We are less than 24 hours away from the Packers facing off against the Ravens in their final 2024 preseason contest; and after that, the games will all matter.

For a team that was probably just a field goal away from the NFC Championship and a possible Super Bowl berth a year ago, the optimism isn't really "giving what it should" is it?

But truthfully, has it ever? When was the last time we got really excited about the Packers' preseason? Family Day always seems to be the highlight, but the games to follow are more or less ho-hum. 

But while we're being honest, the preseason isn't for us to enjoy or even walk away with fond memories. Instead, what truly matters, especially when talking about the organization housed within that majestic building on 1265 Lombardi Avenue, are just two individuals: Head Coach Matt LaFleur and General Manager Brian Gutekunst.

For Brian Gutekunst, the path ahead should seem pretty clear. Jordan Morgan became one of two offensive 1st Round Picks by Green Bay in the last 13 years. And if you ask me, should LaFleur's hiring of Jeff Hafley pay off (and you heard it here first, it absolutely will), Morgan and fellow 1st Rounder Jordan Love will receive more company in the years to come. I mentioned last week about Gutekunst's "scalpel and axe" approach when addressing positions of need; in that case, the running back position with the departure of the beloved Aaron Jones (Wilson - scalpel, Jacobs/Lloyd - axe).

His next pet project? I'm sure many of you are screaming at me saying "KICKER!", and you might be right. Gutekunst brought in Greg Joseph and Alex Hale as the scalpel, hoping it would push Anders to be better, but so far it hasn't worked. In fact, it's made the position a little worse off some might say. The battle axe could come in 2025 though, as Alabama transfer Graham Nicholson is all but sure to make himself into a household name in Tuscaloosa; and Boise State's Jonah Dalmas is just 18 field goals shy of setting the NCAA All-Time Record, he went 27 of 28 last year (he's got the bigger leg too).

The other scalpel was the aforementioned and polarizing Morgan, who might be the starting right guard, or maybe he somehow works his way into being the eventual starting left tackle. As the saying goes, "It's only stupid if it doesn't work". But next year, finding a definitive swing tackle might require the axe again, as neither Travis Glover, Kadeem Telfort, nor Caleb Jones has really panned out. The rookies will be given some leeway to develop of course, and Royce Newman is somehow still on the roster. Andre Dillard (who I truly believe could do wonders at guard) has shown himself to be serviceable at times, and UDFA Donovan Jennings is my breakout candidate somewhere mid-season. 

Lastly...and I won't go too far down this rabbit hole, but Sean Rhyan taking snaps at the center position and competing with Jacob Monk is less about him trying to see the field any way he can and more about Josh Myers being in a contract year (don't you DARE run to the comments and mention the other guy's name! Yes, I'm talking to YOU!).

Defensively? I'd say Brian is set, at least until he sees how the roster he's assembled performs under Haf's scheme. I wouldn't mind if those 3rd Round "dice rolls" he likes to take in the draft go toward a defensive roleplayer in the future though.

For Matt LaFleur? The head coach just needs to continue to grow. For the record, I HATE the idea of the Packers going down to Sao Paulo to play a new-look contender in the Eagles. But I LOVE the opportunity it gives for him to show that he can prepare this team to go on the road against a fellow contender. Fans probably get a bit of acid reflux when asked to recall the embarrassments of certain Week 1 games and trips where the Packers had to head out west or overseas. Sao Paulo is 2 hours ahead of Green Bay time and roughly a 15-hour flight, if the Packers come out flat, all eyes will be on the head coach.

But as LaFleur grows, so must this team, which just keeps getting younger. Preston Smith is the elder statesman at 32, with Kenny Clark and Elgton Jenkins in tow at 29. After that, we're talking mostly 26 and under. The "Day 1 installs" issue back in Denver was hopefully corrected this past week, and while I expect to see zero starters out on the field, what we should see is a team that can at least execute on concepts they've worked on throughout the week. I know the preseason and the offseason in general, aren't what they used to be in terms of what teams can and can't do regarding activities on the field, but the "mental reps" should still carry the same, if not more importance compared to the practices of yesteryear. In what I expect to be a wild 2024 NFL Regular Season, the ability to execute against an opponent will be of utmost importance, the Packers won't be surprising anyone this year.

Speaking of installs, LaFleur can't be stagnant with the playcalling. The offense we thought we'd see on the back end of the Aaron Rodgers era never really materialized (yes, I know), and what we saw in 2023 was likely only scratching the surface. The WR corps can do a little bit of everything, the TE group can threaten just about any defense when used correctly, and the zone run scheme likely needs a few tweaks. By Week 5, the offense should have debuted some new tricks with an encouraging level of efficiency.

This may sound counter-productive to team success, but LaFleur also needs to show that he can take this staff to the next level too. Year in and year out there's always buzz about the next head coach in waiting but never any buzz coming out of Lambeau. While LaFleur still is a first-time head coach in the NFL, he needs to prove he can elevate the coaches around him, after all, it's only going to make his job easier. It'd be nice to hear at the back end of the season that an assistant is at least being considered for an elevated role elsewhere. 

I don't know what to expect this Saturday against Baltimore (hopefully not a beatdown), but what I do expect to see is the fruits of these two gentlemen's labors finally start to ripen, even if it doesn't look the way I expect it to. At the end of the day, it's just the preseason, this is where they (and the team) hone their skills before the games really count. 

So no matter what you see at Lambeau on Saturday afternoon, "Let em cook....

#GPG