Packers news: Romeo Doubs set to return, Xavier McKinney is a turnover machine, Tucker Kraft breaks out

The Packers victory in Los Angeles got the team's record back over .500 but that still has Green Bay locked in a tie with the Bears in the NFC North basement. Quarterback Jordan Love and his teammates have momentum on their side but there's a lot of work to do if they want to achieve their 2024 goals.

The storylines coming out of the Rams games are mostly positive. That's usually the case any time an NFL team secures a road win. It's not all upbeat for head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff though. Several key issues need to be corrected if they want to knock off the Cardinals in Week 6.

Packers fans who want to lock in on their favorite team during the lead-up to Sunday's game against Arizona should keep a particularly close eye on the following news items.

Packers news: Romeo Doubs is set to return

The veteran wide receiver was suspended for last week's contest against the Rams for conduct detrimental to the team. Everyone in Green Bay is saying the right thing about reintegrating him into the game plan this weekend. LaFleur told reporters this week that he's "moving forward" to get past the suspension and get Doubs back onto the field.

The big question is whether or not Doubs can actually be a factor in the team's receiver room moving forward. He's only caught 12 passes for 169 yards on the season. His lack of target share is a big reason why he experienced the frustration that led to his suspension.

The harsh reality for Doubs is that he lacks the upside that some of his peers in Green Bay possess. Jayden Reed has the big-play ability that modern NFL offenses covet. Dontayvion Weeks is a big-bodied pass catcher who can win 50/50 balls in a way that Doubs cannot. It's going to be difficult for the veteran to carve out anything more than a reserve role moving forward. Being on his best behavior won't be enough to get Doubs the role he wants in the Packers offense.

Packers news: Xavier McKinney is a turnover machine

If the Defensive Player of the Year Award was handed out today it would be easy to make an argument that Xavier McKinney should be the winner. He's picked off five passes in five games and added a fumble recovery to help the Packers triumph over the Rams. It's hard to imagine him playing better football as the season moves forward.

The hope for Green Bay is that rookies Javon Bullard and Evan Williams can improve their play even when McKinney's exploits come back down to Earth. That would allow Green Bay to continue to field a secondary capable of forcing turnovers at a healthy clip. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley realizes his group needs to win the turnover battle to put the offense in a position to succeed.

McKinney's rare combination of range and intelligence at the strong safety position gives Green Bay's defensive unit a lot of optionality. He's equally good playing tight to the line of scrimmage as he is manning a centerfield role. McKinney is not going to finish the season averaging one interception per game but his hot start bodes well for the Packers' defense.

Packers news: Tucker Kraft breaks out in a big way

The lack of involvement from Green Bay's tight ends was an underrated storyline for Green Bay through four games. Fortunately for Jordan Love, Tucker Kraft elevated the group's production in a big way against the Rams.

Kraft only logged four catches against Los Angeles but he found the end zone twice. He displayed the sort of explosion down the seam that Green Bay lacked in the early going. Kraft won't soak pu a ton of targets given the other options available to Love, but he can be another big play weapon who can make life easier for the team's wide receivers.

The key for Kraft will be to back his breakout performance up with another solid effort against the Cardinals. He needs to be a steady factor every week if Green Bay's offense is going to operate at maximum efficiency.

Packers news: Rashan Gary has gone missing

It's time for the Packers to officially be concerned about Rashan Gary's performance as a pass-rusher. His struggles against hyper-athletic quarterbacks early in the season could be excused. Failing to make an impact against Matthew Stafford and Los Angeles' mediocre offensive line represents a red flag for the enigmatic pass rusher.

Chasing Kyler Murray doesn't represent a great matchup for Gary. He's much better when he can pin his ears back on the edge and rush a stationary quarterback. That's not how Murray operates. He'll look to get on the perimeter whenever he can to put real pressure on Green Bay's front seven.

The Packers have managed to survive without Gary's production by getting quality pass rushing from their cadre of defensive tackles. It's hard to envision a scenario where that group continues to put up multiple sacks per game moving forward. Veterans like Gary and Preston Smith have to get going if the Packers defense is going to play well enough to emerge as a Super Bowl contender.

Gary seemed poised for a breakout campaign after finally getting healthy this offseason but his poor play has hamstrung the Packers' defense through five weeks. A big performance against Arizona could go a long way toward getting Gary's season back on track.