Brian Baldinger says Matt LaFleur is bringing a hard edge to Packers training camp, and he believes that tone is exactly what Green Bay needs.
The longtime NFL analyst broke down LaFleur’s approach on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, describing a coach who is pushing his team through camp with a sharp, demanding style.
"Matt LaFleur is coaching this team the right way," Baldinger remarked. "He's not happy.
He's one of those coaches that looks like he's ticked off every day in training camp... He's just taking it out.
He doesn't like players sitting on the sideline looking too comfortable."
Baldinger tied that mindset to the bigger picture in Green Bay, saying the Packers have a high ceiling entering the 2026 season if they can get the offensive line rebuilt the right way. He also pointed to Jordan Love as a major reason for optimism, calling the quarterback "tremendous."
His comments weren’t limited to the offense. Baldinger also brought up Micah Parsons and what could be a pivotal return for the Packers’ defense.
"We had Micah Parsons crash our set the other day with Stacey Dales and he's telling us that the target date is the sixth game of the season on Sunday night against the Cowboys," Baldinger added.
"And if they get him back on the sixth game of the season with Jonathan Gannon coaching that side of the ball, they could be a real, real player."
Parsons is working back from a torn ACL and meniscus damage suffered last December, and a Week 6 return against his former team would give Green Bay a major lift on defense. That timeline would also line up with the point when the playoff race starts to take shape.
LaFleur enters the 2026 season with plenty riding on it, especially after signing his multi-year extension in January. The Packers showed confidence in him despite the disappointing finish to last season, and now the pressure is on to deliver.
At the center of that expectation is Love’s continued growth in LaFleur’s offense. The coach has already said Love is the best he’s been around in "protections and adjustments."
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Jordan Love Is Showing Why The Packers Stayed Patient
Jordan Loves growth has been easy to trace if you watch the details before the snap. The Packers quarterback said his years behind Aaron Rodgers gave him a front-row view of how much control a quarterback can have at the line of scrimmage, especially when it comes to protection adjustments and getting everyone settled before the play starts. It is the kind of lesson that does not always show up in the box score, but it has clearly helped shape the player Green Bay has now.
Love has gone from apprentice to steady starter, and the last three seasons have only reinforced why the Packers were willing to wait. He has developed into a quarterback who can handle the mental side of the job as well as the physical one, and that matters most in January, where Green Bay has been back in the playoff picture multiple times. The next step is less about proving he belongs and more about just how far that command can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Forgotten Draft Pick Worth Watching
John Williams barely got a chance to show what Green Bay thought it was getting when it drafted the former Cincinnati Bearcats guard, because a back injury wiped out his entire rookie season. Now he is back in training camp, and the early return has been encouraging for a Packers offensive line that can always use more flexibility. General manager Brian Gutekunst has already pointed to Williams progress, especially the way he has handled a variety of responsibilities up front.
What makes Williams interesting again is not just that he is healthy, but that he has been movable across the line in a way that gives the Packers options if he keeps building on this camp. Preseason games will matter here, because roster spots are never handed out on potential alone, and Williams still has to beat out the other names in the mix before Green Bay decides whether this forgotten draft pick is ready to stick. [Read more 🡒]
Matt LaFleur Opens Up About A Personal Loss Beyond Packers Camp
Packers coach Matt LaFleur had planned to leave training camp and make the trip to a funeral service for Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of his longtime friend Jeff Ulbrich, but a mechanical problem with his private plane kept him from attending. The aircraft failed its preflight check, interrupting a personal obligation that had been on LaFleurs calendar as he balanced camp duties with a difficult off-field moment.
Cristina Ulbrich died last month after a battle with cancer, and the Falcons announced her death on July 30. LaFleur and his wife had intended to fly in for the service, a reminder that even in the middle of camp, football people are still carrying the kinds of personal losses that pull them away from the field. [Read more 🡒]