The Green Bay Packers have released their first depth chart of training camp.
No, this is not a finality, but there could be some insight to be gained.
One month from today the Packers will take on the Philadelphia Eagles, and this depth chart could look completely different by then.
Injuries, performance, and overall attrition will all play a role as the Packers look to field the best team possible.
Matt LaFleur said in his Tuesday press conference that he did not have much input in what was published.
Despite that, there are some things that line up with how they've gone during training camp.
Here are some takeaways from Green Bay's first depth chart of the offseason.
Linebacker Dance
The assumption was that Edgerrin Cooper was going to be penciled in as the starter next to Quay Walker once he was drafted 45th overall in the second round.
The Packers will have an extra linebacker on the field in base packages than they've had in the last decade.
Walker is going to start. Isaiah McDuffie has experience playing under Jeff Hafley, and finished strong a season ago. He is listed as a starter, and that was to be expected.
The surprise comes at the third linebacker spot, where special teams ace Eric Wilson looks to have a nod over Edgerrin Cooper and Ty'Ron Hopper.
Both players were drafted in the first three rounds, and the assumption was one of them would replace Wilson if nothing else than due to draft status.
Wilson, however, is not giving up a starting spot simply because he wasn't a premier draft choice.
“If that’s a thing, then maybe f*** that,” Wilson said last week to Si.com's Bill Huber .
Cooper dropped out of practice last week with a lower-body injury. Preseason games will be big for him, but chances are the Packers are going to bring him along slowly.
It will be interesting to see how Jeff Hafley employs his linebackers once the rounds are live.
Bullard's to Lose
The safety position in Green Bay was the worst on the team, and perhaps one of the worst in football.
Of the three players that received the most snaps at safety a year ago, all of them were allowed to leave via free agency.
Brian Gutekunst did not stop by just letting those players walk, he upgraded in a big way.
Xavier McKinney signed a premier free-agent contract to stabilize the position. He then drafted three safeties.
Second-round Javon Bullard and fourth-round pick Evan Williams have rotated with Anthony Johnson Jr.
Bullard, however, has looked the strongest of the three, culminating with a big performance during the team's family night scrimmage.
“It’s smooth. It’s smooth,” Bullard said after Saturday's practice. “Just continuing to get better day in and day out, coming in ready to work each and every day. Just trying to be the best player that I can possibly be.”
As of now, that player is the best bet to start next to McKinney when the Packers take on the Eagles next month.
Best Five
The phrase best five is said ad nausea in Green Bay almost every offseason. When Matt LaFleur or any of the offensive staff says it, they're referring to the cross-training takes place on their offensive line.
It looks like cross-training is going to pay off for the Packers' first-round pick Jordan Morgan.
Morgan entered the league after playing left tackle at Arizona. He spent some time at tackle in the spring but has been almost exclusively at guard during training camp.
For now, Morgan is listed as the starter at right guard. That is how things have played out in practice as Morgan appears to have leaped ahead of former third-round pick Sean Rhyan.
Rhyan had a better sophomore season than a disastrous rookie campaign that saw his season end due to a suspension for PED's.
Rhyan was eventually in a rotation with Jon Runyan Jr. but never fully able to usurp him as the starter at guard.
Now, it appears that Rhyan, the favorite to start after Runyan Jr. left via free agency, will be relegated to bench duty unless there's a change in the next three weeks.
Apart from Morgan, everything else is as expected along the offensive line, as the Packers look to get their best five on the field.
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