Green Bay Packers: Five Positional Battles To Watch During Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers that take the field this fall will look nearly identical to the group that exited Levi’s Stadium after their NFC Championship game loss to San Francisco.

Green Bay is expected to bring back 19 of 22 starters and all three specialists from last year’s team that finished 14-4 overall and came within one game of the Super Bowl.

Still, there are a handful of positional battles to keep an eye on throughout training camp. Here’s a look at five of those.

Right guard

Billy Turner vs. Lane Taylor

Analysis: Turner started 16 games for the first time in his career in 2019 and had a respectable year. Pro Football Focus ranked Turner No. 36 among all guards in the NFL.

In 1,076 snaps, Turner allowed six sacks and had two penalties. And while Turner was Green Bay’s weakest starter up front, he was a huge upgrade from Byron Bell and Justin McCray in 2018.

Taylor started at left guard from 2016-18 and was the opening day starter there in 2019. He suffered a torn biceps just two games into the 2019 campaign, though, and spent the rest of the year on the injured reserve list.

Taylor restructured his contract this offseason, which saved the Packers nearly $3 million in salary cap space and saved him from being released.

Now, it appears the left guard battle could be a doozy.

“Lane started off the season last year for us, I thought he did some really nice things,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said of Taylor. “He’s an athletic, experienced player, there’s no substitute for that.”

Predicted started: Taylor

Right tackle

Ricky Wagner vs. Billy Turner

Analysis: Wagner was released by Detroit on March 13, then signed a two-year, $11 million contract with Green Bay.

Green Bay is counting on Wagner to fill the enormous shoes left behind by previous right tackle Bryan Bulaga. But Wagner is coming off a season in which he ranked just 62^nd overall among offensive tackles according to Pro Football Focus.

Turner played both tackle and guard before coming to Green Bay as a free agent in 2019. Turner (6-5, 310) has measurables better suited for tackle and is also two years younger than Wagner.

“Every year it’s a competition at every position,” Wagner said. “There’s no guarantees that you’re going to start anywhere. So, just got to go out there and prove that I can win that starting job and I’m happy for that opportunity.”

Predicted started: Turner

No. 2 running back

Jamaal Williams vs. A.J. Dillon

Analysis: Williams is the only player in franchise history to register 400-plus rushing yards and 200-plus receiving yards in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Williams averaged a career-best 4.3 yards per carry last year. He also caught a career-high 39 passes and set a new personal-best with five receiving touchdowns.

Williams is tough, physical and remarkably consistent. He’s played in 46 of a possible 48 games, never fumbled, is a terrific blocker and has caught 75.8% of the passes thrown his way.

Williams will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, though, and could be traded for a future draft pick.

The 6-foot-1, 247-pound Dillon is cut from the same cloth as bruisers such as Tennessee’s Derrick Henry and former Pittsburgh great Jerome Bettis.

Dillon set school records with 4,382 yards and 38 touchdowns in three seasons at Boston College before leaving school early. Dillon eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing each of his three seasons with the Eagles, highlighted by a 2019 season in which he ran for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Dillon then shocked many by running the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the NFL Combine.

Predicted No. 2: Dillon (if Williams is traded)

Inside linebacker

Oren Burks vs. Kamal Martin

Analysis: The Packers need someone to line up inside next to free agent acquisition Christian Kirksey.

Burks, a third-round draft choice in 2018, has been a non-factor in his first two years. Burks played just 57 snaps and had only six tackles in 2019, giving him a two-year total of 30 tackles and 179 defensive snaps.

Burks (6-3, 233) was a safety at Vanderbilt and was lauded for his coverage abilities. But those haven’t been evident, and he’s been a major liability against the run.

He’s down to his last chance in Green Bay.

Martin, a fifth-round draft pick in April, was an outside linebacker in Minnesota’s 4-3 scheme, but projects inside at the next level.

Martin (6-3, 240) has terrific length and decent range, which could allow him to cover some. But without in-person OTA’s and mini-camp this offseason, it might take additional time for rookies like Martin to get up to speed.

Predicted starter: Burks

Defensive end

Tyler Lancaster vs. Kingsley Keke

Analysis: Lancaster, who went undrafted in 2018, passed Montravius Adams as the No. 3 defensive lineman last season. Lancaster made 10 starts, had 30 tackles, 1.5 sacks, but is limited.

Keke played just 94 out of 1,040 defensive snaps during the regular season (9.0%). In the final four games, Keke played only 14 out of 261 snaps (5.4%).

Keke is quick, moves well and plays with great effort. There’s reason to believe he could take a major jump in his second season and pass players like Lancaster.

“Not only he can stop the run, I think he can be a really good rusher,” Packers nose tackle Kenny Clark said of Keke. “He’s really athletic, has a lot of ability.

“You know, I’m not going to sit here and try to hype him up and all that kind of stuff. I just want all the guys to come in being ready to work and to do their part and just make us, make the defensive line better. And I think Keke’s going to be a huge part of the plan doing that.

Predicted starter: Keke