Green Bay Packers

If Green Bay's Biggest Worry Is Who Is At Minicamp, They'll Be Just Fine

Photo credit: Dan Powers (USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

June can be a stale month in the NFL, even for a league that does so much to stay relevant throughout the calendar year. Let’s face it, an entire day dedicated to releasing the schedule when fans know the opponents months in advance sounds crazy, but the NFL turns it into a borderline holiday.

Things are humming along for the Green Bay Packers. The biggest buzz in recent weeks has been how Aaron Rodgers and others missed some OTAs that were VOLUNTARY. With Rodgers back for mandatory camp, the attention has shifted to Allen Lazard. Everyone needs to exhale. Things could be a lot worse.

Lazard hasn’t signed his tender with the Packers yet, so he doesn’t need to attend minicamp. The biggest question that remains is whether or not Lazard will ask for a new contract. That’s it. These nervous theories, with some questioning whether or not he’ll be with the Packers this year, are foolish. If something to the contrary was going to occur, it would’ve already happened. Lazard wouldn’t wait this deep into the process to make his move. He’ll either sign his tender or demand an extension. When the news is slow, an angst clouds over the part of the fanbase that assumes something must be wrong.

Those complaining about Rodgers missing voluntary minicamp must’ve missed the notes from other teams that also had their starting quarterback absent from OTAs. In a perfect world, would it be great to see Rodgers show up all chipper and ready to roll from the minute those began? Sure, but at age 38, there’s absolutely no need for him to attend the non-mandatory stuff unless you put a ton of stock in him developing chemistry with the rookie wideouts that way.

By all accounts, Rodgers is good to go for mandatory camp. However, with Lazard’s situation still a little uncertain, many people’s attention has shifted toward him.

Look around the rest of the league and recognize how good Green Bay has it. Things can’t be that bad if the biggest question is whether or not Lazard will sign his tender sooner rather than later.

  • In Baltimore, Lamar Jackson is looking around wondering why the hell he hasn’t had a Brinks truck backed up for him yet.
  • The Cleveland Browns have no clue what will happen with Deshaun Watson, and Baker Mayfield is somehow still on the roster even though he should be competing for a starting gig elsewhere.
  • There also could be trouble in paradise with Kyler Murray seeking a long-term deal from the Arizona Cardinals.
  • Washington fans are debating whether or not to invest their mental sanity in Carson Wentz.
  • Justin Fields is staring at a skill group largely devoid of talent.
  • The San Francisco 49ers have excused Jimmy Garoppolo from minicamp as he continues to try and become healthy enough to throw a ball so they can eventually send him packing to another team.

Need we go on?

All of that, and still fans in Green Bay are teetering on the edge. It would take something extraordinarily drastic and unlikely for Lazard not to be in a Packers uniform in Week 1.

See? Things aren’t as bad as they seem.

Green Bay certainly has some questions that will cause concern, such as David Bakhtiari‘s health, Elgton Jenkins‘s rehab process, and who will emerge as the top threat at wide receiver this year. At the beginning of the offseason, though, the picture that was painted could’ve been wildly worse.

Rodgers is back, and so are Rasul Douglas and De’Vondre Campbell. All three of those dominoes falling in favor of the Packers at the beginning of the offseason seemed impossible. Yes, Davante Adams is gone, but Rodgers will find a way to make it work.

The Packers have uncertainties, but not nearly to the degree that other teams have. If the biggest gripe right now is who is or isn’t at minicamp, let’s take a breath and zoom out.

Every team has its questions at the beginning of June. No roster is a sure thing. However, the Packers are far better off than most teams in the league. Appreciate that before fretting over something that will take care of itself soon enough, like Lazard and his contract sce.

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