Packers' improved depth to bring out best in their players (2024)

JASON WILDEFor Lee Newspapers

GREEN BAY — One of the first things Matt LaFleur did when he became the Green Bay Packers head coach in 2019 was install a basketball hoop in the team meeting room.

He’d stolen the idea from his old boss, Dan Quinn, the Atlanta Falcons head coach (and now Washington Commanders head coach) who’d done the same thing at the Falcons’ facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., holding free-throw shooting contests and head-to-head games of H-O-R-S-E among players on a daily basis.

The idea, LaFleur explained, was to immediately instill a culture of constant competition at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

So, before we get carried away, let’s not act like competition is some sort of newfangled idea at Packers headquarters.

But, five years later, there has been an undeniable uptick in the emphasis on competition once again, spurred on by general manager Brian Gutekunst’s commitment to what seems like a perpetual youth movement on the roster.

That continued during the 2024 NFL Draft, which wrapped up Saturday evening with the Packers having added 11 more rookies to what had already been the league’s youngest roster last season, when Green Bay went a surprising 9-8 and won a first-round playoff game in a rebuilding year.

Which might explain why the most frequently mentioned word during the three-day draft wasn’t “potential,” or “talented,” or “athletic, or “best player available.”

It was “competition.” By far.

“I hope so. We’re going to try to do that each and every year moving forward. That’s always the goal,” Gutekunst replied when asked after the draft ended whether the 2024 roster might be the most competitive of his seven years as GM.

“I think maybe (it’s a function of) learning a little bit last year about giving guys opportunities and allowing that competition to take place — how that can positively affect your football team. Not only in training camp, but all the way through the season as well.

“I’m excited for this group to join our veteran guys and see where they go. But I do think, for the most part, most of our rooms are going to be highly competitive.”

During the draft’s first two days, Gutekunst picked five players: Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan (No. 25 overall) in the first round; Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (No. 45) and Georgia safety Javon Bullard (No. 58) in the second; and USC running back MarShawn Lloyd (No. 88) and Missouri linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper (No. 91) in the third.

Then, on Saturday, he added six more: Oregon safety Evan Williams (No. 111) in the fourth round; Duke offensive lineman Jacob Monk (No. 163) and Oregon State safety Kitan Oladapo (No. 169) in the fifth round; Georgia State offensive lineman Travis Glover (No. 202) in the sixth round; and Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt (No. 245) and Penn State cornerback Kalen King (No. 255) in the seventh round.

The 11-player class means Gutekunst has made a league-high 35 selections over the past three drafts, infusing the roster with both youth and competition at virtually every position.

“I think (competition) is been something that we’ve always tried to do, and maybe it’s come to fruition with who we’ve added here over the last couple drafts,” vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, one of Gutekunst’s top lieutenants, said. “Comfort in this game is your greatest enemy. None of these guys are comfortable. So yes, that is something that we’ve tried to focus on.

“It’s a young man’s game. I certainly think you want to avoid getting old. A couple of years ago, we were aging. I think you could see that. You’ve got to factor that into your practice week. It takes guys longer to recover, so on and so forth.

“So yeah, it’s a young man’s game. I think anybody that has been in this business will tell you that. But I don’t think you want 52 rookies out there, either.”

Perhaps not, but this draft class will have immediate competition at certain positions, just like last year, when Gutekunst drafted three wide receivers (for the second consecutive year) and two tight ends to continue ratcheting up the competition level in those rooms.

This year’s draft included three safeties (Bullard, Williams and Oladapo), two linebackers (Cooper and Hopper), and three offensive linemen (Morgan, Monk and Glover).

And with the team entering into Phase II of its offseason program — with a brief hiatus for the post-draft rookie minicamp next weekend — let the competition commence.

“I don’t necessarily think something changed. I’m a firm believer that you can never have enough competition. It’s going to bring out the best in somebody in that room,” LaFleur said. “I do think when our guys are pushing one another, they’re going to get better. So that’s what we’re really excited about.

“I think we’re got a lot of competition, and it doesn’t just pertain to the defensive backfield or the inside backers. Look at our wide receivers. Our O-line. Shoot, our running backs, tight ends. Everybody is competing for snaps, for balls, and I just think we’re going to be in a better place because of that.

“That’s always the goal, is to bring in as much talent as possible. Now it’s our job to maximize the talent and try to push these guys to new limits, but we certainly added — especially in some areas where we really needed it — added a lot of competition.”