bay Packers are one of the 8 teams lucky enough to kick their season off with a stand-alone game.
On Friday, the Packers will play a regular season game outside of the United States for just the second time in their history — the organization didn’t seem too thrilled about the prospect of traveling 5,400 miles before a ball is even snapped, but at the very least Brian Gutekunst appreciates the value of taking a road game out of Philadelphia — one of the more notoriously aggressive crowds in the NFL.
Which brings us to our first point:
1. Packers fans expected to outnumber Eagles fans in São Paulo.
International games are always a neutral affair. Especially when it’s the first ever game to take place in the given country — which will be the case in Brazil on Friday night. Expect diehard NFL fans of every team to flock from all over South America for what will be the first experience of professional American football for many.
Green Bay famously brought one of the most impressive single-team crowds to an international game when they traveled to London in 2022. However, I would anticipate Friday will be the least-traveled-to international game among American fans since the series began in 2007. São Paulo is one of the world’s largest cities, however it doesn’t quite match London or Mexico City when it comes to transport links from the United States.
That being said, the Packers are a massive brand in Brazil. The league estimates that Packers fans make up 1/8th of Brazil’s NFL fanbase — more than any other team.
With precisely zero exclusive international marketing rights deals, the Packers don’t place a ton of emphasis on expanding their brand internationally — they don’t really need to. But the Packers continue to grow beyond US borders regardless.
Global interest in the sport has increased exponentially over the last 30 years, and the Packers just so happen to hold the 2nd most victories of any franchise during that timespan. There are other factors too — one such example specific to Brazil, is the color scheme of green and yellow. Oh yeah, about that…
2. The ‘can’t wear green’ thing isn’t real oh my god
I hate that I have to explain this.
For some reason, the ‘ban on green’ discourse took on a life of its own, not helped by misinformed Packers RB Josh Jacobs — who hinted that the color ban was gang-related and that the team would be transported around in an armored bus.
ITS LITERALLY JUST PALMEIRAS COLORS. For the love of God.
Green is one of the national colors of Brazil. It is adored in every context besides from Corinthians fans in their rivalry with Palmerias — who literally play in the same city! When Palmerias play at Corinthians Stadium, they wear green! Their fans in the stands wear green!
The stadium has hosted several Brazil games — who wear green — including the opening match of the 2014 World Cup. This is like suggesting that Man United fans wouldn’t be allowed to wear red for a game at Michigan stadium because of Ohio State. It’s… stupid.
The Packers will wear Green as the road team. Perhaps the home team Eagles team wanted to pay homage to their hosts, SC Corinthians, by matching the team’s color scheme of white and black.
3. It’s going to be a ‘true’ night game
Philly’s decision to dress in lighter colors has nothing to do with the sun — It’s Winter time in the Southern hemisphere and the sun will set over three hours before the scheduled kickoff.
Moreover, to match the standard night-game kickoff times in America, the game will begin at 9:15pm local time — making it one of the latest NFL kickoff times ever — I can’t accurately fact check this — but I couldn’t find a single game that kicked off after 9pm local time in league history.
4. Potential ban on X/Twitter in Brazil
Elon Musk and the Brazilian government have been squabbling for quite some time now, and it seems as though the world’s 6th most populous country is about to pull the plug on one of its most-used social media sites.
The ban, which will come into place with immediate effect over the coming days, is more likely than not to be in effect when the NFL comes to town next Friday. The teams official X accounts (along with @NFL) shouldn’t have much trouble sending footage to a social admin in the offices back in the United States, but it may create quite a unique situation for the media and reporters attending the game.
So if you don’t hear from me, my VPN isn’t working.
5. The added advantage of playing early
The Packers will arrive back in the US on Saturday morning, where the mere 2 hour time difference will have virtually no effect on their body clocks. They will enjoy a full day to recover on Saturday, and get to enjoy the beginning of the season on Sunday afternoon with Scott Hanson and the rest of us.
There is an inherent advantage to playing early to begin the season — you get the extra few days of rest afterwards without the typical punishment of a quick 4-day turnaround from the game prior.
This additional time will afford Packers’ coaches some spare hours to look ahead to their upcoming matchups with both the Colts and Titans — Matt LaFleur has admitted in the past to looking ahead an extra week when you have extra days between games, ridiculing the theory of ‘one game at a time’. Neither the Colts or Titans would be considered regular opponents for the Packers, so the extra time to do some homework will be welcomed by their coaching staff.
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By PACKERSWIRE
By Zach Kruse
Which Packers players helped their roster chances in preseason finale?
The Green Bay Packers’ preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens was a final audition for several players battling for a roster spot on Brian Gutekunst’s initial 53-man roster, which will be unveiled on Tuesday. Matt LaFleur sat 38 players, including all projected starters, providing a true evaluation opportunity for many on Saturday at Lambeau Field.
Who stepped up in the 30-7 win over the Ravens?
Here are a few players who helped their roster chances in the preseason finale:
DE Arron Mosby
Mosby made two of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon when he delivered a strip sack and an interception on back-to-back series. The forced fumble was returned for a touchdown; the interception prevented a potential scoring drive in Packers territory. Brenton Cox Jr. looks like a good bet to be the No. 5 defensive end, but did Mosby tempt the Packers into keeping six? The second-year edge rusher spent all of last year on the Packers’ practice squad and now looks much more comfortable as a 4-3 defensive end.
WR Malik Heath
Heath caught a game-high four passes, including a 7-yard touchdown on 4th-and-4 in the second half and a third-down conversion on a scoring drive in the first half. On the touchdown, Heath ran through contact at the break point and made a contested catch in the end zone. Most years, the roster battle at the end of the receiver depth chart is highly overrated in all 32 NFL cities. In Green Bay in 2024, it’s not. Heath, Bo Melton and Grant DuBose are all legit.
RB Emanuel Wilson
It’s possible Wilson was already close to lock status at running back given the injuries to A.J. Dillon (stinger) and MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring). More and more, Wilson is looking like a player who could handle a regular season role. He had several runs over 10 yards and even produced a 20-yard catch. His blocking is better and better, both in terms of identification of blitzers and execution. Come Week 1, Wilson could be the No. 2 behind Josh Jacobs against the Eagles.
LB Kristian Welch
While he dropped what should have been an interception on a wacky play in the first half, Welch made up for it in the second half when he baited the quarterback into a bad throw down the field and — despite a bobble — finished the interception. He also had an impressive special teams stop. The former Raven created three turnovers during the postseason, consistently tackled well and was all over the core special teams groupings. There’s an increasingly good chance the Wisconsin native sticks on the 53 as the sixth linebacker.
K Greg Joseph
The veteran kicker made both of his field goals, including a picture-perfect 55-yarder, and also connected on his lone extra point attempt, creating a 3-for-3 day. Meanwhile, Anders Carlson missed a chip shot from 32 yards out. Joseph had a rough week and a half at training camp, including a miss last week in Denver, but it’s possible this final appearance will give him the edge on the initial 53-man roster.
CB Kalen King
Last week, King missed a tackle on a tight end on 3rd-and-17 and allowed a conversion. This week, King made amends. On the first drive of the second half, the rookie cornerback delivered a crunching hit in the flat on Ravens tight end Riley Sharp, creating a fumble that was recovered by Christian Young for a turnover. In the first half, King made a nice read-and-react play on an underneath throw on third-and-long and created a stop. His five tackles led the defensive backs. The tape will have to determine if King was in the wrong on Tylan Wallace’s 48-yard touchdown catch. Robert Rochell’s hip injury might clear a path for King to the roster.
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By PACKERSWIRE
By Zach Kruse
The best and worst players from last night’s preseason game against the Broncos
A complete lack of production and efficiency from the Green Bay Packers offense combined with the early success of Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos starting offense helped created a lopsided 27-2 win for the Broncos over the visiting Packers in Sunday night’s preseason clash at EmPower Field in Denver.
Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ preseason loss to the Broncos:
Top 5 offense
1. OT Luke Tenuta: 69.6 2. WR Malik Heath: 69.3 3. WR Samori Toure: 64.5 4. OT Caleb Jones: 64.2 5. OT Travis Glover: 64.0
Tenuta didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right guard and ended up as the offense’s highest-graded run blocker. Heath caught three of his six targets for 22 yards on 18 routes run. Toure caught two passes on two targets for 17 yards. Jones didn’t allow a pressure over nine pass-blocking snaps at right tackle. Glover allowed two pressures over 26 pass-blocking snaps and 48 total snaps at right tackle.
Top 5 defense
1. S Benny Sapp III: 85.5 2. LB Kristian Welch: 75.1 3. DL Colby Wooden: 72.8 4. DL Jonathan Ford: 72.6 5. DE Arron Mosby: 71.4
Sapp delivered a run stop and a pass breakup over 14 snaps. Welch had three stops vs. the run, allowed only one catch in coverage and caught an interception. Wooden had two hurries as a pass-rusher and two runs stops. Ford didn’t record a hurry or stop but looked explosive over 34 snaps at nose tackle. Mosby had a hurry creating an interception and drew a penalty.
Bottom 5 offense
1. TE Tyler Davis: 33.9 2. QB Sean Clifford: 35.5 3. WR Grant DuBose: 38.4 4. TE Joel Wilson: 48.7 5. QB Michael Pratt: 53.2
Davis had a nightmare night as a run -blocker. We counted five missed or failed blocks on 10 run-blocking snaps. Clifford fumbled a snap, threw an interception and managed only six completions across four drives. DuBose was credited with two drops, although one was a tough throw behind him on fourth down. Wilson caught just one pass for four yards on 19 routes run. Pratt lost a fumble and averaged only 3.3 yards per attempt. His average depth of target was 5.3 yards.
Davis gave up a catch for 22 yards. Goforth missed a tackle on a touchdown run and was penalized 15 yards. Morton had the sack-safety, but he also missed a tackle and earned a poor run defense grade. King missed two tackles, including one resulting in a first down on 3rd-and-17, and allowed three catches on three targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. Young allowed a touchdown pass while trying to undercut a block attempt on the Broncos’ final score.
Special teams
Grant DuBose had a tackle covering a punt. Greg Joseph missed the only kick attempt, a 47-yard field goal. Daniel Whelan averaged 54.8 yards per punt and 43.3 net, with two punts inside the 20-yard line. His hangtime average was 4.99 seconds.
Quarterback play
Michael Pratt: 53.2 Sean Clifford: 35.5
Both Pratt and Clifford had a turnover, and they combined to average 3.7 yards per attempt and 5.9 yards per completion. Neither Pratt nor Clifford completed a pass thrown over 10 yards in the air (0-for-5). Rough night for the backup quarterback competition.
Stat to know
Brenton Cox Jr. led all players with five pressures, including a sack, while rookie linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper had a team-high four defensive stops, including three against the run.
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By PACKERSWIRE
By Brandon Carwile
6 standouts from Packers’ preseason opener vs. Browns
Not that the final score really matters, but the Green Bay Packers came out hot in Saturday’s preseason opener and defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-10.
Green Bay’s starters got out to a quick lead, providing the backups with favorable conditions to coast to a victory. Then again, the preseason is less about who won and more about using these games to build the best possible roster, which Saturday’s game film will certainly help with.
The Packers saw a handful of players distinguish themselves during the exhibition, including some looking to take the next step in their second NFL season and some vying for playing time or a roster spot in a competitive position group.
Whatever their circumstance, here are the standouts from Green Bay’s first preseason outing.
QB Jordan Love
It was a short but efficient day for Love, who needed only three snaps to throw a touchdown. Facing a 3rd-and-4 on the opening drive, Love dropped a beautiful deep ball into the hands of Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown. That was all from the starting quarterback, who completed both passing attempts for 63 yards and a touchdown for a 158.3 passer rating. Only expected to play a series or two, Love’s fast start allowed the team to get a longer look at backups Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt.
WR Dontayvion Wicks
The second-year receiver out of Virginia was on the other end of Love’s touchdown, beating safety Ronnie Hickman on the third play of the game. Wicks was lined up in the slot and used his speed to get behind Hickman. As a rookie, Wicks showed flashes early on and eventually became a key contributor in the passing game. It looks like he is ready to pick up where he left off while fighting for targets in a crowded receiver room.
DE Lukas Van Ness
With some help from a Devonte Wyatt pressure, Van Ness sacked quarterback Jameis Winston for a seven-yard loss to put Cleveland into a long down and distance on their first series. The Browns were forced to attempt a long field goal, a 55-yarder that was made with plenty of distance by Cade York. To continue his disruption as a pass rusher, Van Ness would later get his hands on Tyler Huntley to help Colby Wooden with a sack. The 2023 first-round pick also made a couple of nice plays as a run defender, recording two stops in the backfield. Even though Van Ness is the third option behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith, he will be a big part of the defensive line rotation.
WR Grant DuBose
After a back injury sidelined him for the offseason program and most of training camp, DuBose could not make up enough ground to secure a spot on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster last season. However, a healthy and motivated Dubose made the most of his opportunities in Cleveland to begin his 2024 roster campaign. He finished with five receptions totaling 65 yards, including a nice toe-dragging grab to pick up 23 yards and help set up a last-second field goal before halftime. Receiver is already a deep position for the Packers, but DuBose is out to prove that he shouldn’t be overlooked.
S Evan Williams
Every day, it seems as though the rookie safety is making plays out on the practice field. Well, now he is doing it in-game. Williams carried his momentum from training camp, forcing a fumble early in the second half of his first preseason game. He knocked the ball away from running back John Kelly Jr, leading to a recovery from linebacker Kristian Welch. The turnover-causing play set up a 35-yard field goal for Green Bay kicker Greg Joseph to go up 17-3. In addition to the forced fumble, Williams led the team with six solo tackles. Williams will have no problems getting onto the field during the regular season if he continues to have this kind of impact.
RB Emanuel Wilson
Wilson came out of nowhere last August when he recorded a league-high 174 rushing yards in two preseason games. Well, the former undrafted free agent is off to another strong start after logging 13 attempts for 67 yards (5.2 avg) and a touchdown against the Browns. Even though Wilson led all runners in Saturday’s game, he still has a lot to overcome to carve out a role in Green Bay’s backfield. Wilson is competing for snaps with Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, and Marshawn Lloyd, the newly arrived third-round pick. Wilson managed to defeat the odds last season to make the team, but it will be a much taller task this time around. Even if it’s not with the Packers, Wilson can point to these kinds of performances to show he belongs on an NFL roster.
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By SBNATION
By Paul Noonan
The Case for Number One: Bo Melton
Bo Melton? (Checks notes.) Yes, Bo Melton.
The Green Bay Packers absolutely knocked it out of the park drafting and acquiring pass-catchers over the last two seasons, and as a result, they are now blessed with one of the deepest receiver rooms in football. While most teams have a clear number one receiver (Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Moore, etc.), the Packers really don’t. For many teams, that would be a problem, more indicative of a lack of talent than anything. For the Packers, their cup runneth over, and almost any member of the receiving corps and even the tight ends could very well develop into a true number one. Maybe all of them will, who knows!
Today we cover the longshot of the group, but once you dig in, you might be surprised at what you find. Let’s talk about Bo Melton.
You might think it’s insane to even bother with Bo Melton in this context. While it may be unclear who the Packers’ number one receiver is, what is pretty clear is that Melton is fifth. That said, don’t sleep on Bo, because the only real difference between the case for Wicks and the case of Melton is sample size, and in a few key areas, Melton may even have the advantage.
But first, let’s dispense with the obvious small sample size negatives. Whatever brilliant, advanced stats follow, the fact is that including playoffs, Bo Melton was only targeted 27 times in 2023, with all 27 targets coming after Week 9. Melton did not have to contend with any first-half Jordan Love struggles, and so the stats he did produce don’t carry any of the drag that we see with Romeo Doubs, for instance. Anyone can have a a solid five games just based on luck, and so we have to be cautious here as it’s true that we’ve barely seen Melton at all.
And if Melton were a potential number one, wouldn’t he have gotten more run? Wouldn’t he have, in fact, dominated more in college, playing at lowly Rutgers, and not fallen to the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft? Good question! Here’s where things get complicated.
Melton’s Doomed College Career
If you just look at Melton’s college stats, covering his five years at Rutgers, there’s nothing particularly special about them, but as is the case with all college stats, context is key. Here, I think exploring a lesson from Melton’s teammate Jayden Reed will be illuminating.
One of the big selling points with Jayden Reed (and probably with Keon Coleman as well) is that their Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne was horrible. Reed’s college production was good, but it probably would have been even more impressive at a school with a better quarterback, and the only reason Reed wound up with Payton Thorne is because they were buddies, having played on the same high school team.
Out of high school, Reed attended Western Michigan but he quickly transferred to Michigan State to be with Thorne. Reed was good, especially in 2021 when he averaged 17.4 yards per catch and gained over 1000 yards, but as a senior both of those numbers tanked to 636 total yards and 11.6 yards per catch. Reed went in the second round, and he’s obviously very talented, but scouts had to parse that 600-yard senior season to see through the noise. Ultimately it worked out for him, but playing with a quarterback of Thorne’s quality was a risk for a receiver.
Melton was a four star recruit with offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and several other major programs, but he wound up at Rutgers largely because he grew up in Mays Landing, New Jersey, and his father Gary and mother Vicky played football and basketball there, respectively. And so, familiarity led Melton to commit to what can only be described as an atrocious football program — one of the worst of its era. How bad?
As a true sophomore Melton actually made a significant dent in the starting lineup, finishing second on the team in receptions with 28 to Raheem Blackshear’s 44. I should mention at this point in the story that Blackshear is a running back, and that this team also featured running back Isiah Pacheco, now of the Chiefs. Rutgers was coached by Chris Ash, who took over the program in 2016 and went 2-10 in his first season. In Bo’s sophomore campaign Rutgers somehow got worse, going 1-11 and averaging 12.5 points per game, dead last in D-1.
Despite having Pacheco and Melton, Rutgers could never establish any kind of offense largely because quarterback Artur Sitkowski was almost unfathomably bad. In his 11 games as the starter, Sitkowski completed just under 50% of his passes for 1158 yards, four touchdowns, and (drumroll please) eighteen interceptions. Eighteen.
The following season Sitkowski was mostly benched for Johnny Langan, who managed to break the 50% barrier (50.3%) while matching those four touchdowns and cutting the picks in half from eighteen to just nine. Melton led the team with 30 receptions for 427 yards and two scores. The next best receiver on the team, Isaiah Washington, recorded 18 catches for 272 yards and one score. Rutgers also improved to 2-10.
In the Covid year of 2020 Greg Schiano took over for Ash and Melton had his best season, catching a team-leading 47 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns, with quarterback Noah Vedral throwing more TDs (9) than picks (8) in a big step forward for the program. The Covid year was all kinds of messed up and trusting any stats from that 9-game season is a dicey proposition, but I think it’s worth noting that Melton’s performance came against a schedule that featured Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and a crazily ranked Indiana squad. Moreover, Rutgers actually put up 42 points on Michigan, 27 on OSU, 38 on MSU, and generally speaking didn’t embarrass themselves on offense. Had Rutgers played in 12 games instead of 9 that season, Melton likely would have had something like 63 catches for 851 yards and 8 scores, a yardage total that would have ranked about 17th that year.
In 2021 Melton took a step back, missing two games, but still leading the team with 55 receptions for 618 yards and three scores. His quarterback was still the absolutely atrocious Noah Vedral, although five different players threw at least five passes for Rutgers that year. Their third-leading receiver was Johnny Langan with 18 catches for 177 yards. You may remember him as the guy who was throwing to Melton as a sophomore.
This is all a long way of saying that Melton, because of the comforts of home and family ties, committed to play for a complete disaster where success was impossible. Keep in mind that Isiah Pacheco was a part of the same disaster, fell to the seventh round, and now has a 4.7 Y/C average as a member of the Chiefs, over 2000 rushing yards, and two Super Bowl rings. If you were going to hide a potential top receiver where no one could find him, it may very well be as a part of Chris Ash’s Rutgers’ team, followed by two Covid seasons that were, under the surface, not too shabby at all. Now, back to the present.
The Here and Now
Like Pacheco, Melton fell to the seventh round. Unlike Pacheco, he did not catch on with his initial team, the Seattle Seahawks, but the Packers were interested enough to kick the tires and signed him off Seattle’s practice squad late in 2022. He then spent the 2023 offseason in Green Bay, starting the regular season on the Packers’ practice squad. Melton was activated for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions, playing exclusively on special teams, and a few weeks later, against Tampa, he found himself in the game, catching one ball for seven yards. (That catch picked up a first down. Reed would score three plays later).
The following week he would catch four of six targets for 44 yards against the Panthers. And then, on New Years’ Eve, he would have his breakout game, leading all Packer receivers with nine targets, six catches, 105 yards, and a 9-yard score. It was the first 100-yard receiving game of the year by any Packers player.
Melton took a bit of a back seat to the normal starters in the playoffs, but I can’t help wondering if that was a mistake. I’m not sure that Christian Watson was really all the way back against the 49ers, and even though Watson and Wicks out-snapped Melton, he outperformed both of them, catching his only target for one of Jordan Love’s two touchdown passes (the play after drawing a key 40-yard pass interference penalty on 3rd-and-long) and giving Green Bay a brief 13-7 lead.
The Melton sample is limited, but the results were great. His 18.42 DVOA was first on the team, and 13th in the NFL just behind Justin Jefferson. DVOA’s counting stat cousin is DYAR, which credits efficient play AND volume, and while Melton’s 63 was lowest among the five receivers, it was within spitting distance of Romeo Doubs (70) and Christian Watson (81). Melton was second on the team to Jayden Reed in EPA per Target (.446 v. .508), led the team in Yards per Route Run (2.87, where anything approaching 3 is phenomenal), and had the team’s top PFF receiving grade (82.6, with Wicks second at 77.0). Melton was adept playing outside as well as in the slot, and his separation numbers rival Wicks’.
Moreover, Melton isn’t some Rudy-style try-hard without any physical gifts. The only receiver on the team with better tools is Christian Watson. Melton has the second highest RAS, the second fastest 40, and the second fastest 3-cone, all to Watson. Jayden Reed is incredibly fast for a slot receiver, ripping off a 4.45. But…
And this is not a rip on Reed, who was incredibly productive as a rookie and put that speed to good use! It’s just that Melton is something else.
Melton the Fifth
And so, Bo Melton enters camp as the fifth receiver, but goodness, they really may have something here. While it’s true that efficiency doesn’t always scale up with volume, Melton has a lot of slack to work with. 13 of his 16 catches went for first downs, his athletic ability is off-the-charts good, and unlike some small receivers, he can be effective outside where he played 66% of his snaps. This wouldn’t be the first time the Packers struck gold with a former seventh round pick. Donald Driver battled his way from virtual unknown to one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Don’t be too shocked if Melton manages to pull off something similar.
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By CBS SPORTS
By William Brinson
Jordan Love contract extension: The Green Bay Packers are on the most unprecedented QB run in NFL history
The Green Bay Packers just bet — and it’s a good bet — they will have the longest stretch of security at the most important position in NFL history. By giving Jordan Love a four-year, $220 million extension to be their quarterback of the future, the Packers guaranteed three-and-a-half decades of stability at the most difficult position to secure in professional sports.
It’s wild for a publicly owned franchise. It’s even wilder when you consider how we got here. The Packers traded for Brett Favre after the Atlanta Falcons fell out of favor with their second-round pick, started him in 1992 and never looked back. Until Favre got old and they ticked him off by drafting Aaron Rodgers. Favre would end up with the Jets, Rodgers would start and it was clear he was the guy.
Yada, yada, yada, they ticked off Rodgers by trading up for Love, Rodgers would end up with the Jets and Love would start … and it was clear he was the guy.
We all mocked the Love pick. Find someone who didn’t and you’ll find a liar. Rodgers was probably near the back end of his career at the time, but he got so mad about the trade up to take a quarterback, with Green Bay eschewing help for its current quarterback, that he launched into a second renaissance and won multiple spite MVPs.
To Rodgers credit, he at least mentored Love more than Favre mentored him. And he wasn’t wrong with that personnel evaluation. Love has the look of a true future franchise quarterback.
Packers fans worried about the ups and downs. As they should have. At Utah State he was a boom-or-bust quarterback, a player who could grab a roster and drag them into a win against anyone when he completely locked in. He also could make some completely inexplicable throws in his college career.
All quarterback evaluations are difficult, but Love was a really tough one. He fell in the draft (like Rodgers, like Favre) until the Packers jumped up and grabbed him.
Throw him in the fire as a first-year quarterback and he probably doesn’t end up here. But maybe Rodgers and Favre don’t either. Love is now entrenched with everything you want if you’re a would-be franchise quarterback.
He has the system in place with Matt LaFleur, a top five NFL coach and play-caller, who has proven his worth across multiple quarterbacks. He handled a Hall of Famer and he’s developed a young stud behind him. That’s bona fide.
Green Bay is essentially a feeder school for quarterback talent at this point. Ron Wolf started it, Ted Thompson kept it going and now Brian Gutekunst is the latest in line to sign a superstar quarterback to a monster contract.
Remember when Colts fans were called lucky for being gifted Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck? Peyton was 16 years old when this Packers quarterback dynasty started. Enjoy it while it lasts, Packers fans, unless it never ends.
We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out!
By ZONE COVERAGE
By Luke Sims
Green Bay’s Skill Players Give Them A Long-Term Edge In the NFC North
Brett Farve, Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love have blessed the Green Bay Packers with premier quarterback play over the past 30 years. However, teams are more than just their quarterback, and the Packers have been doing a tremendous job of building outside of their franchise cornerstone. Still, dynamics have shifted dramatically in the NFC North.
The Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, signed running back D’Andre Swift, and traded for Keenan Allen. On paper, the Bears look like a much more dangerous team. Adding Odunze and Allen to a wide receiver core that already includes D.J. Moore is a scary thought for opposing defensive coordinators. Chicago’s future outlook has improved from last offseason, but we don’t know if their rookies are NBA-ready.
The Minnesota Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy and signed Sam Darnold as a bridge quarterback. They traded a haul to move up and snag a premier edge rusher in Dallas Turner to replace Danielle Hunter. The Vikings also signed old friend Aaron Jones, and the team has a good young group of wideouts, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison leading the way. Ultimately, McCarthy will have to become a franchise quarterback for this group to win.
The Detroit Lions are enjoying success for the first time in many years. They have a premier wideout and running back in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jamyr Gibbs, with a solid quarterback in Jared Goff. The team has a strong offensive line and a good coaching staff. The defense has some impact players, and Detroit also used the draft to improve the secondary.
The Packers signed Josh Jacobs and drafted Marshawn Lloyd to create a new running-back duo. They have four young wideouts who have unique strengths. The Packers have young leaders at every level of the defense. Love looks like he’s ready to establish himself as an elite quarterback, and the Packers just invested in the future of their offensive line through the draft with first-rounder Jordan Morgan and two other picks along the offensive line.
Goff may be a better player than Love right now, but Love could become more of an impact player than Goff as early as next year. The Packers also know what they have in Love, while there is a lot of uncertainty regarding Williams and McCarthy’s long-term development.
No other team in the NFC North has the depth and skill the Packers have at wideout. While Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, and Moore may be better than any of Green Bay’s wide receivers, the Packers’ depth and skill at wideout is much deeper than their competition’s high-end talent.
Defensive coordinators can scheme to shut down premier wide receivers like Jefferson. Still, it’s hard to find a way to shut down four receivers – Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks – simultaneously.
The Packers also have a deadly combination of speed and power with Lloyd and Jacobs. While the Lions have a solid pair of running backs, David Montgomery has a lot of mileage on his body. Chicago also signed Swift, but he’s on his third team in three years. The Vikings are lucky to have Jones, but he may not have many prime years left.
Teams are lucky to have one tight end who can impact the passing game, and the Packers have two. Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave showed off their tremendous potential last season. Musgrave and Kraft are in great positions within Green Bay’s offense to succeed because the team features two tight end sets more than most. The Bears, Lions, and Vikings all have one solid tight end — so, half as many as the Packers.
Green Bay has these players on team-friendly contracts for the foreseeable future. The Packers have done a fantastic job preparing for young, skilled, and inexpensive playmakers at every offensive position.
By loading up on depth at each skill position to complement their franchise quarterback, the Packers have set themselves up to win the NFC North now and in the future.
We’ve sorted through dozens of articles about the Packers’ latest news, game results, rosters, rumors and other info that’s important to the team and to you. Check it out!
By YARDBARKER
By Kenneth Teape
Green Bay Packers Earn Major Praise For This Offseason Move
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was aggressive this offseason addressing needs on the roster. After a surprisingly successful 2023, he wanted to make sure the positive momentum kept building.
In free agency, the Green Bay Packers made two major additions; running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney. Running back wasn’t a pressing need, but the team got younger swapping Aaron Jones out for Jacobs.
Safety has been a pressing issue for years. McKinney, along with Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and Kitan Oladapo, will help change that.
Either of those free agency splashes could have been picked as the best move of the offseason for the Green Bay Packers. Alas, Trevor Sikkema of PFF opted to go in a different direction.
Instead of picking a player, he picked a coach. Sikkema believes the best move that the Green Bay Packers made was hiring Jeff Hafley to take over as defensive coordinator.
“The addition of safety Xavier McKinney was a consideration here, but Green Bay switching things up at defensive coordinator with Jeff Hafley seems like their most significant move.
The Packers will be moving to a 4-3 base defense instead of the 3-4 they’ve run for the past decade. Hafley, a former defensive backs coach, likely needed a top-notch safety to make his scheme go, and Green Bay got one in McKinney. The Packers didn’t post a team run-defense grade above 62.5 in the Joe Barry era,” Sikkema wrote.
After four seasons of being the head coach at Boston College, Hafley is returning to the NFL. During his stops with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers, he worked with defensive backs.
This is the first solo defensive coordinator job that Hafley has had in his coaching career. At Ohio State in 2019, he was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.
As Sikkema noted, changing to a 4-3 base from a 3-4 base is a major change. But, it is one that the players on the roster are excited about, along with the philosophy change Hafley is bringing along with him.
In the last few seasons under Joe Barry, the team’s performance defensively has fallen short of expectations. Hafley has the pieces to push this unit into the top half of the NFL, he just has to have his plan executed.
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Kudos to Amy for making sure that the tickets to the tailgate party were waiting for me at the reception desk!
Your personal phone call and text messages went above and beyond customer satisfaction! I can't wait for the 2024 season, rest assured that my go-to Packer's game supplier will be Event USA for a long time.
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-Jean-Pierre Mallette, Montréal, Canada
"Thank you so much Cathy, greatly appreciate your help.
As always, EventUSA has been awesome to deal with in booking the Lodge Kohler package for the Tampa Bay Game,
particularly for me traveling from Sydney, Australia, it takes the stress out of the booking process. "
-Kayle
"Good Morning, Nicole - Everything you did turned out great. The seats were great. Access to the air conditioned club lounge was great. Lots of Packers fans in the club lounge and overall at the stadium. The tailgate party at the fancy restaurant in the hotel was fabulous. The servers just kept on bringing out different sliders and desserts. Good thing that I got in a 30-minute run along the river in the morning. So, thank you! You may be speaking with me in November if I can work out getting up to Green Bay for a game. It's been too long since my last time.
One of the best aspects of this weekend was interacting with so many people from Wisconsin and learning their personal stories of things Packers. And we even met a couple from St. Petersburg, Florida (my home county) and were able to tell them about the Varsity Club tavern and Packers bar in Clearwater where Mark Murphy's mother is in attendance -- very nice lady whose retirement home is in Clearwater, which borders my little city of Dunedin. Pre-COVID, I always went to the Varsity when the Packers games weren't televised locally -- lots of Wisconsin natives there, too + they serve brats and sauerkraut during Packers games. I'm glad that you are working for Event USA."
-- Martin Lawyer, Dunedin, Florida
"Dennis - I was blessed to join Amy and some of your customers at the Morton's tailgate as well as after the game. She does an amazing job for you. Every single customer I met praised Event USA for being able to arrange the hotel and tickets and fabulous tailgate party in such a quick time. Having been to some great tour tailgate parties in Jacksonville and Kansas City and old San Francisco, a lot can be said of the long-term benefit of having really great tailgate parties. Morton's was probably one of the best - amazing food, patio sitting on the riverfront, walk to stadium, open bar!!! It was first class fun!!!"
-Matt
"Hi Amy-
Just wanted to say thank you for making Jacksonville happen! We had a wonderful time and looking forward to more Packers games with Event USA in the future!
Even though the game was not what we expected- we are packers fans for life-lol!
Go pack go!!"
-Julie Mastrianni
"I want to thank Event USA and in particular Amy Flores for the Jacksonville trip. We have used you before and always were very pleased with the packages you have set up and your service.
My son who lives in Charleston, SC and myself who lives in Minnesota, decided we needed to do a guys trip and decided to go through your company to see the opener in New Orleans. I initially called and talked with Amy about some questions I had and booked our trip. After itinerary and info was emailed to us, it soon became apparent that the trip to New Orleans wouldn’t happen. In steps Amy, wondering if we would be interested in Dallas if the game was moved there and a package was set up. Then finally the move to Jacksonville and continued communication from Amy on our interest. It was getting late at that point and I was wondering if she would be able to pull off setting up a package in Jacksonville. She did it.
We went to Jacksonville and had a great time. The accommodations and the tail gate were fabulous. If only the Packer team we were hoping for had made the trip.
Thank you Event USA and in particular Amy Flores."
-Tom Sohrweide, White Bear Lake, MN
"Thank you for all your help. I had a great time at the Packer-Raider game opening day. I have already begun telling interested Packer fans in Sacramento about your service. The next time I come to Green Bay for a game, I’ll be sure to ask for your help. God bless you and God bless the Green Bay Packers."
-Frank Chavez, Sacramento
"I just wanted to say that I had such a great time. The whole weekend was so much fun. I enjoyed the Player Autograph Party and the tailgate party was just the best. After coming from a country that loves soccer, it was nice to mix with people who have the same interests as me. Thank you once again, Green Bay is one very special place."
-Beverley Moore, Lancaster
"My accommodations at the Best Western Midway were excellent. I was picked up at the airport and returned promptly. No problems at all. Your representative at the hotel on game day was very pleasant and helpful. The tailgate party was super, great food, great drinks and lots of fun. Obviously, Lambeau Field and the game itself was great. I will continue to use Event USA in the future, and I will definitely tell anyone who I come across to give you a call. One last thing, the hospitality I experienced in Green Bay was incredible. I have traveled to many places, and I don’t think there are more friendly people than the people of Green Bay. Thank you again and see you next year!"
-David Anastas, Worchester
"My wife and I booked the tour to Tampa. The trip was so well organized from start to finish. It started with the people in the office with their friendly help over the phone, to receiving the tickets in the mail, and meeting the tour guides with their upbeat personalities. Signs guided us in the airport and information was posted in our motel lobbies to keep us posted. Your people had everything in order. Talk about organization, you had it. Event USA made this a most memorable trip. Thanks for all involved."
-Dick Koerner, Neenah
"I wish to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude for providing my husband and I with, what he refers to as the greatest experience of my life, apart from my wedding day."
-Lara and Matt Appleton, Thornhill, Ontario
"Thanks for all your help, the great tickets and service, and the chance to help me make one of my son’s dreams come true, seeing the Packers playing at home in Lambeau Field."
-Sam Jones, Sedalia
"I just want to thank you for the wonderful job your staff did last weekend for the Packers vs. Lions game. This was our first time utilizing your program and we were not disappointed at all. In fact, we can’t wait to schedule and event for next season’s games. From my first experience with your staff placing my order until the very end at checkout of the hotel, everything was perfect. You truly out-do yourselves to please everyone. Thanks again for making our stay in Green Bay one of the best."
-Kim Ewing and Bruce DeMaine, Ann Arbor
"Thanks so much for the best weekend ever! You not only got us in all the Magazines, TV, WWW pages and even the big screen at Lambeau Field, but Disney World on the side? Nice job – You and your family are top notch – we were on the best tour for the Super Bowl! Seeing the Green Bay Packers win back the Lombardi Trophy was a life long dream of this Packer fan, and you all were so dedicated to the job of taking care of us that, like the Packers, we were a winning team! Keep me on your list."
-William D Lorge, Representative to the Wisconsin State Assembly
$500 DEPOSIT TO SECURE YOUR SPOT!
*To secure your spot you can choose to put down a $500 deposit per person. The DEPOSIT IS $500 PER PERSON and is non-refundable with the balance due on July 1, 2024. All credit cards used at the time of purchase will automatically be charged on July 1st. If you wish to use another credit card or multiple credit cards you must call in prior to June 28th. All sales are final and are subject to our terms and conditions.
