The Green Bay Packers have opened training camp and are preparing for the 2026 NFL season. This represents the start of a new year. The Packers have some great traditions at training camp highlighted by the players riding kids’ bicycles to and from the practice field and a number of practices that are open to fans. Here are five things to look for at Packers training camp in 2026 that will have a major impact on the season. They are not listed in any particular order.
Five Things to Look for at Packers Training Camp, Number One: The Health of Key Players
Last year, the Packers season was derailed by injuries to some of their best players. Now, many of them will be returning but the big question is when.
Tucker Kraft said he expects to be ready for Week 1 without any limitations, but he was one of six players the Packers announced would be starting training camp on injury lists along with Kamal Hadden, Chris Brooks, Aaron Banks, Luke Musgrave, and Javon Hargrave. The Packers can activate these players any time during training camp.
Meanwhile, Zach Tom and Devonte Wyatt, who both suffered season ending injuries last year, are not on the list.
The Packers will place Micah Parsons on the PUP list any time now according to published reports. He is expected to miss at least the first month of the season and possibly closer to two months. His return will be a big key for the defense.
Monitoring the health of these returning players plus oft-injured players like MarShawn Lloyd will be important to the Packers success this season.
Number Two: Adjusting to a New Defensive Coordinator
The Packers have a new defensive coordinator in Jonathan Gannon. He replaces Jeff Hafley who is now the head coach of the Dolphins.
Gannon has utilized various defenses over the course of his coaching career depending on the available talent. Regardless of what system Gannon chooses to run in Green Bay, the Packers will need time to learn the defense and get to the point where they are reacting and not thinking about where they need to be.
The Packers have an advantage thanks for their schedule. Early in the season, the team will not face any elite quarterbacks. That will give them some time to learn the new defense before they are challenged by better opponents midseason. Of course, they also have to get through the early part of the schedule without Parsons.
The quicker the team picks up Gannon’s defense, the more effective they will likely be. We’ll see how Gannon handles this opportunity with the Packers and how the defense responds.
Five Things to Look for at Packers Training Camp, Number Three: The Cornerback Battle
Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine enter training camp as the team’s starting boundary corners. The team signed free agent Benjamin St-Juste and added Brandon Cisse with their second-round pick in this year’s draft. Now there will be a battle for the two starting spots. Neither Nixon nor Valentine tackles well and the Packers lack a legitimate top cover corner.
How quickly will Cisse pick up the defense and be ready for substantial playing time? Will St-Juste or Cisse overtake the incumbents to win a starting job or at least substantial playing time?
As of now, cornerback has to be considered a weakness on this roster. How quickly the newcomers improve this position group will be important.
Number Four: The Kicker Battle
The Packers released kicker Lucas Havrisik on Tuesday and signed Lenny Kreig. Because Kreig was born in Germany, he is eligible for the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. That means he could be kept on the team’s practice squad as an extra player beyond their usual allowance.
Clearly, the Packers want sixth-round pick Trey Smack to win the kicking job. Smack possesses a strong leg and was remarkably consistent even from beyond 50 yards in college. He will have to adjust to kicking in the windy and cold conditions at Lambeau Field after spending his college career at the University of Florida.
Kicker has been a problem area for the Packers in recent seasons, and this battle will be closely watched throughout training camp.
Five Things to Look for at Packers Training Camp, Number Five: Changes on Special Teams
Special teams have been a big problem for the Packers for far too long. Rich Bisaccia walked away from the team this offseason and the Packers hired Cam Achord to replace him.
The Packers field goal and extra point protection teams, kick and punt return units and coverage groups all need massive improvement. Can Achord improve these units? One area to start is reducing penalties and costly mental errors that cost the team at least three wins in 2025.
The Packers also have a new return specialist in Skyy Moore who should solidify and upgrade that aspect of the game.
It will take the team some time to get comfortable in Achord’s system, but improving special teams will be vital for this team.
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