Most springtime news in the NFL is about free agent signings and draft picks: the new guys. It’s understandable to be hyper-focused on the recent additions. After all, we already saw what last year’s team can do.

Yet players may evolve in the blink of an eye in the NFL. Everyone preaches the value of “draft and develop,” but somehow the drafting steals all the headlines. Sometimes a team gets a large boost from incoming rookies, like last year’s Saints, buoyed by the arrivals of running back Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon Lattimore. But just as often a team improves by having a player already on the roster leap into a new tier of production.

Take, for example, Landon Collins. The safety out of Alabama was taken in the second round of the 2015 draft and joined a porous Giants defense. In his rookie year, Collins was fine but didn’t make a splash league-wide as his team allowed the third most points in the NFL.

Fast-forward a year and Collins became a dynamic force, recording 100 tackles, four sacks and five interceptions while becoming a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. With the help of a few other modifications, Collins’ unit became the second-best scoring defense in the league in 2016. Oh, by the way, Collins was the 33^rd overall pick in his draft, just like Packers cornerback Kevin King was two years later.

King is just one of many Packers who have a chance to make a dramatic improvement this season, and that development may be the key to a successful 2018. King’s rookie campaign was limited by an ongoing shoulder injury that dates back to his days at Washington. Now that the shoulder has been surgically repaired, King is looking to become the starting corner many Packers fans thought he’d be in last year’s draft afterglow.

It’s worth noting that first-year GM Brian Gutekunst has hedged his bets on some of his young players this offseason, in stark contrast to his predecessor’s plan. Instead of hoping that unknown commodity Emanuel Byrd will become a playable tight end in 2018 like Ted Thompson might have done, Gutekunst has brought in veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis. The same goes for bringing back veteran corner Tramon Williams—insurance for the development of King and Quinten Rollins.

The Packers will still be better served if their young players turn into solid contributors, but having veterans in place just in case should give the fans and coaches some peace of mind.

Where the Packers absolutely need development, however, is at wide receiver and rush linebacker. Clay Matthews himself voiced that the Packers are thin at outside linebacker, and unless Gutekunst decides to bring back Ahmad Brooks, the team will rely on the improvement of Vince Biegel, Kyler Fackrell and fan favorite Reggie Gilbert to bolster the pass rush. Given the injury history of Matthews and Nick Perry, it’s likely the Packers need one of these players to take a leap to be contenders in 2018.

Wide receiver is another interesting case. Beyond Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, the receiver depth chart is a total crapshoot. Rookies J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown will have a chance to compete for roster spots. But with trust and chemistry with Aaron Rodgers such a priority, the Packers will probably need Geronimo Allison, Michael Clark, DeAngelo Yancey or even the maligned Trevor Davis to become a starting-caliber receiver.

It may seem unlikely that Davis could suddenly become a starter, but that’s the thing with player development: it hardly ever follows that linear path that fans outline in their heads. Former second-round pick Jason Spriggs has struggled early in his career, and fans are justifiably anxious about the possibility of him being the starting right tackle. But it’s entirely plausible that he’s improved immensely this offseason.

HaHa Clinton-Dix made a leap two years ago, and Blake Martinez was noticeably better last year than he had been previously. Someone will break out this year—maybe even someone Packers fans aren’t expecting. And if a few key players take a leap in 2018, Green Bay just might find themselves among the NFL’s elite again.