GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers' 2026 training camp runs from July 29 to Aug. 26 at Ray Nitschke Field near Lambeau Field.
Matt LaFleur is back for an eighth season as coach after signing a contract extension despite a second straight first-round playoff exit. However, he has two new coordinators. On defense, Jonathan Gannon replaced Jeff Hafley, who became the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. On special teams, Cam Achord replaced Rich Bisaccia, who caught the Packers by surprise when he resigned more than a month after the season.
It's Year 4 of the Jordan Love era, and while the Packers have made the playoffs in each of his first three seasons as the starter, there is pressure on both the coaches and the quarterback to take this team further.
Here's a closer look at what we're watching at camp:
How can they avoid another late-season collapse?
The Packers were 9-3-1 and had a nine-point lead in the third quarter of their Week 15 game at the Denver Broncos, who would go on to be the top seed in the AFC. That's when it all crumbled. The Packers lost to the Broncos and didn't win another game the rest of the way, ending the season on a five-game losing streak.
The Broncos game wasn't the only one they gave away. They blew fourth-quarter leads in two losses to the Bears in Week 16 and the wild-card game. LaFleur has talked all offseason about finishing games better, but that's not exactly something you can practice in a tangible way.
Three players to watch
TE Tucker Kraft. The budding star tight end said he expects to start Week 1 without any limitations, but to do that he will have to get some work in during training camp after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair his right ACL, which he tore in Week 9. That doesn't necessarily mean he needs to play in a preseason game. In fact, he probably won't, but the Packers are going to want to see him practice before the week of the opener at Minnesota.
RT Zach Tom. The Packers believe their right tackle is their best offensive lineman, but he's coming off a season in which he tried to play through injuries before ultimately shutting it down and missing the last four games. He underwent knee surgery to repair a partially torn patella tendon and did not practice during the offseason program. The Packers need Tom to return at the top of his game to settle an offensive line that struggled last season.
LB Zaire Franklin and DT Javon Hargrave: This is technically more than three players, but Franklin and Hargrave can be linked together because they're new to the Packers' defense. The Packers traded for Franklin to replace Quay Walker, who left in free agency, and they signed Hargrave because they needed a veteran presence on the defensive line. It's no coincidence that both have played for Gannon at earlier points in their careers. Gannon is part of the reason they're in Green Bay.
Key position battles
Cornerback: The Packers still believe Keisean Nixon is a top-line corner even though he is scheduled to make only $5 million this season, which ranks 34th among cornerbacks. But who will play on the other side in the base defense? The Packers hoped it would be Nate Hobbs, but they cut him this offseason only one year into a four-year, $48 million contract. They used their top draft pick (a second-rounder) on cornerback Brandon Cisse after signing Benjamin St-Juste to a modest free agent deal (two years, $10 million with a $3 million signing bonus). Carrington Valentine, who finished last season as the No. 2 corner, could also be in the mix. They also drafted a second cornerback, Domani Jackson (sixth round).
Kicker: The Packers were so sure rookie Trey Smack will be their opening-day kicker that they cut veteran Brandon McManus shortly after they drafted Smack in the sixth round despite paying McManus a $1 million roster bonus in March. Smack had a couple of rough days in offseason practices with multiple missed kicks, so he's going to have to prove he can do the job. The Packers kept a second kicker, Lucas Havrisik, on the offseason roster and the expectation is that there will be a head-to-head competition throughout the preseason.
Keep an eye on: Gannon in the DC role
Though Gannon failed as a head coach in Arizona, the last time he was a defensive coordinator, he was coaching the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Gannon plans to use a base 3-4 scheme, which could give Micah Parsons even more positional flexibility once he is cleared to return from last year's ACL surgery. Hafley was well-liked by his players, so Gannon has big shoes to fill in that regard.
Packers' 53-man roster projection
QB (2): Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor
RB (3): Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks
WR (6): Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, Skyy Moore (kick returner)
TE (3): Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle
OL (9): Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Anthony Belton, Zach Tom, Darian Kinnard, Jager Burton, Jacob Monk, Travis Glover
The Packers could keep a fourth running back (Pierre Strong Jr.), a 10th offensive lineman (Donovan Jennings, Brant Banks or John Williams) and/or a fourth tight end (Messiah Swinson).
EDGE (5): Lukas Van Ness, Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Collin Oliver
DT (6): Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Javon Hargrave, Warren Brinson, Chris McClellan, Nazir Stackhouse
LB (5): Zaire Franklin, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty'Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann
CB (5): Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, Domani Jackson
S (5): Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo, Jonathan Baldwin II
With Micah Parsons expected to start the season on PUP, the Packers will have to keep five edge rushers. It could be Arron Mosby instead of Cox or Oliver. At linebacker, Niemann and Kristian Welch are special teams aces and could be interchangeable.
SPECIALISTS (4): Lucas Havrisik (K), Trey Smack (K), Daniel Whelan (P), Matt Orzech (LS).
This is what happens when you draft a kicker in the sixth round, but he's too inconsistent to be the guy right away. So perhaps the Packers will start the season with Havrisik as the guy while Smack develops.
