Packers Training Camp Week 1 Takeaways

Week one of the Green Bay Packers training camp is officially in the books, and while it’s still early, a few storylines are already beginning to separate themselves from the rest. Some preseason questions have started to answer themselves, while others have only become more concerning.

The biggest headline out of 1265 Lombardi Avenue? Matthew Golden looks every bit like the breakout star Packers fans have been hoping for.

On the other side of the ball, however, the cornerback room continues to raise concerns. Injuries and inconsistent play have left plenty of questions surrounding the secondary, while the tight end room suddenly looks much thinner than expected behind Tucker Kraft.

Training camp is still just getting started, but after the first week, here are my biggest stock-up and stock-down players.

Matthew Golden Has Arrived

Perhaps no player generated more buzz during the first week of camp than Matthew Golden.

Whether it was a 40-yard contested catch or a 50-yard touchdown from Jordan Love, Golden seemed to make a highlight play almost every practice. More importantly, it wasn’t just splash plays—it was consistency. Time and time again, reports out of training camp described Golden creating separation, winning at every level of the field, and quickly becoming one of Jordan Love’s most trusted targets.

At times, he’s looked virtually uncoverable.

It’s still only training camp, but all signs point toward a massive Year 2 breakout. If Golden becomes the true No. 1 receiving threat this offense has been searching for, it could completely change the ceiling of Green Bay’s passing attack.

Week 1 Stock Up

Jordan Morgan

Sometimes the best news is no news.

After an up-and-down start to his NFL career while bouncing between positions, Jordan Morgan has quietly put together an excellent first week of training camp. Reports have been relatively quiet—and for an offensive lineman, that’s usually exactly what you want to hear.

Morgan has spent most of camp working with the first-team offense at left tackle and appears to be taking full advantage of the opportunity. During one-on-one drills, he held his own against Lukas Van Ness and Colin Oliver, only giving up one notable loss to Barryn Sorrell.

The Packers drafted Morgan to protect Jordan Love’s blind side. Early on, he certainly looks like he’s settling into the position he was always meant to play.

Tucker Kraft

The activation of Tucker Kraft from the PUP list was one of the biggest pieces of positive news from the first week of camp.

With Micah Parsons expected to miss time recovering from his ACL injury, the offense will likely need to carry this football team through the early part of the season. Having Kraft available for Week 1 immediately makes that task much easier.

Unfortunately, there still hasn’t been much of an update regarding Luke Musgrave, leaving the Packers surprisingly thin at tight end behind Kraft. Josh Whyle will likely receive plenty of opportunities throughout camp, but Green Bay will certainly hope Musgrave can return sooner rather than later—especially entering a contract year where he has plenty to prove.

Colin Oliver

One player who continues to make plays every single day is Colin Oliver.

With Micah Parsons sidelined, Oliver has taken advantage of the extra opportunities and has consistently flashed as a pass rusher. Whether it’s getting into the backfield or creating pressure, his name seems to come up after every practice.

The biggest question will always be whether he’s big enough to consistently hold up against the run, but there’s no denying the pass-rush ability. If he continues this trajectory, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him carve out meaningful defensive snaps early in the season.

Week 1 Stock Down

Keisean Nixon

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before—Keisean Nixon getting beat in coverage.

Unfortunately, that’s been one of the recurring themes during the first week of training camp.

Whether it’s Matthew Golden or another receiver, Nixon has found himself on the wrong end of too many highlight plays. After what many expected to be a bouncackers Training Camp Week 1: Stock Up, Stock Downe-back summer, his inconsistent coverage has only reinforced concerns that followed him throughout last season.

You always root for players like Nixon, especially considering everything he’s contributed on special teams, but the writing may be on the wall. Unless things change quickly, this could very well be his final season in Green Bay.

Carrington Valentine

Another cornerback whose stock has taken a hit is Carrington Valentine.

Entering the final year of his rookie contract, this was an important camp for Valentine to prove he deserved both a starting role and a second contract. Instead, a lower-leg injury has forced him to watch from the sidelines while others capitalize on the extra opportunities.

No player has benefited more than rookie Brandon Cisse.

After putting together several strong practices, Cisse suddenly looks like the favorite to earn the CB2 job. With Nixon still projected to start opposite Benjamin St-Juste and Green Bay adding more depth at cornerback, you have to wonder how expendable Valentine has become.

If Cisse continues his strong play, don’t be surprised if another cornerback-needy team calls Brian Gutekunst before roster cutdowns. Rather than risk losing Valentine for nothing after the season, Green Bay could decide to move him while he still has value.

Trey Smack’s Growing Pains

Rookie kickers rarely have smooth transitions to the NFL, and Trey Smack is finding that out quickly.

The young kicker has struggled from longer distances throughout the first week of camp, particularly from beyond 45 yards. The struggles became noticeable enough that Smack reportedly deactivated his social media accounts to focus entirely on football.

While Packers fans naturally wanted a veteran competing alongside him, Green Bay clearly believes removing Brandon McManus eliminated unnecessary pressure and allows Smack to develop without constantly looking over his shoulder.

The inconsistency is certainly concerning, especially for a team with playoff aspirations, but it’s also important to remember that we’re only one week into camp. Young kickers often need time to adjust to the speed, pressure, and expectations of the NFL.

There’s plenty of work left to do, but it’s far too early to panic. Hopefully these are simply early growing pains that Smack can work through before the regular season begins.