NOW it's officially football season.
The Green Bay Packers will play their first game since winning Super Bowl XLV when they take on the Browns in Cleveland on Saturday night. While the preseason contest has no official meaning, there will be plenty to watch for tomorrow.
These five headlines will be broken down in a post tomorrow following the game.
Which cornerbacks will step up with top three battling injuries?
Starters Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams both worked with the scout team rather than the first team Thursday night, which could indicate that they will sit out Saturday night. Sam Shields was injured on the second to last play of practice last night and reserves Davon House and Brandian Ross have missed the entire practice week battling hamstring injuries.
That leaves just Jarrett Bush, Josh Gordy and Pat Lee as the only three healthy cornerbacks for Saturday night. While head coach Mike McCarthy said there is a chance a few of the injured cornerbacks will be ready for Saturday night, this is a huge opportunity for Gordy and Ross (if he can play).
Brandon Underwood's tenure in Green Bay is likely over as he is expected to miss two weeks with a knee injury, and that could open up an extra spot at the position. Both Gordy and Ross have played well but, if Gordy can play well with the first team defense, it could give him the upper hand in making the roster.
Healthy? 2010 injured can prove it tomorrow night
Starters likely will not play much tomorrow night, but the time they do see will mark the first game action players like Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Morgan Burnett, Brad Jones, Mike Neal and Marshall Newhouse have had since early 2010.
All of the above are expected to play tomorrow night and have not missed any time in training camp, but seeing it on the field in live game action should erase any doubts.
It will be nice to see a fully healthy Packers team for the first time since the second quarter of Week 1 last season.
Linebackers, linebackers, linebackers
There is still plenty to be determined at the linebacker position, both inside and outside. First, Erik Walden has taken the majority of the first team reps on defense at ROLB, with Frank Zombo and Brad Jones behind him. It is Walden's job to lose, yet McCarthy says all three will be rotating throughout games regardless of who is out there for the first play of the game.
Inside, the Packers have very little depth behind starters A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. Robert Francois and sixth round draft choice D.J. Smith are behind both on the depth chart, with undrafted free agent rookies Cardia Jackson and Elijah Joseph rounding out the depth chart. The Packers will need insurance behind Hawk and Bishop this year, and tomorrow night will begin to show if the Packers have it.
Left guard position still up for grabs
Derek Sherrod has taken the majority of repetitions at left guard in training camp, but third year lineman T.J. Lang is following close behind. The Packers seem ready to make Sherrod, the No. 30 overall pick in this year's draft, the fill-in for Daryn Colledge even though, long-term, he projects as the heir apparent to left tackle Chad Clifton. Sherrod has performed well playing left guard for the first time in his life and Lang has also been consistent. This could be a competition to watch up until the final week of training camp.
Tight end position battle quietly heating up
Slowly but surely, the tight end position battle is becoming one of the most intriguing on the team. Jermichael Finley is in a class of his own, but backups Andrew Quarless, Tom Crabtree, Spencer Havner, D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor will battle for three of four roster spots.
A year ago, the Packers kept four tight ends on their roster and are expected to do so again in 2011. McCarthy says he plans to use his tight ends in the backfield, which could warrant keeping even a fifth tight end. Quarless and Crabtree have the inside edge because of their experience, but Havner provides versatility, Williams has shown great hands early in training camp, and Taylor was a two-time special teams captain for the North Carolina Tar Heels. While the roster spots are all but set (Finley, Quarless, Crabtree, Williams expected to make the roster), there is plenty of playing time up for grabs over the next four weeks.
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