Editor's note: With offseason work across the league coming to an end, the focus shifts to the steamy summer workouts ahead. To get you fully primed for the preseason and beyond, Sporting News provides in-depth looks at all 32 teams leading into training camp. Today: Green Bay Packers. Prediction: First, NFC North. Up next: Minnesota Vikings

Every offseason it looks like the Packers have lost their place among the NFLâ€™s elite teams.

Then general manager Ted Thompson stocks his roster with 20 or so rookies, coach Mike McCarthy molds his young talent, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews set the standard for everyone to meet.

Itâ€™s a course that led to four straight winning seasons, four straight playoff appearances, two NFC North titles and a Super Bowl championship three years ago.

Itâ€™s also a path that has seen Green Bay bow out of the divisional playoffs each of the last two seasons. Thompsonâ€™s aversion to free agency frustrates Packers fans, who remember Brett Favre spending the latter part of his career in Green Bay without enough help to win a second Super Bowl.

The Packersâ€™ chances this season rest on their last two draft classes and overall health. Injuries have decimated the team two of the last three years.

BREAKOUT PLAYER

CB Casey Hayward

Haywardâ€™s career got off to a great start. He worked his way from dime back to nickel back to Charles Woodsonâ€™s replacement as an all-purpose player. The game was never too big for Hayward. He made football plays it takes years for veterans to see.

SCOUTâ€™S TAKE

RB DuJuan Harris

â€œI thought he was good. I thought he was really good. I really respect his game. He runs hard. That (49ers defense) is one of the most physical defenses Iâ€™ve been around, and he didnâ€™t back down. He ran really hard. I respect that. I think he can last. Definitely. I think heâ€™ll be fine.â€

INSIDE THE HEADSET

McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dom Capers run the show on their respective sides of the ball. McCarthy takes an aggressive approach and is continually looking to find new ways to stress a defense. Heâ€™ll likely focus less on matchups this year and more on highlighting Green Bayâ€™s strengths. Capers can be aggressive, but he wonâ€™t run anything his unit hasnâ€™t shown it can do during the week of practice.

VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDELINE

An opponent breaks down the Packers

â€œAaron (Rodgers) is one of the best in the league at doing everything a quarterback doesâ€”whether itâ€™s recognizing coverage, whether itâ€™s using his feet to escape the pocket, making plays on the run, throwing it quick and accurate, throwing it long and deep down the field, hard count, cadence, all of those things. Thereâ€™s nothing that Aaron Rodgers does thatâ€™s subpar. Heâ€™s one of the top quarterbacks in the league. His touchdowns-to-interceptions is just a ridiculous ratio, and itâ€™s because he has such great command; heâ€™s such an accurate thrower. Heâ€™s very physically skilled, and he also completely understands their offense. Heâ€™s been in that offense pretty much his entire career.â€

OFFENSE

McCarthy will continue to give Rodgers latitude to put the offense in the best play before every snap. However, McCarthy would like to focus less on what is the perfect play against a particular defense and more on being successful with the plays the offense runs best. After a year of using a one-back run style attacking the perimeter, itâ€™s likely the Packers will attack between the tackles more because of the personnel.

QUARTERBACKS

Rodgers is in the prime of his career, and his combination of arm strength, accuracy and mobility makes him one of the hardest quarterbacks in the NFL to defend. However, in 2012 teams backed off Rodgers and sat back in Cover 2, daring him to throw the ball into tight spots.

Rather than throw in those tight windows, Rodgers held the ball too long at times and relied on his outstanding scrambling ability to keep plays alive. The problem is he took too many sacks. Better protection will help Rodgers, but he has to help himself at times and either take a chance or throw the ball away.

If Rodgers suffered an injury, the team would be in trouble. Backup Graham Harrell will receive competition from strong-armed B.J. Coleman in training camp, but the lack of a Matt Flynn-type prospect weakens the position. GRADE: A-

RUNNING BACKS

Thompson upgraded this position by drafting Alabama Running backsâ€™s Eddie Lacy and UCLAâ€™s Johnathan Franklin, the Bruinsâ€™ all-time leading rusher. These two big-school backs need to transition to the pro game in a hurry.

Lacy, a powerful runner, could be the missing ingredient for a team that struggles in short-yardage situations. Franklin might be the best blocking halfback in the draft, and Lacy is no slouch. The team is banking on and Franklin being every-down backs, which is critical to the success of their often-used no-huddle offense.

At various points last year, James Starks, Alex Green, Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant and DuJuan Harris spent time as the lead back. Harris, a 5-8, 203-pound runner, is in the best position to be a factor. After coming off the practice squad in November, he scored four TDs in six games, including the postseason.

Harris is a poor manâ€™s Maurice Jones-Drew, with a low center of gravity and a good sense of his blockers. But he must proved he's healthy after a fist-sized cyst was removed from his lung. McCarthy would like to form a 1-2 punch after five backs had 30 or more carries last season, so Lacy and Harris could share time, with Franklin serving as a third-down back.

Green Bay will bring Starks and Green to camp for competition and let them fight for roster spots, but Lacy, Franklin and Harris are the future. GRADE: C+

RECEIVERS

In 2011, Thompson drafted Randall Cobb in the second round despite having Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and James Jones on the roster.

Jennings left for Minnesota, Driver retired, and now Cobb has a chance to be the focal point of the passing attack. Cobb led Green Bay with 80 receptions and 954 yards while adding eight touchdowns in 2012, but he dropped a team-high 10 passes. Cobb has room to improve in the slot.

If Cobb draws the kind of attention Jennings did during his peak years, it would open up things for Nelson and Jones. But facing Cover 2, Cobb, like all of the teamâ€™s receivers, must improve after the catch and rely less on deep routes.

Jones blossomed into the big red-zone target Green Bay once envisioned with a league-leading 14 touchdown receptions. Jones is in a contract year, and should be a productive leader now that Jennings is gone.

Nelson is coming off a down year that was full of injuries. He needs to get back to the guy who could stretch defenses. Part of doing that is improving his get-off on bump coverage and being more consistent with his hands. Nelson has to be more than just a deep threat.

Second-year man Jarrett Boykin, who is big, strong and capable of working the middle of the field, is someone worth following. Late-round draft picks Charles Johnson and Kevin Dorsey are big targets with remarkable athletic ability.

The X-factor in the offense is tight end Jermichael Finley, who after a lackluster first half of 2012 bounced back with 31 receptions for 324 yards in his last seven games (including the playoffs).

None of the tight ends were effective blockers last year, but the return of Andrew Quarless from a knee injury that kept him out all of last season should help. D.J. Williams had a great training camp, but it didnâ€™t carry over into the regular season. He must take advantage of pass-catching opportunities. GRADE: A-

OFFENSIVE LINE

McCarthy was not happy with the left side of the line last year. Tackle Marshall Newhouse gave up a team-high 11 sacks, and Evan Dietrich-Smith was mediocre replacing T.J. Lang, who vacated the spot while filling in for injured tackle Bryan Bulaga and nursing injuries of his own.

Thompson drafted Derek Sherrod in the first round in 2011 to be his left tackle, but a broken tibia suffered his rookie season could threaten his career. Sherrod might not be ready for the start of training camp.

As a result, McCarthy flipped his line this spring. He moved Bulaga and guard Josh Sitton to the left side and put Lang on the right side at guard next to right tackle Don Barclay, who played well in 2012.

Bulaga played left tackle in college. Heâ€™s not especially long for the position, but itâ€™s a natural fit. Bulaga seems to be fully recovered from a slight hip fracture that landed him on injured reserve last season. Having Sitton, the teamâ€™s best linemen, at left guard allows McCarthy to put Lang and Barclay, two strong run blockers, on the strong side.

Dietrich-Smith moves to his natural position of center to replace retired Jeff Saturday. This is the opportunity Dietrich-Smith has been waiting for, his chance to make all the calls and be a consistent pass blocker. Competition for the spot diminished when rookie J.C. Tretter broke his angle in OTAs and will be out until at least midseason. David Bakhtiari is another tackle Thompson added in the draft for depth. GRADE: C+

DEFENSE

After playing with youth at critical places last year, coordinator Dom Capers will have more options in 2013. But his unit was steamrolled by the 49ers for 579 total yards in the divisional playoffs, so Capersâ€™ ability to get the most out of his group has come into question. Heâ€™ll remain a 3-4 practitioner who plays 60 to 70 percent in nickel and relies more on five-man pressures than all-out blitzes.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Thompson has been rebuilding this unit. He added second-round picks Mike Neal and Jerel Worthy Defensive line in the 2011 and 2012 drafts, respectively, and Mike Daniels in the fourth round last year.

Now comes first-round pick Datone Jones, a lean but powerful end who might wind up playing every position up front.

B.J. Raji is a workhorse, but he sometimes gets caught in the middle of being a penetrating tackle and a two-gapping nose tackle. He needs to be more disciplined when taking his shots. Veteran end Ryan Pickett is a remarkable player and seems to get better with age. Heâ€™s usually immovable in the run game and good at staying on his feet. As long as Pickett keeps his weight from blowing up, he should be able to contribute 35 good snaps per game.

Missing from the unit is a long-limbed, broad-shouldered 5-technique who can stand ground through double teams and keep blockers off of Matthews. Neal, if healthy, is powerful enough to handle the spot, but he's not the answer and has practiced some at outside linebacker. C.J. Wilson is a solid run-stopper, but he has limitations.

Jones is the best option provided he puts on weight.

Worthy will miss half the season coming off an ACL tear, but the undersized Daniels will be counted on to offer more than inside pass rush. GRADE: B-

LINEBACKERS

Everything starts with Matthews, the four-time Pro Bowl selection who played 70.6 of the snaps despite missing four games with a hamstring injury in 2012.

Matthews had 16 sacks in 14 games (including the playoffs) while playing mostly on the right side. Heâ€™s as good at playing against the run as rushing the passer.

To take pressure off Matthews, Thompson drafted Nick Perry in the first round in 2012, hoping his transition from end to outside linebacker would be a quick one. The 265-pound Perry flashed some power playing the edge, but he wasnâ€™t completely comfortable at linebacker. Perry also missed most of the season after undergoing wrist surgery. He returns healthy and with great expectations.

If Perry werenâ€™t injured, the club might not have found out about Dezman Moses, an undrafted free agent whose raw talent got him through the season. Another converted end, Moses will continue to learn about the position and should be an effective swing player.

Inside, the club gave up on Desmond Bishop and his return from a torn hamstring. Bishop was the hammer on defense, but the team's brass has lost patience with injuries and will move on much faster than it did in the past. So instead of waiting on Bishop, it cut him and now will be preparing to face him twice a year as a member of the Vikings.

A.J. Hawk took a significant pay cut so he could remain a starter and likely will team with Brad Jones, who was re-signed to a three-year, $11.75 million deal. It would help if second-year man Terrell Manning emerged beyond being a special-teams regular, but a player to watch is seventh-round pick Sam Barrington of South Florida, who many downgraded because of a 4.83-second 40 time at the Combine. However, he runs better than that and could prove to be a steal. GRADE: B

SECONDARY

Thereâ€™s depth at cornerback. The starting positions seem to be locked down with Tramon Williams and Sam Shields, but cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt has promised to open up the competition with Casey Hayward and Davon House.

Williams battled a shoulder injury that resulted in nerve damage last season. He turned down too many tackles, but his coverage remained tight. Shields won back the spot he lost in training camp. With the exception of peaking in the backfield and giving up several embarrassing long plays, Shields was solid and tackled much better.

Hayward was the big surprise. He replaced an injured Charles Woodson in the slot and proved to be mature beyond his years. Haywardâ€™s slight frame makes him less of a threat to blitz, but his short-field quickness and football IQ make him a perfect fit. House might have been the starter opposite Williams had he not dislocated his shoulder in the preseason, which forced him to play with a harness. He had surgery on the shoulder and should be 100 percent. House matches up well with big receivers.

At free safety, Morgan Burnett improved in his second year as a starter, but he still hasnâ€™t matched the turnover-causing play he displayed in college. He has proved tough enough to play in the box, but he's not as capable as Woodson at diagnosing plays at the line of scrimmage. Opposite Burnett, there isnâ€™t a clear-cut option. Jerron McMillian was inconsistent in his rookie season, and M.D. Jennings was ordinary. Sean Richardson could be a factor if his neck checks out. GRADE: B-

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jeremy Ross took over return duties late last season so Cobb could focus on offense. Ross has natural return ability, but he had two turnovers in clutch situations and needs to prove heâ€™s reliable. Ross could wind up handling kickoffs and punts. Cobb probably wonâ€™t be used.

Kicker Mason Crosby ranked last in the NFL with a field-goal percentage of 63.6 percent. Green Bay brought in competition in Giorgio Tavecchio, an undrafted free agent who was in San Franciscoâ€™s camp in 2012. Because of his contract, Crosby will get every opportunity to get back to the kicker he was before a horrible 2012 season.

Tim Masthay is a first-rate punter, and Brett Goode returns as the long snapper. GRADE: C-

BOTTOM LINE

As long as Rodgers is around and Thompson keeps hitting on receivers, Green Bay is a Super Bowl contender, but 2013 needs to be the year of the defense. Without a revival on that side of the ball, the Packers are bound for another playoff disappointment.

On paper, the team lost ground to the rest of the division. But if a promising draft turns out as good as the one Thompson had in 2009 (which landed Raji and Matthews), then Green Bay should win the NFC North again. The Packers must match the toughness and physicality of the 49ers, Seahawks and Giants or they will fall short of their goal again. Lacy and Franklin could determine that fate.