We are now through two weeks of training camp for most teams, and the NFC North is one of the more intriguing divisions to take a look at.
Three of the four teams have young quarterbacks that haven't met their potential as of yet. Jordan Love is going into his third season as the starter with questions hovering over his head, Caleb Williams has everything in front of him to succeed, and J.J. McCarthy is going into his first year as a starter with arguably the best supporting cast and coaching staff in the game.
There are a lot of intriguing storylines with each team with one that stands out above the rest.
How J.J. McCarthy's training camp has gone will depend on who you ask. There have been some really good moments when he's been throwing the football, but some major struggles as well. The reality is very simple: Brian Flores' defense has destroyed the offense for the majority of training camp.
There are two big takeaways here: McCarthy will learn a ton from his struggles against one of the league's best defenses, and it's normal for the offense to be behind early on during training camp. McCarthy's been consistent in his process, even if the results haven't been there. He had one of his best days on Saturday, and building on that will be key to his success this season.
JJ McCarthy comfortably steps up into the pocket and dumps it off to Jalen Nailor for 10 yards.
— Skol Geek (@SkolGeek) August 3, 2025
Sorry, I don’t think I posted this one. pic.twitter.com/Ld9LlwHYUy
The biggest storyline around Green Bay is how smooth Matthew Golden has been. It's obviously early in the process to be sure about what the first-round wide receiver will be in the NFL, but it's clear he looks more ready than a regular rookie receiver. The Packers are leaning into his ability as a consequence. On Family Night, nobody had more snaps as an outside receiver than Golden, showing that, unlike Jayden Reed, he can be on the field for the majority of snaps, even in 12 personnel. Golden has strong hands and his release technique is impressive. Jordan Love needs a reliable playmaker in the passing game, and the initial indications are everything the Packers could have hoped for when they took a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002.
The hands on Matthew Golden on full display. pic.twitter.com/EtC0oFCep1
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) August 3, 2025
Throughout the first two weeks of training camp, this continues to be a burning question for this entire team. Going into camp, we all knew it would take time for Ben Johnson to install his new, extensive, and highly-detailed offensive scheme and for the players to be able to execute it flawlessly. Yet, over the last few days, we’ve heard Johnson use the words “disappointed” and “sloppier” when talking about his unit. Frustrating minor hiccups persist for this unit and time is ticking. And the issues have nothing to do with the Dennis Allen led defense lining up across from the unit, the heavy majority of these issues are caused by incorrect pre-snap alignments or delay of games, silly errors that should be cleaned up with more reps.
And yet, by the end of this week, the Miami Dolphins are coming to town for a joint practice on Friday followed by a preseason game on Sunday. Everyone on the offensive side of the ball needs to be locked in by that point to help prove things are headed in the right direction. As Johnson said on Sunday, if these issues continue, “we’re not going to win many games.”
Ben Johnson cooks up a misdirection TD to Cole Kmet from Caleb Williams
— Dave (@dave_bfr) August 3, 2025
Defense was very confused
pic.twitter.com/WxdUJ7wIPq
The big storyline in Detroit right now is who is going to be this team's backup quarterback. So far, it's not going well at all. Kyle Allen had looked good at camp, but then threw two really bad picks in the Hall of Fame game. Hendon Hooker didn't do any better at all. He ended the night with 18 passing yards and a pick. Now, everyone is wondering if the Lions wind up trying to bring in another quarterback. If their second preseason game is as bad, they might have to.
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