Green Bay Packers rookie watch and final preseason thoughts |

Looking back at the feelings of last season compared to this season, it couldn’t be more different. The 2023 Packers had just let one of the greatest players in franchise history go. They had no idea what they had at quarterback, no idea what the defense would do, and no idea if the head coach was capable of leading a team without Aaron Rodgers at the helm.

Then the season began. First with the usual high point of beating the Bears, and then within a month or two, half the fans were busy drafting quarterbacks. We don’t need to rehash the rest of the season, but it’s worth mentioning in contrast to what was expected this season.

This season, Green Bay is considered a potential Super Bowl contender. The quarterback is the highest-paid player in league history. And we still have no idea what to expect from the defense. So maybe things aren’t different after all.

Still, it’s hard not to notice that there’s a completely different atmosphere on this team. The players have talked time and time again about how close the team feels, and it shows in the way they interact with each other. What I’m saying is that I expect this team to come out of the season much stronger than in years past. Now let’s take a look at the rookies who have stood out early in the season.

The outstanding achievements:

Javon Bullard, security, Georgia.

Bullard hasn’t made the spectacular plays that another player on this list has, but he’s been exactly what the Green Bay Packers hoped he would be. Since the start of training camp, Bullard has been almost exclusively at 1 alongside Xavier McKinney. One of the biggest weaknesses on the roster last year was that the safety position needed reinforcements beyond McKinney. Bullard has stepped in and given the team confidence that he can be that reinforcement in Jeff Hafley’s system. And besides, how can you watch that and not be there?

Evan Williams, S, Oregon.

If Bullard was the proverbial steak, then Williams was the sizzle.

The Green Bay Packers had a poor defense by many measures last year. What probably didn’t help was the mediocre number of turnovers the team committed. One hopes the scheme change helps, but without the right players, that won’t mean much. Five interceptions is nothing to sneeze at, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him and Bullard share the field.

The disappointments

Jordan Morgan, T, Arizona

Let me preface this by saying that this is partly due to injury. That being said, it seems to be tradition now for Gutekunst’s first-rounders to start slow. After a seemingly brief tryout as a LT, Morgan seemed to be firmly established as a RG. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him for several weeks. Now that spot between him and former third-rounder Sean Rhyan seems to be up in the air.

MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC

Much like Morgan, injuries have dampened Lloyd’s enthusiasm after practice. As a third-round pick, the hope was that he would take the RB2 spot away from AJ Dillon. Now that Dillon is on the injured list for the season, the team has to hope that Lloyd returns soon. Given the recurring issues that hamstring injuries can cause, the team will likely be extra cautious with him.

With only one week left, the Green Bay Packers will be excited to see what this roster can do, especially if they find something in a different draft class.