It's the last week of training camp and preseason. On Saturday, the Green Bay Packers finish their schedule of exhibition games against the Baltimore Ravens, and on Tuesday general manager Brian Gutekunst has to reduce the roster from 90 to 53 players . So, of course, plenty to talk about in this week's mailbag .
That's an intriguing topic because I feel like the framing decides the outcome. Luke Musgrave is the better receiver and has more star potential, so I would say he has a bigger chance of making a Pro Bowl soon. Last year, he was on pace to break the Packers' receiving record for a rookie tight end until he got hurt.
That being said, Tucker Kraft is much better blocker and in-line tight end, also adding more yards after the reception. Overall, Kraft is a better fit for Matt LaFleur's offensive scheme. So if Musgrave is not playing at an extremely high level at what he does well, Kraft is probably going to have more offensive snaps.
Musgrave started camp with the starters all the time because Kraft had a torn pec, but it was a quieter camp for Musgrave than the one he had last year. When Kraft returned, it seemed from the get go like he would eventually surpass the second-rounder on the depth chart.
My final position is that they will share snaps based on what LaFleur wants on each play, and that makes it hard for any of them to be a Pro Bowler this season.
Yes, the Packers are pretty smart managing the roster — I would mention Jordan Love's one-year extension instead of the fifth-year option as the ultimate example.
This year, I would certainly expect the Packers to use the new injured reserve rules , which allow a team to place up to two players on IR before the initial 53-man roster and still be designated them to return — since he's placed on IR on final roster cuts day, which is next Tuesday. It's still early to know who these players might be, but guys like MarShawn Lloyd and AJ Dillon are options.
They have to be designated to return as soon as they are placed on IR on Tuesday, but it's a smart way to avoid a situation like the one you mention with Matthew Orzech. Last year, the Packers had to release him on final roster cuts day and bring him back the next day, so they could place a player on IR with the ability to get him back during the season.
Matt LaFleur is one of the best head coaches in football to make aggressive fourth-down decisions. So yes, I do expect them to be even more aggressive considering how bad the situation is . Last year, it was tough to be overly aggressive because the offense was so young and inconsistent early on. Now, with Jordan Love established as a franchise quarterback and a group of wide receivers with more experience, the outcome can get more positive.
Another factor is that Aaron Jones missed six games and was banged up in several others. Josh Jacobs was signed to carry a heavier workload than Jones ever did, so having a reliable back all the time on the field helps in short-yardage situations or to eventually get some yards after the reception in dump offs.
Kicker and backup quarterback are obvious options here, but to go in a different direction, I would say running back . They should be happy with Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson as RBs 1 and 2, but AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd are battling injuries. They recently signed Nate McCrary to carry some training camp and preseason workload, but it's difficult to foresee much more than that — moreover, Ellis Merriweather, who finished last season on the practice squad, hasn't done much.
If a running back from the San Francisco 49ers or Miami Dolphins is waived, for example, I can see a scenario in which the Packers claim one based on their knowledge of a similar offensive system to give them depth to start the season.
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