The Green Bay Packers know one key issue for rookie tight end Colt Lyerla is his ability to trust the team. Credit: Mark Hoffman

SHARE

By of the

Green Bay — After one practice, Mike McCarthy downplayed the significance of football in the spring.

"Let's be realistic," the Green Bay Packers head coach said. "We're practicing in helmets....There won't be any jobs won in June."

Then, during the final week of organized team activities/minicamp, McCarthy was frustrated that a handful of players missed time to injuries.

"I don't think it helps any player to miss a whole off-season," he said. "I think any of the players who did not take advantage of this nine-week opportunity or due to injury is definitely something they're going to have to work harder to catch up once training camp starts."

So, to an extent, players did separate themselves in May and June. They're now all on vacation until the real football begins on July 26 — the first day of training camp. As we enter this lull on the NFL calendar, here are 10 story lines to track heading into camp:

Peace of mind at backup quarterback

Green Bay needs it. Last season, the Packers trudged into August with Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman behind Aaron Rodgers. Whoops. Now with Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien, McCarthy should rest easier. Flynn led the Packers to a pair of comeback wins that kept the 2013 season afloat. Turnovers plagued Tolzien in his starter cameo, but he's got the stronger arm.

Now, the two quarterbacks will battle in what should be a much more competitive camp behind the starter. Tolzien steadily improved through the spring practices, finishing on a high note Thursday.

"One of the greatest things all of us quarterbacks have going here is we're watching the best," Tolzien said, "so just to observe him every day, you can't put a price tag on that."

That greatness by osmosis didn't rub off on Harrell or Coleman. Maybe it does for Tolzien. Either way, the Packers cannot live another Rodgers-less nightmare.

Tretter's job to lose at center

Behind the scenes, JC Tretter has done practically everything right. Both McCarthy and offensive line coach James Campen have praised his diligence and the long hours he's poured into learning the nuances of this offense.

Campen isn't concerned about how Tretter will adjust mentally. He says he has no concern in how all three of the centers diagnose at the line. Rather, the Packers must see how Tretter holds up against 330-, 340-pound defensive tackles, the same ones who overwhelmed Jeff Saturday and, at times, Evan Dietrich-Smith.

As Campen said, they're "bigger, stronger, powerful guys" at this level. And in college, he added, a center might see this kind of mass "two or three times a year."

This former high school quarterback/point guard has added the muscle necessary. Listed at 6 foot 4, 307 pounds, he fit in during the spring. He's the player to beat at center.

Lyerla's bid for a roster spot

The tight end passed over in the NFL draft — and undrafted free agency — has a second chance in Green Bay. Ex-Oregon teammate Josh Huff said Colt Lyerla can be better than Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. No question, he brings a blend of size (6-4, 247) and speed (4.6 in the 40), but Lyerla still faces long odds at a well-stocked position.

Off the field, Oregon players say Lyerla was a good teammate. The issue, they repeated, was trust. The Packers know this is the key.

"Trusting someone," tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot said, "is a huge factor in being able to allow a person to help you institute a change....So if he needs something, he's going to have to learn to ask for it. There are a number of resources in this locker room that can help him for sure."

Clinton-Dix's bid to start

Micah Hyde, not Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, worked most with the No. 1 defense next to Morgan Burnett. And after the final practice, McCarthy said the second-year defensive back looks "very comfortable" with everything he's been asked to do. But let's also remember Alex Green started at running back this time last year. This is likely Green Bay wanting to get Hyde acclimated to the position more than a sign that Hyde will start Week 1. Dom Capers said coaches actually wanted to get him safety reps last year but couldn't due to injuries.

Clinton-Dix was the first-round pick brought in to reinvigorate a sagging position. He'll need to pick the defense up fast when players reconvene. It was a fairly quiet spring for the Alabama safety, one that included a rookie moment last week when Brandon Bostick plucked a touchdown over his head in the corner of the end zone.

Unlike last season, Green Bay could use two interchangeable safeties. Clinton-Dix has that potential.

The Peppers Effect

Julius Peppers says he has never rushed next to a Clay Matthews. And Clay Matthews has never rushed next to a Peppers. At 34, can he give the Packers what they've sorely lacked? May and June served as a mental crash course on Green Bay's "elephant" position more than anything. They'll be using Peppers at outside linebacker, on the line and maybe even as an inside rusher.

If OTAs and minicamp were an eye test, Peppers passed. Starting in camp, Green Bay will see if Peppers is either an aging, fading talent or the "freak" that's dropping teammates' jaws.

"You look at our D-line and you look at some of our linebackers, no one's built like him," cornerback Tramon Williams said. "He's a different type of specimen. A rare, unique guy."

Replacing Finley

For now, Green Bay must move on. Jermichael Finley has not been cleared by Green Bay's doctors. And while a Finley-less tight end group could be a point of concern — it hasn't always been pretty in the past — the group was the highlight of spring camp. Third-round pick Richard Rodgers made at least one or two head-turning catches a day, including a one-handed grab.

Bostick is back from foot surgery. Even Ryan Taylor, a special-teamer and blocking tight end to date, had multiple receptions deep down the seam. Expect a wide-open competition in a month.

Rodgers' playing style

Rodgers says general manger Ted Thompson would probably prefer he stay in the pocket. McCarthy would rather him just play. Ultimately, it's up to Rodgers. He's at his best keeping plays alive. But he also fractured his collarbone last season, and he surely is well aware that Tom Brady (15th season) and Peyton Manning (17th season) have lasted this long by mostly staying put.

Rodgers said he's gotten smarter and takes less chances as a scrambler. But he also will "always" want to use his legs because "it adds an extra dimension to my game." Rodgers has long viewed athleticism as an underrated part of his game. This is what separates him from others — keeping plays alive. Now 30 years old, Rodgers must find the balance.

Lacy's encore

Year 1 exceeded expectations. Eddie Lacy rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns in a landslide rookie-of-the-year debut. Now the hard part: doing it again. Running backs coach Sam Gash doesn't believe any complacency has set in. Lacy vows he's much more comfortable in the offense this year.

"In the beginning I definitely second-guessed myself a lot," Lacy said. "I wanted to be as close to perfect as possible....I was overly cautious. As the season went on, things slowed down for me. It got a little bit simpler. I was able to play to my natural ability."

This off-season, Lacy took valuable time off to let his body recover. Soon, it'll be time to rev back up again.

The middle of the defense

San Francisco, Seattle and Carolina — the three NFC teams standing in Green Bay's way — are strongest up the middle. The same cannot be said about the Packers. C.J. Mosley might have been a godsend, yet went four slots ahead of Green Bay in the draft. Instead, Green Bay will roll with Brad Jones next to A.J. Hawk inside and move B.J. Raji back to nose tackle.

Jamari Lattimore could fight his way into the lineup, but linebackers coach Winston Moss asserted Jones is the starter. The Packers view him as a three-down player.

There wasn't one specific reason LeSean McCoy (25 carries, 155 yards), Matt Forte (46-235), Adrian Peterson/Toby Gerhart (40-237), Reggie Bush/Joique Bell (39-211), DeMarco Murray (18-134) and Le'Veon Bell (26-124) ran wild down the stretch. A stronger middle certainly would help.

The hybrids

The theme of the spring on defense? Less scheme, more personnel. Whatever the Packers defense resembles this summer — and you get the feeling that traditional 3-4 will be morphing — Capers is counting on versatile body types filling the front seven.

The likes of Mike Neal, Peppers and Nick Perry will be moving around.

"We've got all the packages; it's just going to be 'which ones work?' and how to best utilize our personnel," Capers said. "I think you make a mistake if you take guys and try to just fit them into your defense. You take your defense and you fit it around your guys."

Starting July 26, they truly figure out how to use these hybrid players.