Packers developments to monitor as training camp approaches

From Yosh Nijman rotating between tackle spots to Amari Rodgers working with the starters, the Packers' offseason program has yielded several surprising developments.

After Thursday's organized-team activities, the Green Bay Packers will effectively go their separate ways for over a month. Players will return to their respective homes, most outside of Wisconsin, while the coaches will spend time on scouting projects as well as non-football functions for a change. Regardless of which category a team member falls into, the rest of June and most of July will represent the quietest part of the NFL calendar.

That news void will result in the recent developments from the Packers' offseason program garnering even more attention than they otherwise would. Some of those cases will ultimately mean little to nothing in the grand scheme of things. Others will. And with so much chatter surrounding everything Green Bay has done this offseason, separating the signal from the noise can prove even more difficult than usual.

With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the recent developments from the Packers' offseason program and try to delineate which ones might portend the beginning of a larger trend from those that indicate little of substance.

Yosh Nijman splitting time between left and right tackle

The development

Despite the Packers' head-scratching decision to pull Yosh Nijman out of the starting lineup for the playoffs, he had plenty to feel proud about last season. The former undrafted free agent ended up starting eight games at left tackle and seeing extensive playing time there in two other contests after ACL tears sidelined Elgton Jenkins and limited David Bakhtiari to just 27 total snaps. While Nijman didn't replicate the All-Pro-caliber play of Jenkins or Bakhtiari, he performed at a high level, allowing just three sacks and posting a 96.6 pass-blocking efficiency, according to Pro Football Focus. With veteran Billy Turner released this offseason in a cap-saving move, Nijman's work put him in prime position to compete for a starting job in 2022.

So far through the Packers' offseason program,  Nijman has seen extensive work with the starters, albeit not in one spot. During the sessions attended by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Nijman lined up at right tackle, the job vacated by Turner. But without Rodgers in the fold, the coaches have placed Nijman instead at left tackle where he spent the vast majority of his time last year. While Green Bay prefers to cross-train its offensive linemen, Nijman has reached a point in his career where he could and probably should specialize in one spot.

What it means