Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur isn’t celebrating just yet after bringing in a new strength and conditioning team and heading into their Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles with nearly a full roster of healthy players.
However, the adjustments made by new strength and conditioning coordinator Aaron Hill appear to have paid off. After a largely injury-free training camp, all 53 players on the Packers’ active roster and all 17 on their practice squad participated in Monday’s practice.
The main question for Green Bay’s starting lineup going into Friday night’s game revolves around the right guard position. First-round pick Jordan Morgan quickly surpassed Sean Rhyan, the assumed starter, but a shoulder injury sidelined him for the final three preseason games. According to LaFleur, Morgan “looked good” during Sunday’s full-pads practice and again on Monday.
Despite Rhyan’s strong performance during the early preseason games, the Packers’ unofficial depth chart still lists Rhyan as the starting right guard. LaFleur provided no hints about who will start against the Eagles, simply saying, “We have a plan. Yep. We have a plan.”
At running back, rookie third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd, who missed parts of camp with hip and hamstring injuries, practiced for the second straight day. This was significant as it indicated that Lloyd felt strong enough to practice again after Sunday’s full-pads session.
“I’ve been able to open it up pretty good,” Lloyd said after practice. “We’re just taking things day by day, honestly.”
Although injuries limited Lloyd to only two touches in the preseason opener against the Browns, he expressed confidence in his grasp of the playbook, saying, “I’m good with all the playbook in any situation. I’ve been studying it since rookie minicamp. The playbook and everything’s all down pretty good.”
After five weeks of training camp, competition for starting spots, situational roles, and roster spots continues. With a healthy roster and practice squad, LaFleur acknowledged that tough decisions lie ahead regarding the 48-player gameday roster.
“I think every week there’s always some tough decisions,” LaFleur said. “It’s going to come down to special teams or maybe there’s a certain matchup you want to see. But those are constant conversations.
“What I told our guys is whether you’re on the 53 or the practice squad, it doesn’t matter. In today’s NFL, with the ability to call people up, everyone has to prepare like they’re the starter. That’s what I expect from our guys—they have to be ready to play because you never know when your opportunity will come, and you might not get a second one. So, all these guys have to prepare that way.”
