This past week, the Green Bay Packers' OTAs got underway, which, of course, can add more excitement to the build-up to the new season. The majority of the 2025 roster is together in attendance; this is the very first look at the latest version of the team. So, naturally, everyone is already trying to make evaluations. 

Don't get me wrong, that first clip of Jordan Love throwing a beautiful pass to Matthew Golden hit better than any pharmaceutical product could ever accomplish. After our NFL football-less drought since the final seconds of the Super Bowl in February, practice throws can be just what the doctor ordered. Especially when you have some shiny new weapons like the Packers have this year. We've spent several weeks imagining what it would look like seeing that connection, and now it's happening. Who cares that it's just running drills or practice reps?

Evaluations, though, might just be a little crazy at this point. What are OTAs for exactly? Let's put it this way, remember back in school how the first few days of the year would be rather easy? Lots of "getting to know each other" activities and little subtle assignments to kind of jog your memory and get your brain ready for the real stuff. Well, think of OTAs as kind of the first week of school, but on an NFL level. There is a lot of strength and conditioning work done to prepare players' bodies for the new season, a little "getting to know you" between new players and new coaches, as well as field work to get everyone acclimated to playing football again as well as a little more of that "getting to know you" phase where you begin to see what you can expect from your teammates this season and start to build chemistry. 

When you ask Matt LaFleur about how players look, it's more of the same. "They look good." We're in OTAs, what is he supposed to say? "Well, X player didn't finish his smoothie from the team dieticians this morning, we'll have to look at the tape and figure out how to get that patched up moving forward." Of course, they look good; everyone looks good in OTAs. Why would anything else be said? Unless it's a gaping problem they can't hide from, no coach is going to purposely bring drama into their locker room this early. But you can see some signs of encouragement, if anything. 

Perhaps the biggest encouragement coming out of OTAs is the status of Christian Watson post-ACL tear. Many doubted Watson would return early, not until about mid-way through the season, most thought. To see Watson participating in team workouts, just sitting out drills, is an encouraging sign that his rehab has been going very well, and maybe the Packers will see him back sooner than they expect. 

Not participating, though, we've seen names like Jaire Alexander and Elgton Jenkins as rumors continue to swirl about those two.

Jaire Alexander

Right after Memorial Day weekend, a little bit of news floated out around the Jaire Alexander situation that the Packers have found themselves in this offseason. The Packers have sent Alexander a revised contract, but no deal has been reached yet. Some might say that this is hardly news worthy as it gives us no progress, just that a revised deal was sent. While there is a little truth to this, it kind of puts to bed the idea that this situation is an ugly divorce or a case of a disgruntled player wanting out. 

No one can deny that the Packers are a better team with Jaire Alexander on the field. But that's the kicker, and the reason we're in this situation to begin with. Jaire Alexander gets paid handsomely to play at a high level. But as of the last two seasons, he's played in less than half of the possible games he could've dressed in. Two years before these seasons, he only played four games. So, he's missed half of the last four seasons due to different injuries. From the Packers' perspective, you can't blame them for wanting to cut his cap hit a little bit and not pay a player so much money who may only play half the season. From Alexander's perspective, he's probably ready to play 17 games this regular season, so why should he take a pay cut because of bad injury luck in the past?

Regardless of how anyone feels about it, I just hope they reach a deal. I have to imagine the Packers may have tweaked his salary a bit in their favor, and Jaire needs to decide whether he can live with it or not. I hope that they gave him the chance to earn it all back and then some in incentives in games he dresses for, and his performance on the stat sheet. 

Elgton Jenkins

Elgton Jenkins has also been absent from OTAs so far. I'm not quite as concerned with this one as I feel it'll work itself out eventually, as I believe Jenkins is just looking for a little job security. The Packers want to move him to Center, and that's fine, but he wants to make sure this doesn't impact him come time to sign a new contract. He wants security that if he does the Packers this favor by moving to Center, that they're not just going to push him out when his contract is up or ask him to restructure as a Center. I'm not sure where the Packers go with this one. Jenkins will have his cap hit increase by about $7M next offseason. The Packers would likely ask him to restructure to back out of such a large chunk, or just release him. I can't blame Jenkins for wanting to get something in writing that this change will be for now and the future, not just this season, and he's been let go or asked to take a pay cut. 

Jayden Reed's Agent Meeting

A few weeks ago it came out that Jayden Reed's new agent, Drew Rosenhaus had met with Packers GM Brian Gutekunst to essentially confirm Jayden Reed's spot in the Packers' future plans after the drafting of WR's Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. 

I thought it was nothing then, and it was confirmed by Jayden Reed this week that he had just signed a new agent and just wanted to kind of solidify that he wants his future to be with the Packers and wants to make sure they feel the same about him. It's a bit of a nothingburger story, honestly, but it does show that there's a bit of early commitment by the Packers to Reed despite the way the draft went. 

Marcedes Lewis Return?

Recently, former Packers TE Marcedes Lewis reflected on his time with the Packers, saying it ended too soon and that he considers Matt LaFleur one of his best friends. Lewis has stated that 2025 will be his final season. That could be tough to call it that though as Lewis still hasn't signed with a team for 2025. 

Lewis and Matt LaFleur Facetimed last week, though, as Lewis said on the Up & Adams show. That's led many to wonder if there could be a Lewis/Packers reunion for 2025 and his final season. It's hard for me to reject this idea, especially imagining a blocker like Lewis lined up in-line to help block on handoffs to Josh Jacobs. Lewis is also a great locker room guy, and I would imagine he would fit in with the Packers locker room well once again. The only question would be, what would happen with Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave? While Lewis wouldn't be a big receiving threat, he would take away blocking snaps from Kraft and Musgrave, which is something that they both could use more work on. 

While a returning Marcedes Lewis would be fun, I'd have to pass on it in favor of continuing the development of our current young tight ends.