When the Packers hold their first training camp practice on July 29, it will feel like football has finally returned to Green Bay.

The kids will line up hoping to ride the players' bicycles to practice. The Railbirds will once again fill the bleachers at Ray Nitschke Field, dissecting every throw, every rep and every roster battle. Optimism will be everywhere because that's what training camp does. Every team believes this is its year.

But while the bicycles and the Railbirds are part of what makes Packers training camp unique, none of those traditions matter nearly as much as winning football games.

And this year's Packers might have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL to do exactly that.

For years, Matt LaFleur had a perfectly reasonable explanation whenever Green Bay fell short of championship expectations. The Packers were one of the league's youngest teams, relying on first- and second-year players to grow together. Development was always part of the plan.

That plan has run its course.

The Packers enter the 2026 season with Super Bowl odds generally ranging from +1,200 to +1,600, depending on the sportsbook. Those are the franchise's best preseason odds since the Aaron Rodgers era and among the strongest Green Bay has carried since LaFleur arrived in 2019. Expectations have officially shifted from "building a contender" to "winning a championship."

And they should.

Look across the roster.

The offensive line may be even stronger. Zach Tom has developed into one of football's premier tackles. He has consistently been one of the best linemen in all of football. Jordan Morgan is expected to take another step as the starting left tackle. Aaron Banks made 14 starts at guard last year and will be the starting left guard. Sean Rhyan started 28 games at guard in the last four years and will be taking the all-important starting center position. Anthony Belton might be one of the most interesting stories on the line. As a rookie in 2025, he earned seven starts at right tackle and right guard. The youngest player on the line will likely start at right guard and will learn immediately from Tom at right tackle. 

The depth on the line is even surprising. Darian Kinnard has started a handful of games and even the rookie Jager Burton is interesting. He is a Brian Gutekunst special, which means he is Swiss Army Knife. The versatile Burton proved that at Kentucky by making 47 consecutive starts at Kentucky at either guard or center. 

The defensive front is equally impressive. Rookie Chris McClellan could win the starting nose tackle job and he's surrounded by the recently signed Devonte Wyatt on one side and the veteran Javon Hargrave, who had 3.5 sacks last year for Minnesota. At linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper has been knocking on the door to stardom, Micah Parsons might be one of the best defensive players in football next to Myles Garrett and Lukas Van Ness remains an unanswered riddle that has yet to be unlocked. But the guy that I'm looking forward to most from this unit is Zaire Franklin. He is the leader that this unit has been desperate for. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will see it from Day 1 and his energy and enthusiasm will be an appetizer for everyone else. 

More importantly, that depth should elevate every practice.

Iron sharpens iron. Starting receivers are challenged by talented defensive backs. Offensive linemen face legitimate pass rushers every day. Young players aren't simply trying to make the roster—they're pushing established veterans for playing time. Those are the kinds of practices championship teams have.

That's why this season feels different.

The Packers are no longer asking whether Jordan Love can become the franchise quarterback. They're no longer hoping the young roster matures. Those questions have largely been answered. Love doesn't have to throw 40 touchdowns this year, he just needs to be available for all 17 games, which hasn't happened since 2023. And even if Love does get injured, the Packers have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league in Tyrod Taylor with 62 career NFL starts under his belt. 

Now the focus turns squarely to the coaching staff.

Can LaFleur manage a roster filled with legitimate contributors? Can he identify the right rotations? Can he maximize one of the deepest teams in football? Most importantly, can he translate regular-season success into a legitimate Super Bowl run?

LaFleur has proven he can build a winner. His resume already reflects that.

But expectations have changed, and so has the standard.

The bikes will be back on July 29. So will the Railbirds.

If everything goes according to plan, they'll spend the next six months watching one of the deepest rosters in football chase something much bigger than another successful training camp.

They'll be watching a team with every reason to expect a Super Bowl.