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[Green Bay Packers]

Relative Athletic Score still is a pretty good guide to how the Packers approach the draft

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Brian Gutekunst says the Packers don’t use RAS, but it aligns well with how the Packers pick.

On the Monday before the 2025 NFL Draft, Brian Gutekunst spoke to the media. His interview was as wide-ranging as you’d expect, but within that wide range, Gutekunst got specific about one thing: Relative Athletic Score.

Asked if he incorporates the popular metric into his pre-draft process at all, Gutekunst gave a fairly firm no.

“We don’t use RAS score at all,” Gutekunst said. “We don’t have anything like that. We do have some analytic scores that our analytic people do on their own that measures athletic traits and other things.”

In short, we don’t use it at all, but we do use things like it.

Fair enough. Gutekunst would probably never come right out and say if the Packers did use RAS (if they did), and I’m not sure they should use it directly, anyway. It has its limitations. But factoring in athleticism is worthwhile (football is a game for big athletes, after all), so we should at least ask if what the Packers are doing is meaningfully different from just using RAS.

And as to that question, I think the answer is also no. You can probably approximate whatever athleticism metrics the Packers are using just by using RAS yourself.

I wrote about Gutekunst’s RAS-oriented draft trends in 2020, and the data hasn’t changed much since then. In his now eight years as the Packers’ general manager, Gutekunst’s draft classes have had an average RAS of 8.0 or higher (the threshold for “elite” athleticism) five times. Two additional times, his classes have posted an average RAS of 7.9 or higher. He’s never put together a class with an average RAS below 7.6.

The 2025 class, in particular, showcases how RAS is a good indicator of how the Packers will pick. Matthew Golden and Savion Williams didn’t complete enough tests to produce a RAS number, but Anthony Belton was an 8.14, Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver were a 9.31 and a 9.74, respectively, and Warren Brinson was a 9.1. Even the non-elite testers, Micah Robinson and John Williams, put up a 6.41 and 7.55. Focusing on athleticism alone would have given you a good idea of what the Packers were going to do, especially if you focused on edge rushers after the Packers didn’t take one in the first three rounds.

I’m not here to say whether or not drafting elite athletes is a good idea or to weigh in on Gutekunst’s overall draft strategy, though targeting elite athletes seems like a pretty decent way to find prospects with the highest of ceilings. But it seems clear that even if the Packers aren’t using RAS, it’s a fairly decent approximation for whatever they are using. If you’re looking for guidelines to identify the sort of players the Packers might be interested in taking, RAS and their pre-draft visits would be great places to start.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...d-guide-to-how-the-packers-approach-the-draft

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Who are the 11 players who tried out at Packers rookie minicamp?

Photo by Michael Chisholm/Getty Images

With one spot now open on the roster, the Packers will likely sign one of these players shortly. But don’t rule out the possibility that more than one ends up back in Green Bay at some point this summer.

The Green Bay Packers hosted rookie minicamp over the weekend, and along with 27 players currently counting on the team’s 91-man roster, the Packers also invited 11 additional prospects in on a tryout basis. The Packers have not announced the signing of any of these 11 players, but they did free up one roster spot on Monday afternoon with the release of wide receiver Tulu Griffen.

That move would suggest that the Packers plan to sign at least one member of the tryout group to a contract as they head towards OTAs and veteran minicamp, though they could choose to being multiple aboard with additional releases. Of course, the Packers are no strangers to bringing back rookie camp invitees on contracts later on in the offseason, so it’s worth a quick examination of each of these 11 players to see what value they might be able to bring to the team in 2025 or beyond.

Let’s start with the most-discussed player among the group and work out from there.

QB Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier​

The winner of Canada’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, Elgersma was the focus of a profile here at APC after he came to Green Bay on a pre-draft visit. He’s big (6’5, 227) and he apparently has a big arm, at least according to Matt LaFleur. A “live arm” alone might make him a more appealing option than Sean Clifford as a developmental quarterback. For more than Elgersma, check out Justis’ breakdown here.

WR Ali Jennings, Virginia Tech​

Jennings played two seasons each at three different programs, starting at West Virginia in 2019 before transferring to Old Dominion in 2021 and Virginia Tech in 2023. His best numbers came for ODU, as he put up back-to-back seasons with at least 50 catches and 950 yards. With that said, he had a pair of big plays for the Hokies in 2024, including a 62-yard touchdown in the opener against Vanderbilt and a 6-catch, 158-yard game against Duke that included another score of 60-plus.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic reported his Pro Day measurements, which included a 4.65 40 at 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds. His numbers as a whole would provide an overall RAS of 2.92, however.

WR Jaden Smith, Nevada​

Smith looks the part of a Packers receiver, standing an impressive 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 209 pounds. While not a burner (4.57 40), he has at least acceptable agility times and good jumping numbers from his Pro Day, while also having very long arms (34”). In fact, he compares fairly well athletically to current Packer Malik Heath, albeit with a bit of a taller, leaner frame.

There’s a theme here, as Smith started his career at Montana State before transferring to Tarleton State and eventually to Nevada for 2024. There, he led the Wolfpack in all receiving categories, posting a line of 62 catches, 849 yards, and seven scores. Based solely on his build and a solid final college campaign, he seems like a player who could stay on the Packers’ radar through this offseason and into future practice squad consideration.

WR Jack Studer, UW-La Crosse​

Studer was a two-time 1,000-yard receiver at La Crosse, having set career highs in 2023 with 70 catches, 1,567 yards (at 22.4 yards per catch!), and 15 touchdowns. The Eagles won the WIAC that year, even defeating powerhouse UW-Whitewater in a 37-34 thriller that saw Studer score twice and cross the 100-yard mark.

Studer has an odd athletic profile, however. Check out his RAS card to see what I mean. He’s decently-sized (6-foot-1, 203) and has very good explosiveness; his agility numbers are above-average as well, but the straight-line speed just isn’t there (4.69 40, 1.66 10-yard split). That’s the athletic profile of a slot receiver if I’ve ever seen one.

DL Van Fillinger, Utah​

We found a FBS player who didn’t transfer! Fillinger started 37 games for the Utes over his career, primarily playing defensive end, and posted at least five sacks in three different seasons. A Utah native, Fillinger was a consensus 4-star recruit coming out of high school in 2020.

Outside of a slow 40 time, he has a solid testing profile at 6-foot-3-1/2 and 247 pounds — and his first step is apparently pretty good, coming in at an 80th percentile number. His 30 bench press reps at 225 are impressive as well.

LB Luke Gunderson, Northern State​

Ooh, look at that bright green RAS. Gunderson’s Pro Day gave him a 9.29 RAS overall, with elite numbers in the 3-cone, 10-yard split, and bench press. Those movement skills are pretty impressive, and he put up those numbers at a decent enough size (6’2” 241).

Now, you may be thinking “where is Northern State University?” And that’s entirely fair. It’s in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and the athletics programs play in the NSIC in Division II. The Wolves finished 6-4 in the conference last season, coming in behind the likes of Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Minnesota-Duluth, and the conference winners, Augustana University.

For a player at that level of football who is trying to break into the NFL, you’d like to see the stats pop a bit more than Gunderson’s did. He recorded 14.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions, and ten pass breakups over about two-and-a-half seasons as a starter. Still, there’s athletic ability to work with here, and if nothing else he could be an interesting body type and profile to consider as a special teamer for the near term.

LB Xander Mueller, Northwestern​

Where Gunderson has stats that don’t jump but athleticism that does, Mueller is a bit the opposite. Still, Mueller’s 7.07 RAS is deflated quite a bit by a poor bench press performance at Pro Day (12 reps) and a mediocre 10-yard split, as he actually posted excellent agility times and a very solid 4.69 40.

His production is more impressive, however, racking up tackles and numbers in the Big Ten. Mueller was a three-year starter, totaling 28 TFLs, nine sacks, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles in his career. He also hit triple digits in total tackles in 2023 with 110. That’s high-level production in a big conference, even if he did have a ridiculous 19 tackles in a single game (though naturally, that came in a 10-7 loss to Iowa).

LB Connor Shay, Wyoming​

While Shay is one of the better-known tryout names in camp — largely because he is projected to be the #1 overall pick in the CFL Draft this year — he doesn’t have huge college production like Mueller to match up with his impressive athletic profile. Shay only barely trails Gunderson in overall RAS with a 9.18, but that’s largely due to size as he’s just 6-foot-1-1/2 and 227 pounds.

Notably, however, Shay also has some of the shortest arms you’ll see on a player over six feet, listed at just 30-1/4 inches.

A one-year starter for the Cowboys, Shay totaled 76 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, and a pick as a senior. Like Gunderson, this might be a player the Packers would consider giving to Rich Bisaccia to mold into a special teams maniac.

K Gavin Stewart, Georgia Southern​

Stewart spent four years at Georgia Tech, splitting time as the Yellow Jackets’ place-kicker while spending three years as the kickoff specialist. He went 14-for-20 on field goals, but hit 12 of 13 as a sophomore in 2022. After being pushed back to kickoffs only in 2023, Stewart transferred down the road to Georgia Southern for his final college season. There, he finally got a chance to be the full-time kicker and delivered a solid season, going 37-for-39 on PATs and 15-for-18 on field goal attempts (with seven makes from 40-plus and one from 53).

P Brendan Hall, Montana State​

The biggest thing to know about Hall is that he is, well, big. Remember how J.K. Scott looked goofy punting a football? Hall is 6-foot-9, a whopping four inches taller than Scott. Just look at this photo — I swear, 75 percent of his height is in his legs.

Hall isn’t your average FCS player, either; he played at SMU for two years before transferring to Montana State. There, he was both the punter and kickoff specialist for two years, while also serving as the place-kicker for part of the 2023 season. Hall averaged nearly 46 gross yards per punt last year, pinning 21 of his 44 attempts inside the 20-yard line against just five touchbacks.

LS Gage King, Central Florida​

King has been around college football for a long time, having walked on at Arizona State way back in 2019. He redshirted that season, then spent three more years as the Sun Devils’ backup long snapper before transferring to UCF for 2023. With two years of eligibility remaining due to the 2020 COVID year, King spent two years with the Knights and handled all of their snapping duties, with solid success. Matt Orzech is on the Packers’ roster, but King could be a candidate to help out in the future if the team wants a second player in training camp or if Orzech were to suffer some kind of injury.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...breakdown-scouting-reports-11-taylor-elgersma

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Former Packers cornerback is back on the market

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Robert Rochell was released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday

Following their rookie minicamp, the Kansas City Chiefs made a surprising move in releasing former Green Bay Packers cornerback Robert Rochell. The 130th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Rochell was picked up by the Packers during the 2023 regular season and suited up for 20 games for the team over the last two years. Known best as a special-teams ace, rather than as a defender, Rochell played 233 special-teams snaps for Green Bay compared to just one defensive rep.

The Chiefs added just one cornerback via the 2025 NFL Draft, Cal’s Nohl Williams, and signed three others, USC’s Jacobe Covington, Florida State’s Kevin Knowles and Southern Arkansas’ Melvin Smith Jr., via undrafted free agency.

Don’t be shocked if Rochell is back on the Packers’ radar now that he’s being made available again. Green Bay released receiver/returner Tutu Griffin on Monday, which cleared a single roster spot on the team’s 91-man offseason roster. Depending on whether or not Jaire Alexander returns to the Packers’ roster, the team only has three or four cornerbacks who have experience making a 53-man roster going into the 2025 season. There’s room for Rochell to come back to the team in his special-teams-focused role.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...chell-released-kansas-city-chiefs-2025-update

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Wednesday Cheese Curds: Packers’ revamped wide receiver group gears up for summer competition

Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The Packers’ young wide receiver room added some interesting competition in the draft.

I think we all know the broad strokes of why the Packers’ wide receiver room was remodeled this offseason. There is short- and long-term uncertainty at wide receiver, and the group needed a boost. That’s all great and easily understood.

But what’s less clear right now is how all of this shakes out. Yes, the Packers have added two noteworthy receivers this spring, but where will they land on the depth chart? How will they be used on the field? And how will both of those things affect the receivers who were already on the roster?

And on top of all of that, there are big questions about when Christian Watson will return to the field, what he’ll be able to contribute, and how he’ll be used when he’s finally back in the lineup.

The good news is that all of these are questions signalling a healthy position group. If we were sitting here wondering how the Packers will field four decent receivers this year, that would be a much different conversation. But I think by and large, most people agree that the Packers have quality pass catchers. It’s just a matter of figuring out how they all fit together.

Big Additions Mean Big Questions at Receiver for Packers | Sports Illustrated​

There’s a new pecking order in the Packers’ wide receiver room.

Why Savion Williams is such a terrific fit with Matt LaFleur and Packers | Packers Wire​

I know Williams is mostly just a big gadget guy, but he’s a lot of fun.

Packers post-draft takeaways on Matthew Golden, run-stopping rookies, Tucker Kraft | Packers News ($)​

Tucker Kraft’s star continues to rise.

‘It only takes one’ for cornerback Micah Robinson | Packers.com​

Micah Robinson may be lightly regarded and buried on the depth chart, but he’s got the right attitude.

Key intel on all 32 teams after the 2025 NFL draft: Buzz, fits | ESPN​

Jeremy Fowler believes a resolution involving Jaire Alexander returning to the Packers will come “soon.”

Police find pet raccoon holding meth pipe during traffic stop: ‘He’s trying to smoke it’ | 13 ABC Toledo​

Not to species profile, but if there were an animal that I’d suspect of smoking meth, it’d be a raccoon.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...eceiver-group-gears-up-for-summer-competition

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers have several chances to play on Thanksgiving in 2025

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

With road games in both Detroit and Dallas on the docket, Green Bay could end up in any of the three Thanksgiving time slots.

The Green Bay Packers are no strangers to playing on Thanksgiving Day. As an NFC team and a longtime divisional rival of the Detroit Lions, they tend to have more opportunities than most other teams across the NFL to end up on the schedule for the uniquely American holiday.

Indeed, the Packers have played on Thanksgiving Day an impressive 38 times, tied with the Chicago Bears for the most of any team other than the Lions or Dallas Cowboys, which have traditionally been the home teams for games on the holiday. Most of those games have found the Packers traveling to Detroit, of course; they played there on Thanksgiving 13 years straight from 1951 to 1963, then again nearly every other year from 2001 to 2013.

The Packers are coming off back-to-back Thanksgiving games the last two seasons, and getting a third straight would be highly unusual. However, based on the opponents that the Packers will play in 2025, this year’s schedule offers every possible opportunity for them to end up playing on the holiday once again this fall: Green Bay of course has a road game in Detroit on the schedule, but they also will play the Dallas Cowboys on the road this year due to the NFC divisional rotation.

That matchup gives Green Bay a chance to play in Dallas on Thanksgiving for the first time in three decades, with the most recent holiday matchup between the two teams coming way back in 1994. Interestingly, the Packers have only played the Cowboys on Thanksgiving twice in the teams’ storied rivalry, with the other game coming in 1970.

There is of course a third possibility for the Packers to play on Thanksgiving, which exists due to the NFL holding a third Thanksgiving game in the evening starting in 2006. The Packers could theoretically end up in that third game instead, which they have participated in twice. Last season, they welcomed the Miami Dolphins into Lambeau Field for that game, and they also hosted the Chicago Bears in 2015.

However, because Green Bay was the host city for the third game just a few months ago, it is unlikely that the NFL would pick them to play in the evening game once again. It is far more realistic for the NFL to relish another chance for an early Packers-Lions matchup to kick off the day or to get a recent playoff rematch between Green Bay and Dallas.

Notably, the Lions and Cowboys have each played divisional games on Thanksgiving each of the last two years, thanks in part to the NFL adding flexibility for the traditional CBS/FOX network scheduling rules. The Lions played Green Bay in 2023 and Chicago in 2024, while Dallas hosted Washington and the New York Giants, respectively. That further suggests that a Packers-Lions game would remain as the most likely scenario if the Packers end up playing on Thanksgiving for a third straight season.

If they do, let’s just hope that whichever TV network showing the game has a turkey ready for Jordan Love, unlike two years ago in Detroit.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...day-game-possibility-lions-cowboys-road-games

 

[Green Bay Packers]

What’s the most random Packers moment you’ve seen in person?

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The weirder and wilder the better.

It’s the offseason. OTAs are still a few weeks away, and training camp is even farther. Packers-centric conversations are going to wander.

Ours certainly have. In the APC Slack chat, we recently had a discussion about the most random notable Packers moments we’ve seen in person. We’ve published our moments below. What random Packers stuff have you been lucky enough to see with your own eyes?

Tex Western- My most recent Packers game was last December, when I saw a person who does not exist intercept a pass during Green Bay’s drubbing of the New Orleans Saints. But the actual most interesting thing I have seen at Lambeau Field was in an early-season game in 2002 against the Carolina Panthers. Green Bay won the game 17-14, getting a late go-ahead touchdown pass from Brett Favre to Donald Driver before Shayne Graham shanked a 24-yard field goal that would have sent the game to overtime.

But the most fascinating part of this low-scoring game was the Packers’ first touchdown, which came courtesy of Bubba Franks’ golden left arm. Yes, the Packers tight end lofted a 31-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Driver late in the first half to give the Packers a lead going into the break. There was a huge delay for a replay review, however, with the officials initially throwing a flag on the play and ruling Brett Favre’s toss to Franks in the left flat as a forward pass. But the replays made it clear that Favre’s throw traveled a few yards backwards, and the booth review got the call right.

As far as I can tell, this is the only touchdown pass by a tight end in Packers franchise history and it’s one of a very small number by any non-QB since the turn of the century – Ahman Green and Tony Fisher each had one in 2004, while Tim Masthay had a memorable throw to Tom Crabtree in 2012. (And here’s a fun fact to bring it full circle: Fisher’s touchdown pass went to – guess who – Bubba Franks!)

Jon Meerdink - I haven’t seen anything particularly historic in person, but I’ve seen two cool Donald Driver moments. In 2012, I saw him score what would be the final touchdown of his career in an otherwise nondescript win over the Jaguars. I was also there to see him run through about half of the 49ers’ defense in 2010.

As a uniform enthusiast, I was already tickled to see the Packers wear their blue circle alternates for the first time (which might be historically inaccurate?), but Driver’s catch and run was an incredible portion of icing on an already satisfying cake. Seeing the play unfold in person, it wasn’t immediately clear from where I was sitting that he was going to score. Every broken tackle seemed like its own little moment, and it wasn’t until he shed a defender around the 10-yard line that I realized “holy crap, he’s going to score.”

I also remember the play for the extremely common experience of being told to sit down by a fan from an older generation. I started to get to my feet after Driver broke his second tackle, only to have a little old lady yank on the jersey I was wearing and yell “Sit down until it’s done!” Not wanting to shove off a woman who weighed maybe 90 pounds, including her admittedly fashionable Packers Starter jacket (straight from the early 90s, I’d guess), I obliged, then had to laugh when Driver finally scored and she let go of my shirt, saying “Now you can stand.” Never change, Packers fans.

Sammwich - I was at the Clay Matthews “roughing the passer” game against the Vikings in 2018. As Kirk Cousins was in the process of making a pass, Clay got to him and brought him down. The pass was intercepted by Jaire Alexander which would’ve sealed the win for the Packers, but as we all know, it was called back due to no pillow being laid down while the tackle on the QB was being made. This was also the Mason Crosby/Daniel Carlson missed kickapalooza, which ended in a tie. Bonus! It was also the hottest game on record at Lambeau Field (at the time, at least) and the stadium ran out of water bottles by halftime. The boos around the stadium have never sounded more sickly.

Rcon14 - Being from western Wisconsin, I actually have not been to that many Packer games, so it’s kind of goofy that I got to see a statistical anomaly in the flesh. In 2006, the struggling Packers, then 2-4, played a horrendous Arizona Cardinals team. Ahman Green and Vernand Morency combined to run all over them, becoming just the third Packers running back duo to both break 100 yards in a single game, with Green going for 106 and Morency going for 101 as the Packers comfortably handled them 31-14. One other weird quirk of this game is that this was apparently the first game where still-then-beloved quarterback Brett Favre did a Lambeau Leap.

Paul Noonan - In retrospect, the 2008 season finale against the Detroit Lions was a fun statistical day at the office because the Packers pulled off the rare feat of having two 100-yard rushers in the same game. Ryan Grant had a fairly conventional 106 yards on 19 carries, while journeyman DeShawn Wynn joined Grant, matching his 106 yards exactly, thanks in large part to a 73-yard touchdown on the Packers’ second offensive series. It was Wynn’s only 100-yard effort of his four-year career, in which he ran for a cumulative 332 yards.

But the matching 106-yard games are not why this one was memorable to me. When you’re actually in Lambeau, it can be tricky to track individual yardage totals, and so while it’s neat, it was less neat in the moment. What was very neat in the moment was Mason Crosby’s 69-yard fair catch kick attempt to end the first half. In 1976, Ray Wersching of the San Diego Chargers made a 45-yard fair catch kick. Wersching’s kick was the last successful fair catch kick until 2024 when Cameron Dicker, also of the Chargers, though now in Los Angeles, finally knocked one through from 57. In the interim, the league went 0-9, but Crosby’s may have been the best attempt of that 0-9 streak.

Had this game been played earlier in the season or indoors, Crosby likely would have had the extra three yards that he needed and made some history, but instead the dead-center kick fell just barely short. I love the bizarre nature of the fair catch kick and always get unreasonably excited when a team has to punt from deep within its own territory at the end of a half, and I definitely annoyed everyone around me predicting, and then explaining what was about to happen. Fair catch kicks rule, and I’m glad I got to see one. I suspect I am the most happy person in history at having seen a missed fair catch kick.

Dusty Evely - I was a Packers fan from birth, but never had a chance to see them play live. In 2005, I was working in a bookstore in Kentucky, wearing a Packers button as part of my flair (as one does), and a customer came up to me. He was a Bengals season ticket holder and couldn’t make the game on 10/30/2005, so he offered me two tickets. I said yes immediately and called my youngest brother. Together we drove a couple hours up to Cincinnati to watch the 1-5 Packers take on the 5-2 Bengals. We sat in end zone seats among loud, sweaty Bengals fans, an inordinate number of whom were bald with goatees. Despite throwing 5 INTs, the Packers were down 21-14 on the Bengals 28 28-yard line with 28 seconds remaining. Brett Favre dropped back to pass, and the ball was taken out of his hands. Not by a pass rusher, but by a random fan. (You don’t see it on the video, but that fan was absolutely laid out by security. Perfect form tackle. His hat went flying off his head.)

Not a particularly pretty game, but it was certainly a memorable one.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...st-random-packers-moment-youve-seen-in-person

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Heading into his third season, Lukas Van Ness is under the microscope

Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

The former first round pick needs to show real progress or risk being replaced.

The Lukas Van Ness development strategy playbook seemed clear from the moment he was drafted. A promising, athletic rookie, Van Ness would earn playing time slowly, working his way up from behind the edge rushers already ahead of him.

It’s a common-sense approach, and one we’ve seen play out in Green Bay before. Rashan Gary, now the Packers’ top-dog pass rusher, had to wait his turn behind Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and even Kyler Fackrell before he got a chance to spread his wings. As of 2023, he’d play the role of one of the established veterans ahead of Van Ness, along with Preston Smith, funnily enough. J.J. Enagbare, then heading into his second season, seemed primed to play the Fackrell role — a lightly regarded pass rusher who would only nominally be ahead of the promising first-round pick on the depth chart.

The 2023 season played out according to plan. Van Ness was fourth among edge rushers in snaps as a rookie, putting up modest but not spectacular pressure and sack numbers. The stage seemed set for him to leapfrog Enagbare and surpass Preston Smith as the Packers’ second edge rusher in his second season.

Everything seemed to be aligning for Van Ness’s ascension midway through the 2024 season. The Packers traded Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers at the deadline, seemingly clearing the decks for Van Ness to take what appeared to be his rightful place.

Except it didn’t work out that way. Whatever snaps were freed up by Smith’s departure weren’t handed to Van Ness. Instead, Brenton Cox and Arron Mosby got more opportunities and largely delivered. Both Cox and Mosby put interesting reps on tape last year as pass rushers, though their size made them liabilities in the run game.

Now Van Ness heads into his third season with an edge rusher battle on the horizon. Few players on the Packers this year will be as closely monitored as Van Ness, who has this final season to make his case before the Packers make their decision on picking up his fifth-year option.

And as he does so, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the Packers are trying to replace him.

No doubt the Packers want Van Ness to succeed, and I still think he can be a useful player. There’s a role available for a burly edge who’s stout against the run and capable of setting the table for other pass rushers. Plenty of defensive ends have made fine careers out of doing just that, and maybe that’s what the Packers have in mind for Van Ness, who’s certainly strong and fairly competent in run defense.

But that would be a bitter pill to swallow when you’re talking about the 13th overall pick, and if the Packers weren’t concerned about Van Ness’s lack of pass production, they probably wouldn’t have drafted two pass rush-oriented edges in this spring’s draft.

Both Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver seem ready-made to fill in the gaps in Van Ness’s game. Sorrell is much more experienced (and productive, for that matter) as a pass rusher than Van Ness was as a rookie, while Oliver seems purpose-built to perform the “bendy if undersized” designated pass rusher role Jeff Hafley’s defense has seemed to be missing. If Van Ness can’t up his game as a pass rusher, the Packers certainly have options to eat into his snap count.

That’s not to say he can’t improve. He’s still a dynamite athlete, one of the very best at his position. He’s still just 23 years old (he turns 24 in July). As raw as he was as a pass rusher coming out of Iowa, it’s certainly possible there’s development still to come, especially now that the Packers have replaced defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich with the well-regarded DeMarcus Covington. Maybe Covington will be able to unlock something in Van Ness that’s been dormant to this point.

In any case, he’s going to be closely watched this season. He has a lot on the line — so do the Packers. And his replacements might already be waiting in the wings.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...season-lukas-van-ness-is-under-the-microscope

 

[Green Bay Packers]

49ers sign former Packers OL

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

San Francisco added both Andre Dillard and Nicholas Petit-Frere on Friday

The San Francisco 49ers signed two offensive tackles on Friday, Andre Dillard and Nicholas Petit-Frere, following their first look at their new players at rookie minicamp. Dillard spent the 2024 season with the Green Bay Packers, where he was a reserve tackle on the team and played only 13 offensive snaps during the year. The former Philadelphia Eagles first-round pick was often the subject of trade deadline rumors, but a trade never manifested for Dillard.

If the name Petit-Frere rings a bell, it’s because the Packers had a hell of a game against his Tennessee Titans last year. Petit-Frere was arguably the league’s worst preferred starting tackle in the pass-blocking category last year. Versus Green Bay, the Titans gave up eight sacks. In the Packers’ other 16 regular-season games in 2024, Green Bay combined for just 37 total sacks (2.3 per game).

I’m not sure how much better the 49ers got today, but at least they have a little experience on their bench at the tackle position now. Colton McKivitz, who is on a two-year, $4.6 million deal, and D.J. Humphries, who signed a one-year, $2 million contract this offseason, were expected to compete at right tackle for San Francisco this year. Now they have a little more competition to win those jobs.

The 49ers didn’t add an offensive lineman in last month’s NFL draft before the seventh round, despite losing Aaron Banks (Packers), Jaylon Moore (Chiefs) and Charlie Heck (Buccaneers) — all players who started games for their offensive line — in free agency.

Dillard was one of two of the Packers’ remaining unrestricted free agents who had previously not signed with a team in the 2025 offseason. With Dillard off of the board, the final unrestricted free agent from the 2024 team is tight end Tyler Davis, who has dealt with several serious injuries over the past few years. With that being said, cornerback Robert Rochell has since hit the market again, after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...rs-sign-andre-dillard-free-agency-update-2025

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers’ numbers on 1st-and-10 show Matt LaFleur’s over-reliance on the run

Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images

LaFleur was one of the most run-heavy playcallers in the NFL last season, and the team’s results on first downs suggest that it’s not an optimal approach.

Matt LaFleur loves to run the football.

This is not news, nor should it be a controversial statement. LaFleur has always relied heavily on the run game as head coach and playcaller for the Green Bay Packers, but now that Jordan Love is his quarterback, he has been freed up to fully remake the offense according to his own vision. And that vision is running the ball...a lot.

There are plenty of methods that are available to illustrate this. One such metric is PROE, or Pass Rate Over Expected. That calculation accounts for the difference between how often a team passes the football compared to the average or expected pass rate for an average NFL team, accounting for down, distance, field position, score, and remaining game time.

By that number, the Packers were the third-most run-heavy team in the NFL last season, with a PROE of negative-8.4.%. Put another way, the Packers ran the ball on 8.4% more snaps than one would expect an average NFL team to run it. Only the Colts and, predictably, the Eagles were more run-heavy.

Another way to examine these tendencies, albeit a bit less nuanced, is by simply looking at how often a team runs the football on 1st-and-10. That down and distance takes place on every series (barring a penalty on the initial 1st-and-10 attempt), making it at least a moderate approximation for situation-neutral play, even if field position and game script are not factored in.

Another interesting layer to add to this examination is to look at a team’s run rate by personnel grouping on 1st-and-10. By breaking down a bit further into personnel groupings, the run-heavy trend for the Packers in 2024 becomes even clearer.

Before diving in, here is a quick reminder on personnel grouping nomenclature. Personnel groups are defined by a two-digit number, the first digit being the number of running backs on the field, and the second being the number of tight ends. The number of wide receivers is therefore 5 (the number of eligible receivers) minus the total number of backs and tight ends. Hence, 11 personnel is one running back, one tight end, and three wideouts. 22 personnel is two backs, two tight ends, and one receiver.

Now let’s start looking at the numbers.

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During the 2024 regular season, the Packers’ offense lined up for exactly 400 1st-and-10 plays. Out of those 400 snaps, the team utilized 11 personnel on 231 of those plays, or about 58 percent, while they were in 12 personnel on 131 snaps, about 33%. They also lined up in 21 personnel 31 times (8%), with just a few other plays in 30 (one snap) or 13 (three).

As we’ll see, the Packers were very run-heavy in all three of the personnel groupings that they used with any regularity. Using official statistics from the NFL’s Game Stats and Information Service, let’s look at the breakdown of run rate on 1st-and-10 compared to the league average out of these three formations:

• 11 personnel (231 plays): 56.3% run (NFL average: 44.2%)
• 12 personnel (131 plays): 66.4% run (NFL average: 59.3%)
• 21 personnel (31 plays): 90.3% run (NFL average: 63.2%)

11 personnel​

Yes, that’s right — when lining up with three wide receivers on 1st-and-10, the Packers ran more than they passed. This was not only an oddity: as the PROE numbers suggest, it was one of the highest run rates in the entire NFL, coming in at 12 percent higher than the league average. The Packers then ran on 2/3 of their series-starting plays when putting two tight ends on the field, a bit higher rate than the league average, and they almost never passed when fielding two running backs.

At least in one sense, this was effective. Green Bay averaged an impressive 5.67 yards per carry from 11 personnel, 0.78 yards better than the NFL average (4.89). That wasn’t the best mark in the NFL — you may have guessed that the top spot belongs to the Eagles at a whopping 6.37 YPC — but it was easily one of the best marks in the league.

But here’s the rub: even though they had one of the best rushing attacks in the league from 11 personnel, their passing attack saw them average 7.87 yards per attempt, over a full yard better than the NFL average (6.59) and more than two yards better than their own rushing average.

So yes, the Packers were more efficient than league average from 11 personnel, whether they ran the ball or passed it. However, passing is inherently more efficient on a yards per play basis than running, and the Packers even exceeded the league average mark by more when throwing than when running.

It seems that Matt LaFleur was happy to put three receivers on the field on first down to get defenses into smaller personnel groupings, then ran the ball consistently to take advantage. It’s a signal for why the team values run-blocking in their wide receivers so heavily — make teams play lighter on defense, then use your bigger, aggressive receivers to wipe out smaller DBs in the run game.

But when he also had an efficient passing game — one that was both more efficient than the league average and more efficient than the run game in the same situations — it begs the question why LaFleur was so insistent on skewing so run-heavy.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, the Packers ran at a league-average rate out of 11 and were able to maintain their yards per rush and yards per pass attempt average. That would have taken their average yards per play out from 6.63 — still a good number that ranked them 7th in the NFL at 0.8 yards above the league average — all the way up to 6.89. That number would have ranked third, behind only the Lions and Ravens.

12 personnel​

In the case of 12 personnel, being more run-heavy than average seems even more questionable. The average team runs more out of 12 than they pass, yes, but the Packers seemingly struggled to move the defense a bit when facing bigger base personnel groupings: the Packers were actually worse than league average when running out of 12 on 1st-and-10. Green Bay averaged 4.25 YPC compared to the league average of 4.56, but they were again better than average by a full yard when passing, gaining 8.49 yards per attempt compared to the NFL average of 7.46 YPA.

Adjusting run/pass ratios to league average doesn’t give the Packers a huge boost in overall yards per play from 12 because they weren’t as heavily skewed towards the run than the average team, but it still gives them a bump from 5.74 to 6.02 yards per play. That would have moved them from 15th in the NFL in those situations to 11th, not a huge jump but a jump nonetheless.

Maximizing efficiency​

These projections come with the caveat that playcalling works together, and the run and pass games work off one another. Still, when your passing game is more efficient than your run game in general and is also better than other teams by a bigger margin than your run game is, perhaps leaning on the less-efficient approach, particularly as heavily as the Packers did, is not the best plan.

The Packers’ personnel moves this offseason seem to indicate a desire to do two things with the offense: add more bulk to the offensive line, and add more speed to the wide receiver corps. The hope there is that those two approaches will improve the run and pass efficiency, respectively. But a bit more lean towards the passing game could well help the offense’s overall efficiency.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...and-10-over-reliance-run-heavy-yards-per-play

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers finally sign QB Taylor Elgersma more than a week after rookie minicamp tryout

Photo by Michael Chisholm/Getty Images

It took a week after the tryout, but Elgersma is now officially on Green Bay’s roster.

The Green Bay Packers clearly had a plan coming out of rookie minicamp two weekends ago. Last Monday, the team released wide receiver Tulu Griffen in order to open up a spot on their 91-man roster, and reading between the lines of comments from the team’s coaches, it seemed all but a sure thing that quarterback Taylor Elgersma would take his place.

In fact, a report from a Canadian sports broadcaster last Wednesday indicated that Elgersma would sign with the Packers. It has evidently taken more than a week since his original tryout, but he has now finally signed with the Packers, as his agent confirmed to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Elgersma was originally scheduled to participate in the Buffalo Bills’ rookie minicamp this past weekend but did not do so, instead choosing to stay in Green Bay. Now, Elgersma will be the fourth member of the Packers’ quarterback room, and he will work alongside Jordan Love, Malik Willis, and Sean Clifford during the remainder of the Packers’ offseason program. That program consists of OTA practices the two weeks following Memorial Day and minicamp the week of June 9th.

A big (and big-armed) quarterback, Elgersma was the most notable tryout player at the Packers’ rookie camp on May 3rd and 4th and has clearly been on the team’s radar throughout the spring. After winning the Hec Crighton Trophy in 2024 as the best player in Canadian college football, Elgersma took an official pre-draft visit to Green Bay prior to going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft last month.

Elgersma was not entirely undrafted, however, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected him 18th overall in the second round of the CFL draft.

In all likelihood, Elgersma will compete with Sean Clifford this summer for the role as the Packers’ third quarterback behind Love and Willis. Shortly before final cuts last year, Green Bay acquired Willis in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, waiving Clifford — who backed up Love in 2023 — and signing him to the practice squad as the #3 option.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...-canada-one-week-after-rookie-minicamp-tryout

 

[Green Bay Packers]

How the NFL Threatens Us With the Schedule

Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

And why we love it.

People care WAY more about the official NFL schedule releases than they should, but I kind of get it. And I kind of get it because it’s NOT just a list of who plays who, because the NFL schedule is loaded with minefields, and the NFL loves nothing more than threatening all of us with all of their nonsense. And they have SO MUCH NONSENSE to threaten us with.

Baseball can’t really do this as they simply need to cram all 162 games into the time frame allotted, with only the Fourth of July and Memorial Day standing out as holidays to work with or around. While basketball has Christmas Day, they also have so many games that there’s a limit to how much nonsense they can inject into the scheduling system. The NFL, though. With just seventeen games, they can really mess with us, Four-ish major holidays! Enormous rest and travel distance disparities! Germany! Brazil! AUSTRALIA! They can make you play on Thursday, or on Christmas, or in England. They can give you a long flight out west on short rest, or a trip to Lambeau for a warm-weather squad in January. Basically, they can and will screw you in dozens of ways, and it’s more a matter of how much screwing there will be, than if there is any screwing at all.

The NFL is also greatly aided by the insane American stacking of holidays in the late fall and winter months, where Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and to a lesser extent, even Halloween have an impact on whether your game will disrupt a traditional family gathering, or not, or turn into a big costume party. Some people enjoy having the Packers as a part of their Thanksgiving day, but I am personally not a fam. Granted, I don’t really care for Thanksgiving as a holiday in the first place, but I’d rather be taking in my Packer game from my own couch on my own time versus awkwardly shoehorning it into a visit to my Minnesota relatives. We already know the Packers will be playing the Bears five days before Christmas. Last year, every team that played in that slot also played on Christmas, and so we wait with bated breath to see if we’ll have a white Lambeau Christmas this year.

And of course, there is now the specter of international travel. The Packers were sent to Brazil for the season opener last year, and while they are not expected to travel this year, Dublin was looking like a real possibility for quite some time and is apparently on the table for 2026. While the NFL has an interest in growing the game internationally, they also get to add this drama to schedule release day, and hey, it’s not fair! They steal a home game, impose insane travel onto a few teams, and often put those teams on inadequate playing surfaces where people can get hurt. It’s nice to have the occasional Jaguars game on at 9 in the morning to kick off the day, but it’s horrible to have my team playing overseas and incurring all of the risks involved. Who knows if they’ll even be let back in!

And of course, if you’re a Packer fan, there is the one added bit of drama that no other team has: The Green v. Gold package. With the general public and Green package ticketholders convinced that the Gold package actually costs the team several home-field advantage points, everyone holds out hope that it will not come against the Bears or Vikings, and to a lesser extent, the Lions.

The NFL has unprecedented power to mess with everyone via the schedule, and so they do what they do best. They inject drama into what should be pro forma. They create a media event out of something that should be the most boring activity possible. They’re simply phenomenal at this. I’m honestly surprised the Packers haven’t already added Santa Cheese Beards to the Pro Shop. But I suppose that would be a giveaway.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...l-schedule-2025-green-bay-packers-threaten-us

 

[Green Bay Packers]

What would an Elgton Jenkins restructure even look like?

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Jenkins is set to make top of the market money as an interior offensive lineman in his contract year of 2026

Green Bay Packers beat reporter Jason Wilde reported on Tuesday that Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, who, according to general manager Brian Gutekunst, will be moving from left guard to center this season, is looking to restructure his contract. According to Wilde, that’s one reason why Jenkins hasn’t shown up to voluntary workouts, despite Jenkins having a $500,000 workout bonus in his deal.

Based on how Jenkins’ contract is structured, it’s going to be tough to imagine a new deal worked out between the two sides unless both he and the team get a little of what they want.

In 2025, Jenkins carries a $17.6 million cap hit, which is already the sixth-largest cap hit on the team behind Jordan Love, Rashan Gary, Jaire Alexander, Kenny Clark and Xavier McKinney. Obviously, Alexander might be removed from this list, be it by a release, trade or contract restructure of his own, by the time games actually start.

In 2026, Jenkins’ cap hit will jump all the way up to $24.8 million. With a dead cap of just $4.8 million, the team would save $20 million, the cash he’s set to earn in 2026, with a release.

So I’m sure Jenkins wants to receive an extension that will ensure that he’ll be around in 2026, rather than being on the chopping block. With that being said, the Packers are already set to be over the cap next year and Jenkins, along with Alexander and Clark, is one of the big contracts that they can get out of to create cap space.

Here’s some perspective, too: Jenkins will make $20 million in cash in 2026 on his current deal. The highest-paid center in the league right now is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, who makes $18 million a year. The highest-paid guard on a multi-year contract in the league is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Landon Dickerson, who is on a $21 million per year deal. So, as far as interior linemen go, Jenkins’ 2026 money is already near the top of the market.

Only three NFL offensive linemen carry a larger cap hit in 2025 than Jenkins’ $24.8 million figure, all of whom play tackle, not guard.

This is all to say, Jenkins wants long-term security, understandably, because he’s staring down the barrel of becoming a cap casualty in 2026. So if he really wants to ink a new deal with Green Bay, the question becomes how much he’s willing to widdle off his $20 million cash schedule for next year. The Packers almost certainly won’t have the appetite to pay that, considering they’re projected to be over the cap and still need to figure out what to do with linebacker Quay Walker, receiver Christian Watson, right tackle Zach Tom, left tackle Rasheed Walker and others before the 2026 new league year.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...ture-news-projection-salary-cap-hit-2025-2026

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers 2025 Schedule Rumors: Green Bay to open at home against Lions in week 1

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Follow along with news and leaks about the Packers’ schedule for the upcoming season.

The NFL is almost ready to release its schedule for the 2025 season, having announced during the NFL Draft in Green Bay that it will reveal the full schedule on Wednesday, May 14th. That is just a few days away, and Green Bay Packers fans will finally be able to start making travel plans for the fall around that date.

Leading up to the full release, we at Acme Packing Company will be keeping a close eye on the rumors and possibilities in place for the Packers’ 2025 schedule. We already have some information and reporting on the Packers’ potential for making an international trip, while holidays will also be a key area of focus.

Currently, the Packers’ over/under win total for the 2025 season is 9.5, according to FanDuel, while they have the second-best odds of winning the NFC North (+280), behind the Detroit Lions (+110). We will keep an eye on how the schedule impacts those odds moving forward.

Keep your browser locked here for updates throughout the days leading up to the full release.

Packers’ 2025 opponents​

As a reminder, here is a link to the list of the Packers’ opponents for the 2025 season. The NFC North division will play against the NFC East and AFC North in the upcoming season, while the Packers have additional games against the Carolina Panthers (at home), Arizona Cardinals (road), and Denver Broncos (road) as well.

Big schedule release times​

Ahead of the league’s complete schedule release on Wednesday, May 14th, the NFL and its broadcast partners will announce select games starting on Monday. Look for most of the holiday games to be announced in those prior releases.

Confirmed/reported Packers games​

• Week 1: Lions vs. Packers

Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported on Wednesday morning that the Packers will open the season at home for the first time since 2018. Unfortunately, it comes against the defending NFC North champions.

• Week 10: Packers vs. Eagles on Monday Night Football

On Tuesday morning, the NFL announced Packers-Eagles as one of its big Monday Night Football games for the upcoming season.

• Week 16: Packers @ Bears on Saturday

We’re bringing the heat in Week 16 with a can't-miss doubleheader!

Catch an NFC East clash as the @Eagles take on the @Commanders, followed by an NFC North battle between the @packers and @ChicagoBears!

Saturday, December 20th on FOX pic.twitter.com/R56I4gsHLI

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) May 12, 2025​

FOX announced on Monday that the Packers will be part of their NFC doubleheader on Saturday of Week 16. Conveniently, this is also the week before the league’s Christmas games the following Thursday. Furthermore, the NFC North and NFC East divisions play one another this season, so the Packers and Bears will each to play the Eagles and Commanders at some point.

One would think that the NFL would be willing to give the teams that were set to play a late-season Thursday game a little more rest, like a Saturday game the week before, which is exactly what they did a year ago. Now that now that the Packers’ game against the Eagles is confirmed for earlier in the season, the logical choice would be to schedule Commanders-Packers and Bears-Eagles for Christmas Day.

Here’s a wrinkle, however: Bears-Eagles was announced for Black Friday instead. Therefore, the Eagles will not be playing either the Packers or Bears on Christmas Day, which throws this whole assumption into question. Stay tuned, but know that Commanders-Packers still looks like a strong possibility. Don’t shoot the messenger here. We don’t like it any more than you do.

Holidays?​

Earlier this week, I discussed the possibility that the Packers may be selected for a game on Thanksgiving Day for a third straight season. Green Bay has played the Detroit Lions frequently on Thanksgiving since 2000, doing so most recently in 2023. They also will play the Dallas Cowboys on the road, putting both annual Thanksgiving Day host teams on the schedule. However, although the possibility exists, no firm reporting has yet emerged about whether or not the Packers will indeed play on Thanksgiving in 2025.

The NFL is also trying to schedule multiple games on Christmas Day moving forward, a holiday that this year also falls on a Thursday. The Packers could theoretically end up playing then instead, a possibility that became even more likely with the announcement of their week 16 game as discussed above.

UPDATE: We now know one game each on these two holidays, and both feature the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs will play the Cowboys in the late afternoon game on Thanksgiving, then they will host the Denver Broncos for the late game on Christmas Day. That’s one slot for each of those two holidays that the Packers will not be in.

No international game for Packers​

Based on recent comments from Packers president Mark Murphy and additional reporting this week, it looks like the Packers will end up avoiding any international games in 2025.

After some initial speculation that the Packers could end up being the pick as the opponent for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home game in Dublin, Ireland, that appears to not be the case heading towards the schedule release. During the Packers’ annual Tailgate Tour in early April, Murphy said that he expected the Steelers to ask the NFL to protect their game against the Packers from being moved overseas.

Then on Thursday, a report from friend of APC Arif Hasan suggests that the Minnesota Vikings will instead be the Steelers’ opponents in Dublin. Hasan posted on Bluesky that his sources suggest the Vikings will actually play back-to-back international games:

Hearing that the Vikings will be playing internationally in back to back weeks: • at Steelers Week 4 in Dublin at Croke Park • at Cleveland Week 5 in London at Tottenham

— Arif Hasan, but NFL ️ (@arif.bsky.social) 2025-05-08T21:39:39.597Z

It is also notable that the Vikings would be the Browns’ opponent for the London game listed above. The Packers are also scheduled to play a road game against Cleveland, which was designated as the home team for one of the three NFL games in London in 2025. If the Packers are not the opponent for either the Steelers or Browns, there would be no other chances for them to play internationally as those are the only two teams on Green Bay’s schedule in 2025 who are the designated home teams for such games. The other host teams include the Chargers (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Colts (Berlin, Germany), Dolphins (Madrid, Spain), Jaguars (London), and Jets (also London).

UPDATE: The NFL confirmed the full slate of international games on Tuesday morning and, as expected, the Packers are not involved. Arif’s information above is locked in, with the NFL having the following international games:

• Week 1: Chiefs vs. Chargers (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Week 4: Vikings vs. Steelers (Dublin, Ireland)
• Week 5: Vikings vs. Browns (London, England)
• Week 6: Broncos vs. Jets (London, England)
• Week 6: Rams vs. Jaguars (London, England)
• Week 10: Falcons vs. Colts (Berlin, Germany)
• Week 11: Commanders vs. Dolphins (Madrid, Spain)

Other big games around the NFL​

Early on Monday morning, the NFL announced that the season-opening game, which as always features the reigning Super Bowl champions. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles will host their biggest divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, on the first Thursday of the season (September 4th).

Here are all of the other big games the NFL has announced as of Wednesday morning:

• Week 1 kickoff game: Cowboys vs. Eagles (NBC)
• Week 10 MNF: Eagles vs. Packers (ESPN/ABC)
• Week 13 (Thanksgiving afternoon): Chiefs vs. Cowboys (CBS)
• Week 13 (Black Friday): Bears vs. Eagles (Prime)
• Week 16 (Saturday): Eagles vs. Commanders and Packers vs. Bears (FOX)
• Week 17 (Christmas Day): Broncos vs. Chiefs (Prime)

Rumored Packers Schedule​

Below is the potential Packers’ 2025 schedule, including confirmed games and those that have been rumored or extrapolated based on the information provided above. Games listed in bold are confirmed.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...ker-international-game-unlikely-christmas-day

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Predicting the ‘easiest’ stretch of the 2025 Green Bay Packers schedule

Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Easy” is relative, but we’ll give it a shot.

Ah, NFL schedule release day. It’s the only thing more exciting than “telling you when NFL schedule release day is” day. Sarcasm aside, it’s officially here. Fans can begin planning their travel and their parties, and in my case, poring over the list of games, trying to come up with some way-too-soon takes.

After much consideration (and by that I mean quite literally 5 minutes because the schedule was just released), here’s my take on what looks like the easiest stretch of the Green Bay Packers' 2025 schedule.

It’s cliche but true: the first month of the season is the new preseason. Starters are getting their bearings and gelling with teammates — you know, things that used to take place in the actual preseason. So I think it’s fair to say the beginning of the season is when your better-run organizations look to stockpile a few wins while younger or more traditionally disorganized teams learn how to doggie paddle in the shallow end.

Per usual, the Packers open the season on the road against the… what’s that? Hmmm, ok folks, I’m actually being told that the Packers open the season at HOME for what feels like the first time in my life.

Of course, first the football gods giveth, then they taketh away. Week 1’s home opener is against the Detroit Lions. While it will be interesting to see how the Lions come out of the gate after losing several key coordinators and coaches, I would definitely not call this game “easy.” However, if they can make it out of week one alive, and perhaps even with a win, the next stretch gets MUCH easier.

Week 2 - Home vs. the Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels turned heads last year and gave Washington football fans something they haven’t had in a while: entertainment! What a novel concept. While I believe the Daniels hype, I think the Commanders overall are a bit puffed up. TL;DR: I don’t believe they’re a playoff team in 2025. If the Packers want to prove they’ve taken a step forward this year, this game should be a relatively easy one (quick Sunday to Thursday turnaround notwithstanding).

Week 3 - Away vs. the Cleveland Browns

The Browns still have a lot of karma to pay back, and like student debt, I think they’re going to be paying it off for a long, long time. They finished last year 19th in total defense and dead last in total team DVOA. And who’s going to be behind center come week 3? Shedeur Sanders? Kenny Pickett? Joe Flacco? We’re the same age, and I hurt my shoulder last week getting out of bed. Woof. Call it.

Week 4 - Away vs. the Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are going to stink. I’m not even going to Google anything about the Cowboys to substantiate my take here. If the Packers lose this game, something has gone wrong on a cosmic level, and at that point, I’m more worried about some sort of Day After Tomorrow situation anyway. We’ll have reached the critical desalination point and football will cease to exist, along with the Dallas Cowboys, who, to reiterate, are going to stink.

Week 5 - BYE

The Packers get absolutely hosed with a week 5 bye, but having it early means the back half of the schedule is inherently more difficult, which bodes well for my crack analysis so far (pats self on back).

Week 6 - Home vs. the Cincinnati Bengals

I’ll have you know it only took me two attempts to spell “Cincinnati” correctly. That’s 56 fewer attempts than the Bengals have had to be a legitimate franchise. I’m not a film grinder, but I have it on good authority that the 2025 Bengals are going to be a “pretty bad team that can score a lot of points.” The Packers will be fresh off their annoyingly early bye, which should give them an additional edge.

For my money, which adjusted for inflation isn’t worth much, that about wraps up the “easier” portion of the schedule. The next handful of games may not be too intense, but the jury is out. Have the Cardinals improved enough? Maybe! Will Pittsburgh get to host the Aaron Rodgers revenge game? Possibly! And a mid-season home game against the Panthers feels like exactly the kind of game the Packers lose for no good reason. All this before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. Oof.

Let’s try to pile up a few wins early, fellas.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...een-bay-packers-2025-schedule-easiest-stretch

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers’ rest differential is nearly even in 2025, but there’s a big 1st/2nd half split

Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Fitting with the overall vibes on the schedule, Green Bay gets some breaks early but will get the short end of the rest equation over the second half.

The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 schedule is finally here, and as we at Acme Packing Company have discussed, it’s going to be a challenge.

Earlier this morning, we discussed which part of the schedule will be the hardest, ultimately struggling to split hairs between 4-game stretches in November and December. One of the reason to lean towards November is a rough patch in terms of rest, with the Packers playing four games in just 18 days.

Despite that tough few weeks, the Packers’ rest differential for this season actually is nearly even with their opponents. All told, Green Bay will have either one or two days fewer rest than opposing teams when totaling up everything over the entire season. Yes, the Packers play two games on Thursdays, including the one against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, but both of those opponents have short weeks as well, balancing out the equation for those weeks.

Normally, however, a Thursday game means a mini-bye afterwards, giving a team a few days of an edge over their next opponent. As we’ll see shortly, that is only the case following one of the team’s two Thursday games. In fact, the perception of the Packers’ schedule having an easy first half and a tough second half split is made that much more clear when adding the rest variable into the analysis.

Here’s a look at the rest differential in each of the Packers’ games this season. Positive numbers indicate that the Packers have more rest than their opponents, while negative numbers indicate that they have less rest.

1. Sunday vs. Lions: neutral
2. Thursday night vs. Commanders: neutral (WAS vs. NYG previous Sunday)
3. Sunday @ Browns: +3 (CLE @ BAL previous Sunday)
4. Sunday night @ Cowboys: neutral (DAL @ CHI previous Sunday)
5. BYE WEEK
6. Sunday vs. Bengals: +7 (CIN vs. DET previous Sunday)
7. Sunday @ Cardinals: neutral (ARI @ IND previous Sunday)
8. Sunday night @ Steelers: -3 (PIT @ CIN previous Thursday)
9. Sunday vs. Panthers: neutral (CAR vs. BUF previous Sunday)
10. Monday night vs. Eagles: -7 (PHI has bye previous week)
11. Sunday @ Giants: -1 (NYG @ CHI previous Sunday)
12. Sunday vs. Vikings: neutral (MIN vs. CHI previous Sunday)
13. Thanksgiving Day @ Lions: neutral (DET vs. NYG previous Sunday)
14. Sunday vs. Bears: +1 (CHI @ PHI previous Friday)
15. Sunday @ Broncos: neutral (DEN @ LV previous Sunday)
16. Saturday @ Bears: neutral (CHI vs. CLE previous Sunday)
17. Saturday OR Sunday vs. Ravens: +1 (BAL vs. NE previous Sunday)
18. Saturday OR Sunday vs. Vikings: -2 or -3 (MIN @ DET previous Thursday/Christmas Day)

In total, the Packers’ net rest differential ends up being minus-one or minus-two days, depending on when their week 17 game takes place. However, the early/late split is

First of all, the one team who has a bye immediately before they play the Packers is Philadelphia, as the Eagles come to Lambeau for a Monday Night Football game on a full 14 days of rest. That should make that game even more challenging than it would have been otherwise, and it kicks off the first of those 4-game stretches that we considered for the most difficult in 2025.

Beyond the Eagles game being a tough one to have a full week of rest disadvantage, the Packers also get a pretty rough draw in week 18. They face the Vikings, who will be coming off a mini-bye week due to playing the Lions on Christmas Day in week 17. Even though teams had a rough go immediately after playing Detroit last year, Minnesota’s extra rest should give them a chance to recuperate a bit better than on a normal week.

Meanwhile, the Packers also do not get much benefit from their own mini-bye off a holiday. They play the Bears the week after Thanksgiving, but because Chicago plays the Eagles on Black Friday, Green Bay only gets a one-day rest advantage from that game.

Again, most of the Packers’ rest advantage comes early in the season. They will have three extra days to prepare for their week three game in Cleveland, then a full extra week from their own bye before hosting the Bengals in week six. After that point, however, Green Bay will have only two games in which they have more rest than their opponents, and in both cases they only have a +1 day edge. In contrast, they will have three different games with at least a two-day disadvantage.

Although the numbers all come out to the Packers being disadvantaged by just one or two days in total, the timing of these games makes the second half slate that much more difficult than it looks just based on the matchups and home/road stretches.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...-overall-but-big-1st-2nd-half-split-bye-weeks

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Subjectively ranking the Packers’ 2025 schedule based on all the schedule things

Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images

You know, things like weather, days of rest, time of day, and the like.

Over the next several days you will see any number of people attempt to rank the Green Bay Packers’ schedule by degree of difficulty, travel distance, fairness, impact of the Gold Package, and any other number of ways. And so I thought we would take a stab at ranking every game in the Packer schedule using all of these factors in addition to aesthetics, holiday impact, prime time impact, and climate.

A noon Bears game on a crisp fall day at Lambeau? That’s a 10, but it’s not the only way to get a 10. A late December night game against the Dolphins in Lambeau could be a 10, but not if it’s on Christmas or creates a short week. It’s a complicated system! Do we award more points to the game against the Browns because they have five quarterbacks and are really really funny? Do we downgrade the Giants because they’re more sad than funny? Do we downgrade a boring bad game for NOT being a Gold Package game? Let’s get into it.

Week 1: Lions at Packers, Sunday, September 7th, 3:25 PM CT. Green Package​

Rating: 9​

The Packers have been sent on the road so much to open the season of late that we definitely give this game a boost just for being at home. We’re also upgrading this game because it’s better to open against a traditional divisional rival than some rando team from the AFC, though I think I would maintain the high score had it been the Eagles due to the playoff revenge angle.

The Lions are a good get, and while they are not rivals on par with the Bears and Vikings, historically speaking, they are the current kings of the division and when healthy, are probably still the best team in the conference. If this were a noon kickoff it might even get the coveted 10, but 3:25 is almost as good, and as the Green Package will be in attendance, nothing to worry about there.

Week 2: Commanders at Packers, Thursday, September 11th, 7:15 (TNF), Gold Package​

Rating: 3​

The Commanders only rank as high as a three because at least we get to see Jayden Daniels play, but as it’s the Gold Package that will be seeing him, does that tree really even make a sound? Playing on a short week already in Week 2 is horrible, playing on Thursday is, in general, horrible, and playing WASHINGTON on the 24th anniversary of September 11th is going to make the broadcast unbearable. Washington will be coming off of a noon game against the pathetic Giants while the Packers will have played the 3:30 game against a great Lions team, which, while small, doesn’t help matters.

Week 3: Packers at Browns, Sunday, September 21st, 12 Noon​

Rating: 6​

The Packers’ first road game takes them to Cleveland in September, and while, as previously mentioned, the Browns are really funny, this is still pretty disappointing. On the plus side, this game is early enough that the Browns’ QB situation is probably still unsettled, and that’s a good thing. You get extra points for playing Cleveland early, as they probably become more boring as we get later in the season. And a noon game in September is fine and dandy.

That said, there are plenty of negatives as well. Going to Cleveland is an easy road trip, and the Browns went 3-14 last season, so this is a complete waste of the additional rest you receive after a Thursday night game. The Packers will travel West twice this season, against Arizona and Denver, and the 10-day break would have served them much better in either scenario. This one is a mixed bag, but could certainly be better.

Week 4: Packers at Cowboys, Sunday, September 28th, 7:20 (SNF)​

Rating: 5​

It’s not surprising that the Packers’ game against the Cowboys in Jerryworld is getting the prime time treatment, and at least it’s on a Sunday, so not terribly disruptive, but I don’t think the Cowboys really warrant prime time treatment this year, and I think we need to downgrade this game at least a bit to address the macro factor of the Cowboys making prime time boring. The Cowboys have seven prime time games this year, second only to Kansas City. This is hardly new as the Cowboys are allegedly a ratings draw, though the interest in the Cowboys of late is based far more on soap-opera factors and not on-field competency. I suspect by season’s end many people are saying things like “the Cowboys AGAIN?” and “what idiots thought the Cowboys would be this good?”

And so, while some may view the Packers having prime time games something of an honor, this one is ill-gotten. We don’t even have the Mike McCarthy subplot anymore. Maybe George Pickens will do something insane, I suppose.

Week 5: Bye​

Rating: 0​

That rating isn’t just because this is a bye, it absolutely reflects the merits of a Week 5 bye. This is simply awful. The ideal bye takes place from weeks 8 through 11, and the further away you get from that window, the worse it is. Moreover, if you are going to be subjected to an extremely early or late bye, the late option is far superior as it may give you an advantage for a playoff run, including an opportunity to get healthy for the playoffs themselves. Playoff games are more valuable than regular season games, and so that is the way to go.

This garbage bye is simply a waste. Some might argue that an early bye can indeed be useful, and to just look at last year’s early injury to Jordan Love as an example of how an early bye could benefit a team, but that was a very weird early season injury, and in any case, the man was back by Week 4!

The fact is that players may suffer injuries early, or late, or whenever, and the distribution is unpredictable, but what is not unpredictable is the general wear and tear on players over the course of a long season. There is not nearly as much wear and tear by Week 5, and so the Packers will not reap the benefits of the bye. Early byes are awful. The schedule is off to a rough start.

Week 6: Bengals at Packers, Sunday, October 12th, 3:25, Green Package​

Rating: 7​

This is a pretty fun matchup at a pretty normal time. This would have been good as a Gold Package game as it’s an AFC opponent, but the 2nd/5th home game rules don’t let it work. What I am against, at least a bit, is a home game after the bye. We’ve already seen the mini-bye of a post-Thursday game wasted on a trip to Cleveland and now we get a home game after the real bye, against another lower leverage AFC opponent? The Packers visit Arizona the very next week. Would it have been so hard to schedule that after our stupid early bye?

All of that aside, this should be an aesthetically pleasing game on a beautiful October Sunday, and some people may even get Monday off due to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or Evil Genocidal Explorer day depending on your political persuasion. There’s really no weather advantage to be gained against the Bengals earlier or later, and so it may as well be mid-October. On that note, I am happy we are not playing the Chiefs in this slot, which would have knocked this to a 5.

Week 7: Packers at Cardinals, Sunday, October 19th, 3:25​

Rating: 6​

It is aggravating that that the Packers are traveling West on normal rest when extended rest was just sitting there a week earlier, but at least the Cardinals are similarly disadvantaged as they will be in Indianapolis the week before returning home for this game. Also of note, the average high temperature in Phoenix on October 19th is around 82 degrees. That’s still hot, and temperatures do still occasionally get into the 90s or even 100s this late in the year, but at least this game did not take place in September when the average is well into the 90s. Still, it will likely be hotter than the Packers are used to. If this was an away game in LA or San Francisco, with a more normal temperature, this would rank higher.

The Packers don’t travel a ton in terms of pure mileage, as they will have the fifth fewest miles traveled this year, but the travel they do have includes temperature and altitude issues at Arizona and Denver, and on normal rest at best.

Week 8: Packers at Steelers, Sunday, October 26th, 7:20 (SNF)​

Rating: 5​

All things being equal, a Packers-Steelers prime time game can be a beautiful thing, but here, all things are not equal. The Packers will be on normal rest from a game out in Arizona while the Steelers will be on 10 days rest from a Thursday night game at Cincinnati and playing at home. I would also wager heavily that this game is getting prime time treatment on the speculation that the Steelers will sign Aaron Rodgers, which would obviously make this a hugely interesting game for purely prurient reasons.

With all of that said, this may very well turn into a rock fight between a tired Packer team and a Mason Rudolph, or perhaps Will Howard-led Steelers team, which might be better served at noon instead of stinking up everyone’s early Halloween parties. Then again, if Rodgers ends up not playing for the Steelers, it might get flexed to one of those earlier time slots.

I’d love to give this historic matchup a higher rating. The Steelers and the Packers have a pretty fun history together, Pittsburgh has the draft next year, and it deserves a higher rating, but I can’t go above a five for the scheduling shenanigans that are likely to turn what should be an easy Packer victory into a more competitive game.

Week 9: Panthers at Packers, Sunday, November 2nd, 12 Noon. Green Package​

Rating: 4​

If ever a game called out for the Gold Package, this is it. If this was a Gold Package game, this is an easy 7 at least. An uninteresting Carolina team at Noon in early November (that won’t interfere with Trick or Treating in any serious way) is totally fine, and they may even be kind of frisky with Tet McMillan and a possibly decent defense.

But ideally this would have been a Packer short week game and/or a Gold Package game. Every team is going to have some short rest, and home against the Panthers would have been a good time for it. No one really cares about this game, and so it should have served as a sort of sacrificial lamb. It was not, and so it’s just a boring fine meh kind of game. Total 4.

Week 10: Eagles at Packers, Monday, November 10th, 7:15 (MNF), Gold Package​

Rating: 5​

This would be an easy 8 in a vacuum with the Green Package in attendance, but instead we’re having our playoff rematch with the Super Bowl champs as a Gold Package game, which, booooooo. And while I prefer my games on Sunday, I can’t punish this too much for being featured on Monday as it’s certainly earned that. However, the Eagles will be coming off of their bye, while the Packers will be on regular rest.

That’s a huge advantage for the Eagles, who get to rest and heal, while the Packer bye will be five weeks gone by this point. It’s an ideal travel situation for the visitors in a game that could have huge implication for the NFC. This should be an 8, but instead it’s annoying.

Week 11: Packers at Giants, Sunday, November 16th, 12 Noon​

Rating: 5​

The Packers head to New York on short rest, which is also annoying, but at least the Giants will be coming off a road game in Chicago. The Giants are a boring opponent with almost as many quarterbacks as the Browns (Wilson/Winston/Dart, and the dreaded Tommy DeVito) and a bunch of those guys are even pretty funny. You’ve got educational bread guy, captain interception, and Jaxson Dart. That’s pretty funny!

But it’s still the Giants, and there’s a ceiling on how good a Giants’ game can be.

Week 12: Vikings at Packers, Sunday, November 23rd, 12 Noon, Green Package​

Rating: 8​

This one is objectively pretty good, but the back half of the season is weird and this is a part of the weirdness. Over Green Bay’s last 7 games, 5 are against opponents from the NFC North. It’s a very concentrated in-division schedule, and honestly it’s kind of irritating. It’s made more so because it would be better to play Minnesota early while their quarterback situation is still in question, and the Packers do not.

It’s also an extremely difficult schedule because the Vikings and Lions were quite good last season, and will likely be at least good this year. The Bears will probably be better as well. And the two non-division games dons the stretch are the Ravens and Broncos. It’s a REALLY hard back-half.

But hey, this game is fine. It’s at home, it’s the Green Package, it’s the Vikings at noon in late November. There are no scheduling shenanigans directly related to this game. This is how you do it.

Week 13: Packers at Lions, Thursday, November 27th, 12 Noon​

Rating: 2​

Ugggggh. Playing the Thanksgiving noon game in Detroit is HORRIBLE. It’s smack dab in the middle of a major US holiday, it’s a short week, it’s a road game, and the Lions will be in the middle of a three game homestand. For my money, the noon Thanksgiving time slot is the worst time slot you can play in all year. If you are on Thanksgiving it’s better to be later, so we can watch after festivities have wound down. Even the afternoon slot is slightly better just by virtue of stretching into the evening.

At noon, there’s cooking going on, setting up extra tables, and the potential of not being able to watch the game at all depending on family dynamics. It’s also the shortest rest possible from the previous game. Bah.

Week 14: Bears at Packers, Sunday, December 7th, 12 Noon. Green Package​

Rating: 8​

This should be a 10, but the league just cannot get out of their own way. We’ve seen instances of Packer opponents gaining a rest advantage over the Packers, and this would have been a perfect place to pay that back, but no! The Packers do enjoy a long break after the Thanksgiving game, but the Bears will be enjoying a break that is nearly as long, as they play on Black Friday at Philadelphia. Is this fair in terms of the matchup itself? Yes, yes it is. But we had to face the Eagles off of their bye. Come on, throw us a bone.

Still, Bears at Lambeau at noon in December can only be so low, and this is still a solid 8, especially with the Green Package in attendance.

Week 15: Packers at Broncos, Sunday, December 14th, 3:25​

Rating: 8​

The Broncos are a fun up-and-coming team, and this should be a pretty fun game if nothing else. Both teams are on regular rest, with Denver playing at Vegas the previous week. And if you are going to Denver for a game, with the weather and elevation, it’s better to do so later in the year when people have gotten themselves into good cardiovascular shape. Any cold or snow won’t impact Green Bay like it would certain other opponents, and all in all, I’d rather go to a cold weather spot than a tropical one at this point.

This should be a good one. No complaints.

Week 16: Packers at Bears, Saturday, December 20th, 3:30 or 6:00​

Rating: 7​

The Packers are playing one half of a Saturday double dip against the Bears in Chicago, and this just isn’t as good as the first meeting between the two. For starters, that game was two weeks ago! How about some space?! But I also do not like late December night games at Soldier, as they have the potential to be cold-cold, with the wind whipping off Lake Michigan. If the game is at six, knock another point off, but if it’s the afternoon game, that’s mostly fine. Both teams will be on equal rest, and as always, it’s a fun rivalry game. I do wish the Packers would have gotten Ben Johnson at least once in the early season to catch him before he can fully implement his system, but it’s not a huge deal.

Week 17: Ravens at Packers, probably Saturday, December 27th, probably either 3:30 or 6, Green Package​

Rating: 10​

The Ravens are no stranger to cold weather games, but aside from that, it’s hard to complain about this one in any real way. It should be a phenomenal game between two very good teams who haven’t managed to get over the hump in their respective conferences. The Packers will actually get a rest advantage for one of the only times this season as the Ravens will be on slightly short rest

This is potentially a huge late season game, in a cold December Lambeau field, it’s importantly NOT on Christmas Thursday, it’s the Green Package fans, and who knows, maybe we’ll get snow. It is a tough game of course, like every game in the back half, but hey, it’s not an easy league.

Week 18: Packers at Vikings: TBD​

Rating: 4​

While we do not know exactly when this game will happen, we do know that the Vikings will probably have a substantial rest advantage, as they play on Christmas day and the Packers will not. Compounding all of this, the ideal time to play in Minnesota is in the fall, because it’s an indoor experience and there is less cognitive dissonance between indoor and outdoor in the fall. Playing at Minnesota in the winter is just a waste. You have the outdoor footage and idea of the winter, but it’s just a tease. When the Packers and Bears play outside in the winter, it’s the winter. But playing in Minnesota this late? Nah. That bird-killing atrocity is a betrayal of what Midwest football is supposed to be.

Packers v. Vikings at Lambeau is a great matchup between old rivals, with an easy 10 ceiling. Packers v. Vikings in Minnesota has like a 7, tops in winter. As they will be better rested with back-to-back home games, this is trash.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...-all-the-things-rest-travel-weather-game-time

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Friday Cheese Curds: Packers take mentoring seriously

Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images

Sean Mannion is living proof of that.

If there’s a theme for today’s Cheese Curds, it’s “mentoring.” The Green Bay Packers have established a robust mentoring program for fledgling businesses in the Fox Valley area and throughout Wisconsin, and this week they celebrated some of the successes of that program with an awards ceremony.

Yet another brainchild of team president Mark Murphy, this program is doing some great things for small businesses in the community, particularly those with diverse ownership. It’s just another way that the Packers as an organization are giving back to the city and the state that they call home, and it’s a model program that other organizations could aspire to.

Meanwhile, the team’s head coach served as more of a direct mentor for someone who used to play for him. Sean Mannion went to LaFleur for advice a while back when looking to get into coaching, in large part because LaFleur was his offensive coordinator for a year with the Los Angeles Rams. A few years later, Mannion is now working for LaFleur, achieving a quick rise to become the Packers’ quarterbacks coach.

We at APC encourage you to take some lessons from today’s curds with you and lend a helping hand to someone who’s working hard to advance in some way. It will help them, and it will probably help you as well in the long run.

Packers recognize Mentor-Protégé Program participants | Packers.com
This program "matches established mentor companies ... with protégés that are seeking to improve their competitive standing," focusing on groups that are owned by women, veterans, or minorities for the learners. The program has helped create more than 400 jobs in 46 different communities across Wisconsin in 14 years.

From NFL backup to Packers QB coach in a year, Sean Mannion is filling big shoes - The Athletic ($)
Mannion's dad was a football coach, so when he saw his playing career was likely coming to an end, he got an early start on preparing for life as a coach. With Matt LaFleur giving him advice as a bit of a mentor figure, Mannion almost got a job with the Bears, but LaFleur convinced him to come to Green Bay instead.

NFL says Tomlin was factor in Steelers’ schedule, not Rodgers - ESPN
The league’s main schedule-maker said they don’t have any inside information on whether Rodgers will sign with Pittsburgh, but they admitted that they did put Packers-Steelers on Sunday Night Football in part because of the potential for a Rodgers vs. Packers matchup.

Ravens LB Roquan Smith eager to face Bills in Week 1: 'Revenge is best served as a cold dish' | NFL.com
Oh, Roquan. He almost got the quote from Star Trek II correct, but it's actually "revenge is a dish that is best served cold.”

Nasal tanning sprays warning issued by Trading Standards | BBC
I'm sorry, people are spray-tanning their nasal passages now?

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...seriously-sean-mannion-matt-lafleur-qbs-coach

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Packers sign Tucker Kraft’s college teammate

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former South Dakota State Jackrabbit receiver Jadon Janke is now in Green Bay

On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers announced the signing of wide receiver Jadon Janke (pronounced YON-kee, per Packers.com), the former college teammate of current Packers starting tight end Tucker Kraft.

Janke is a 6’2”, 212lb receiver from South Dakota State (go Jackrabbits). He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent before the 2024 season. They released him during training camp, after which he went to the Miami Dolphins and finished up camp there before they cut him.

Janke was with the Jackrabbits from 2018-2023, getting regular offensive snaps starting in 2020. He had his best season in 2023, hauling in 60 catches (on 80 targets) for 1,005 yards and 11 TDs. In their playoff game against Albany, Janke caught 6 of his 7 targets for 151 yards.

During his time with the Jackrabbits, Janke split time evenly between lining up wide and lining up in the slot: from 2021-2023, 50.5% of Janke’s snaps were wide and 47.6% were in the slot (with the other 1.9% coming from inline or the backfield).

Jadon Janke is a WR prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 6.79 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1094 out of 3402 WR from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/FnANG4wJaP pic.twitter.com/gsKQp4wLex

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 17, 2024​

Based on his play, the RAS score for Janke isn’t a huge surprise. He shows some good initial release off the line, but doesn’t have breakaway speed down the field, as is evidenced by his 4.53 40. Decent speed, but nothing game-breaking.

He has good size and strength, but his arms are a little on the shorter side, which shows up in his blocking. He can let guys get into his body and knock him back. If Janke can get there first, he has the ability to hold the point, but there are many examples of Janke getting knocked back on initial contact and unable to recover. He’s a willing blocker and can lose slowly in those situations, but you’d like a guy like this to be able to make run blocking his bread-and-butter.

Against zone coverage, he has good recognition and is able to throttle down into the soft spots. His route-running as a whole can be a bit spotty. He sells vertical routes well, but it’s inconsistent when breaking at the top of the route. He’s not a sudden athlete, causing some rounded breaks in times when they need to be a bit sharper. He has decent stop/start ability, but the lack of long speed doesn’t always allow him to take advantage of the times he wins. He also has a tendency to get a bit pushy when trying to separate on vertical routes, resorting to the Michael Irvin two-handed shove on multiple occasions.

He has shown himself to be a sure-handed receiver. After dropping 9 passes between 2020-2021 (7.1% drop rate), he only dropped 3 passes between 2022-2023 (2.0% drop rate).

For a bit of an undersized, short-armed player, he shows himself to be surprisingly good in contested catch situations. Those can be really fun, but, due to his limitations, I don’t think that’s a skill that will really carry over for him at the NFL level.

Overall, a really fun college player that will probably bounce around on practice squads. His best path forward as a player is probably to bulk up a bit and just become a demon as a run blocker. Basically, become a smaller Allen Lazard. If he’s able to do that, there’s a spot for him, with the occasional big play down the field as a safety tries to duck around a block from him off play action. It’s a narrow path and he probably never hits it, but I enjoyed watching him.

As an added note, Jaron Janke has an identical twin, Jaxon Janke. Jaxon was also a receiver at SDSU. Jaxon is currently with the Houston Texans. Nothing major to report there, but it’s a fun story.

---

Albums listened to: Thom Yorke & Mark Pritchard - Tall Tales; Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...e-south-dakota-state-receiver-signed-analysis

 

[Green Bay Packers]

Report: Packers cornerback visitor has back concerns

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

The reason Green Bay passed on Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos in the draft is becoming clearer

The Green Bay Packers aren’t afraid to bring in players with medical red flags for an extra check in the pre-draft process. Just last draft class alone, the Packers got one last look at receiver Tory Horton (torn ACL), tackle Josh Simmons (torn patellar tendon), defensive end Elijah Roberts (broken hand), cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. (torn ACL) and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (shoulder injury) with their 30 allotted pre-draft visits.

According to ESPN, another Packers visitor — Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos — was apparently a player with medical concerns. This was not reported prior to the draft and was only first rumored last week. Amos was a two-time transfer who went from a high school quarterback to a starting cornerback at Louisiana before transferring to Alabama and then finally to Ole Miss. Amos surprised many when he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash this spring, as he was perceived to be a cornerback with elite ball skills but lacked elite deep speed on film.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Amos, who was projected to be a borderline first-round pick, is dealing with a back issue that “probably caused him to slide a bit,” according to an anonymous AFC executive who spoke to Fowler. That makes sense, considering how the 2025 draft played out.

As we wrote about after the draft, the healthy cornerbacks in this class went much higher than expected, with the final four cornerbacks picked on Day 2 of the draft being selected a combined 273 draft slots earlier than consensus draft board projections. The one, previously perceived to be healthy, non-reach on Day 2 was Amos, who stayed available until the Washington Commanders finally took him with the 61st overall pick.

So that solves that mystery. While some Packers fans were probably ripping their hair out, wondering why Green Bay passed on Amos with the 54th pick that the team ended up using on North Carolina State tackle Anthony Belton, it’s likely that general manager Brian Gutekunst did so because of medical reasons that were not previously known to the public.

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...os-back-injury-ole-miss-washington-commanders

 

[Green Bay Packers]

The Packers’ 2025 schedule release video is a fever dream...literally.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The video featured Josh Jacobs and cameos from lots of other Packers players and personalities.

Have you been dreaming of the Green Bay Packers’ schedule all week? So has Josh Jacobs! The Packers shared the team’s official schedule release video across social media this week, and it was quite literally a fever dream.

In the video, the Packers’ running back is seen dozing off and in his dream state being sent on a mission by safety Xavier McKinney to find the schedule in his dream. McKinney even says “and your piss better be scorching”, referencing the infamous hot piss quote from head coach Matt LaFleur. Things just get weirder from there...between player interactions and random internet meme moments, it’s a big ball of trippy chaos.

The “dream” includes a bunch of player cameos, old and new, including Rashan Gary acting out the iconic Kim Kardashian “there’s people that are dying” moment, Carrington Valentine playing the recorder (yes you read that right), and John Kuhn and LeRoy Butler reenacting the Chris Rock-Will Smith Oscars moment. Some other players featured include Mason Crosby, Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, and James Jones, who makes a hoodie reference.

Personally, my favorite part was the Mark Murphy cameo at Lambeau Field. He quotes an iconic Vince Lombardi line along with shouting “Get the F off of our field!” The camera pans to a giant white letter F running across the field then back to Murphy who looks at the camera and says, “That was the last one I had to give.” Perfect. 10/10. No notes.

The dream sequence also includes YouTube star and 2023 NFL Fan of the Year Tom Grossi making a cameo. The video ends with Lil Wayne waking Josh Jacobs up from this insanity of a dream and gives us Packers.com writer Wes Hodkiewicz doing his best “i like turtles” impression.

If you’re still confused, check out the video below. But I’m not sure that will make it less confusing.

Somewhere between between dreams and reality....@ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/mZvOv1sea4

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) May 14, 2025​

The Packers’ social media has often been criticized by fans for being too conservative and dated over the years, but they’ve been noticeably trying to improve it. While this release wasn’t my favorite, I will never knock them for trying something different and being willing to get weird and silly. At the very least it gave us some great content to use for memes (those Mark Murphy clips are getting saved immediately).

Source: https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/...kers-2025-schedule-release-video-social-media