Latest news with #MattLaFleur
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Packers' Matt LaFleur reveals intriguing experiment
The post Packers' Matt LaFleur reveals intriguing experiment appeared first on ClutchPoints. Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur just revealed an intriguing experiment his team is participating in. The franchise is coming off another encouraging season, which saw it make the playoffs again. LaFleur has now led Green Bay to the postseason in five out of his six years in charge. Advertisement However, last year ended in somewhat disappointing fashion with a Wild Card round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers now look forward to a 2025 season in which they aim to take that next championship-level step. And this team is already taking some big swings with certain players. LaFleur recently detailed to Packers Wire editor Zach Kruse what the team is doing with defensive end Lukas Van Ness. Kruse additionally broke down the 23-year-old's background with the franchise and why this bold move should likely pay off. 'Van Ness, a first-round pick from the 2023 draft, got reps inside as a rusher during Tuesday's team periods at OTAs, and coach Matt LaFleur said the Packers could use Van Ness there at specific times during the regular season. Advertisement ''I think, situationally, you can do that (play Van Ness inside),' LaFleur said. 'In known passing situations there's some thought around that. A lot of it is going to be dependent upon everyone else as well. Lukas has shown a lot of growth. I'm excited to see him once we get pads on.' 'According to PFF's tracking data, Van Ness played only 20 snaps as an interior player during the 2024 season and just three as a rookie in 2023. But the former Iowa Hawkeye isn't lacking experience inside—Van Ness was used primarily as an interior rusher during his first collegiate season before moving to the edge in 2022.' A legit interior pass rush can completely blow a game up against any opponent. Van Ness has seven career sacks to his name, but it seems like there is another level to his game. At 6-foot-5, 272 pounds with a 4.58 40-yard dash time, the 2023 No. 13 overall pick could be due for a breakout year in 2025 with a change upfront. Overall, expectations are suitably high for the Packers despite a daunting schedule. Matchups against the nine playoff teams from last season are looming, and there will be plenty of potent offenses to boot. This franchise has been building the right way in the post-Aaron Rodgers era for years now. It's time to take that next step.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sankey discusses potential changes to CFP format
Analyzing the timeline of the tush push vote Dan Patrick looks back on his conversation with Matt LaFleur about the tush push and analyzes the timeline surrounding the NFL-wide vote on banning the play. 8:40 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Packers Key Starter Surprisingly Named 'Most Obvious' Trade Chip
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers are looking to take the next step during the 2025 NFL season. Over the last two years, they have been a borderline contender in the NFC, but have come up short in the playoffs. During the offseason, the Packers were not as aggressive as many expected them to be. However, they did add two key pieces in NFL free agency with offensive lineman Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs joining the team. In the 2025 NFL Draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst went heavy on offense, bringing in former Texas standout wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round and TCU standout wide receiver Savion Williams in the third round. Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on in the second half during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field on August 24, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on in the second half during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field on August 24, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Photo byOn the outside looking in, the roster is good enough to compete for a Super Bowl. They do play in the extremely difficult NFC North, but they should be a contender. Read more: Packers May Get Final Chapter With Aaron Rodgers After All With that being said, Green Bay may have a logjam at the wide receiver position that needs to be cleared. Outside of the two rookies, the Packers have Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Bo Melton on the roster. How might the team clear the wide receiver logjam? There is a good chance that they open up to trade offers regarding one of their wideouts. ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell believes that Doubs is the "most obvious candidate" to be moved ahead of the 2025 season. Since joining the team back in the 2022 season, Doubs has emerged as a key starter for Green Bay. "Doubs seems like the most obvious candidate, given that he was already suspended for one week by the team last season for missing a pair of practices. Owed $3.4 million in the final year of his rookie deal, the Packers might rack up a compensatory pick if he leaves after the season as a free agent, but Gutekunst has been relatively aggressive adding options such as Jacobs, Xavier McKinney and Nate Hobbs over the past couple of offseasons," Barnwell wrote. "Dealing Doubs would lock in draft compensation and avoid a potential headache if he falls down the depth chart during the season." Read more: Packers Dealt Brutal Honesty About QB Jordan Love Last season, Doubs played in 13 games. He racked up 46 receptions for 601 yards and four touchdowns. Doubs has totaled 147 catches for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns in 43 career games over three years. Expect to hear rumors surrounding the Packers as the 2025 season continues to draw closer. Green Bay may opt to keep their top wide receiver depth, but a trade is certainly not out of the question. For more Green Bay Packers and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jordan Love has big goals as he heads into his third season as Packers' starting QB
With Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looking on quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws during an OTA practice Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) With Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looking on quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws during an OTA practice Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) With Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looking on quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws during an OTA practice Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love doesn't necessarily agree with the assertion that he and the Green Bay Packers took a step back last season. But the Packers quarterback is certain about this much: It's time for his team and his game to take a major step forward. Advertisement Love heads into his third season as a starter coming off a three-interception performance in the team's season-ending NFC first-round playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles but believing he's on a team capable of winning the Super Bowl. Whether Love and his teammates reach that goal depends in part on how much Love improves his game and whether he can avoid the injuries that sidelined him for 2 1/2 games last season. Love begrudgingly admitted those injuries affected his play. 'You're talking about Super Bowl. That's the goal for us,' Love said Wednesday following the first open-to-reporters organized team activity practice of the offseason. 'I'm definitely trying to be that guy to be able to take this team and lead them to that.' Love suffered a left knee injury in the closing moments of the team's season-opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, with the injury sidelining him for the next two games, both of which the Packers won with backup Malik Willis under center. Advertisement Love then sustained the left groin injury during an Oct. 29 win at Jacksonville, just as his knee was getting back to full health. He admitted that the injuries might've had an effect on his accuracy and mobility, but insisted they were no excuse for not playing better. 'Obviously it's not fun playing through injuries, but sometimes those (are) things you've got to do,' said Love, who finished the 2024 season with a 61.3% completion rate and a 96.7 passer rating, with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. 'There might've been some things that might've been affected, but at the end of the day, I'm still trying to put my best foot forward and I've got to go out there and be the best player I can be.' Love raised expectations inside and outside Lambeau Field with his torrid finish to the 2023 season, when he completed 70.3% of his passes for 2,150 yards with 18 touchdowns and only one interception (112.7 rating) over the final eight regular-season games. Love then led a first-round playoff upset of the No. 2-seeded Dallas Cowboys on the road. Packers coach Matt LaFleur disputed the notion Wednesday that Love struggled in 2024, pointing not only to the injuries but the 33 passes his receivers dropped during the regular season — tied for the third most in the league. Advertisement "I think there's a narrative out there for whatever reason that he wasn't as productive as the year before,' LaFleur said. 'Well, he missed significant time (with injuries) … and also — let's be honest, we've talked about this — we did have a lot of drops last year. 'So, there's other circumstances that play into it.' LaFleur said he liked what he's seen from Love this offseason and how he's handling a myriad of new challenges. Those challenges include transitioning from having 71-year-old Tom Clements as his position coach to having 33-year-old Sean Mannion in that role, trying to keep all his wide receivers happy when there are only so many passes to go around and rising to LaFleur's publicly stated challenge that Love needs to be more of a vocal leader in his sixth NFL season. 'He's already doing that,' veteran running back Josh Jacobs said of Love's altered leadership approach. 'He definitely has been more vocal, whether it's at practice or even in the meetings. If he sees something he doesn't like, he's speaking up. … I've definitely seen a big change in him.' Advertisement NOTES: Jayden Reed, the Packers' leading receiver the past two seasons, insisted he's not worried about his role in the offense, despite a report that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, contacted the team looking for clarity about his client's role. 'A lot of people misinterpreted that,' Reed said. … LaFleur said wide receiver Christian Watson, recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered in the Jan. 5 regular-season finale, is 'doing outstanding. I would say he's ahead of schedule, but I'm not a doctor.' … LaFleur confirmed that the team will have two joint practices this summer, one at Indianapolis and another at home against the Seattle Seahawks. ... The Packers will begin training camp July 23. ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Packers to open 2025 training camp on Wednesday, July 23
Packers to open 2025 training camp on Wednesday, July 23 The Green Bay Packers will open training camp in 2025 on Wednesday, July 23, the team announced Wednesday. Two dates are set for training camp -- the start, on Wednesday, July 23, and Family Night, on Saturday, Aug. 2 -- but the rest is still being finalized and will be released at a later date. Last year, the Packers announced training camp dates on June 17, and the team's annual shareholder's meeting lined up with the first practice. The Packers have two joint practices and three preseason games on the 2025 schedule. Matt LaFleur's team will go to Indianapolis to have a joint practice with the Broncos and then host the Seattle Seahawks for a joint practice before the preseason finale. In 2024, the Packers had 18 public practices, including joint practices and Family Night. The Packers still have a few portions of the offseason workout program to get through first. The team has OTAs over the next two weeks before a mandatory three-day minicamp running June 10-12. In 2023, the Packers reported for training camp on Tuesday, July 25 and held their first practice on Wednesday, July 26. Last year, the Packers held their first practice on Monday, July 22 -- an earlier start because Green Bay opened the season on the Friday night of Week 1.
