The Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur have opened up training camp ahead of what they hope will be a Super Bowl contending season.
Last year, they appeared to be one of the top teams in the NFL. Unfortunately, no one will ever know what the team was actually capable of accomplishing. Injuries completely derailed the Packers’ season in the second half of the year.
Entering the offseason, LaFleur’s name was brought up a lot in hot seat rumblings. Green Bay opted to keep him around, but he is facing a lot of pressure this season.
With that being said, LaFleur has sent a clear warning to his own team early on during training camp. He isn’t happy with one specific thing that has been happening during practices thus far.
Matt LaFleur Sends Clear Warning to Green Bay Packers’ Defense
On Monday, LaFleur spoke to reports. He made it very clear that he isn’t happy with how close pass rushers have been coming to his quarterbacks.
“Had too many guys in the QB’s lap,” LaFleur said. “That was stressed this morning. Just veer off. There will be a time and place for that — the first preseason game.”
At the end of the day, it’s good news and bad news for the Packers. Without Micah Parsons on the field, Green Bay will need the remaining pass rush to step up until he returns. Hearing that the group is getting after the quarterback aggressively is a good thing.
On the flip side, the Packers simply cannot afford to have injuries start to pile up during training camp. After ending last season with a plethora of injury problems, they can’t have friendly fire injuries popping up.
LaFleur has nipped that issue before it became a problem.
What Does the Packers’ Pass Rush Look Like This Season?
Obviously, Green Bay is anxiously awaiting the return of Parsons to its lineup. At this point in time, it appears that Parsons should return to the field sometime between Week 6 and Week 10.
Before that time arrives, the Packers will be relying on unproven pass rusher.
Most notably, former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness will need to play a key role. He has shown flashes of potential since being the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Outside of Van Ness, there are a few other players to keep an eye on.
Those players are Karl Brooks, Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Collin Oliver.
Brian Gutekunst appears to have decided against pursuing a veteran option before the season. That could change, but Green Bay appears comfortable with the current roster. Hopefully, that gamble pays off for the Packers.
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