3 Green Bay Packers Players to Watch at OTAs

The Green Bay Packers have plenty of positional battles to watch for this offseason. Organized team activities this week will give fans their first chance to see what Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff could be thinking when it comes to lineups.

Given how youthful the roster is projected to be, some young players will be worth keeping an eye on. One such player is rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. The No. 45 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was the first player at his position off the board this year.

With linebackers being devalued around the league, the Green Bay Packers benefitted from getting a great player at incredible value. Cooper should be in the starting lineup in Week 1, making him a player to keep an eye on.

First-team reps are already being taken by him at OTAs, but there are still parts of his game that need improvement. He has the tools to be an every-down player but needs to refine his body and skill set to find success on early downs against the run.

Another young defensive player to watch is Lukas Van Ness. The Green Bay Packers first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is expected to take a second-year leap in 2024. After being brought along slowly early in his rookie campaign, he picked up four sacks in the final eight games.

In 2024, his role is going to expand even more. He creates a solid pass-rushing trio along with Rashan Gary and Preston Smith for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to rely on. Playing defensive end instead of standup linebacker, Van Ness should be much more comfortable this season.

Last but not least, running back MarShawn Lloyd will garner attention in OTAs. A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC, Lloyd has been spoken highly of by the coaching staff since being selected.

An explosive athlete, he has a chance to be the third-down back for the Green Bay Packers out of the gate. He wasn’t used often in the passing game at USC but averaged an eye-popping 17.8 yards per reception last season.

Josh Jacobs will be the starting running back, but Lloyd will get his chances too. AJ Dillon was re-signed this offseason but Lloyd can overtake him for the No. 2 job on the depth chart behind Jacobs.