Real football. Closer, but not quite as week two is underway for the Green Bay Packers training camp. Players donned their shoulder pads to go along with their helmets but full combat gear to include the pants and padding will have to wait until tomorrow.
There was still a noticeable jump in the team’s enthusiasm and in some cases intensity as the next step in the process arrived.
The weather was almost ideal, sunny skies and temperatures rising into the low 80’s by the end of the nearly hour, 45 minute session on Ray Nitschke Field.
I enjoy watching the bigs once their shoulders are bigger. The offensive and defensive linemen got in their first serious pass protection, pass rush, 1 on 1 drill. The adversaries get matched up for two consecutive snaps and the first set was taken by Zach Tom, continuing to work as the starting right tackle, against number one pick Lucas Van Ness. They actually got in three snaps. After winning the first rep, Tom false started. Given another chance, Van Ness used high leverage on an inside rush and got over the top of Tom. Elgton Jenkins and Kenny Clark was a spirited pairing with Clark twice trying to power his way through Jenkin’s chest but the left guard held strong. I saw rookie Colby Wooden show off quick feet to beat Royce Newman. Yosh Nijman got in reps at left tackle as David Bakhtiari got the day off. This after the entire team had Sunday off. The Packers going to be very careful with the veteran.
On the other end of the field, the wide receivers and defensive backs took part in very spirited one on one matchups downfield. Jaire Alexander asked for and was allowed to blanket Christian Watson every time he took a turn. Alexander said it’s no secret he wants wide receiver number one all the time but will do whatever coordinator Joe Barry asks of him. Jaire met reporters after practice and was blunt about how the defense performed last year saying we made too many excuses. Once Eric Stokes returns from 2022 surgeries, Alexander said it’s going to be “Strap City” in the secondary, a phrase he coined himself and hopes a marketing strategy is developed for quickly.
The play of the day came from the back of the secondary depth chart. 7th round draft pick Carrington Valentine jumped on a Danny Etling out route for a pick six and was mobbed by his colleagues on the field and serenaded by his fellow DB’s in the locker room.
Watson made his presence felt by racing past Innis Gaines on a deep sideline route and Jordan Love hit him perfectly in stride for a home run touchdown. He can take the top off at any time. Last year’s second round pick missed training camp as a rookie after having post OTA surgery. He pulled a hamstring early in the regular season and then erupted with big plays during the second half of the campaign. Matt LaFleur talked about Watson’s second season and first full camp saying he’s physically fit and mentally, he gets the entire offense.
Christian went out of his way this off-season to make sure he understands every concept and every route in LaFleur’s passing game.
The competitive period of camp was another two minute drill, this time, the offense was down 28-21 with 1:15 left in the game. The defense pitched a shutout against the first, second and third stringers. Love’s first pass should have been picked by Quay Walker, denied by his hands over the middle. Forced to convert a 4th and 6 play to keep the series alive, Love’s passing to a diving Jayden Reed was just long. Alex McGough couldn’t move the chains on 4 downs and only rookie Sean Clifford produced a first down before he scrambled his way for the last nine seconds without getting a sniff of a score. Make it 4-0 for the defense who watched the offensive players get in another round of 20 push ups after practice.
With an opening on the roster after Jonathan Garvin’s release on Friday, General Manager Brian Gutekunst has signed another center to look at. 6-3, 297 pound first year pro James Empey has been signed. He was undrafted out of BYU last year, signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys. After getting cut in camp, Empey spent the 2022 season with the Miami Dolphins practice squad, getting activated for one game but not playing.
An NFL legend took in Monday’s practice.
Peyton Manning chats with Matt LaFleur.
Five time MVP and two time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning spent the day on Nitschke Field. He spent time chatting with Matt LaFleur, then Brian Gutekunst and Mark Murphy once practice got rolling. Even more impressive, Manning survived the children’s gauntlet on Armed Forces Drive where the bike brigade peddled back to Lambeau after practice. He strolled amongst the fans signing autograph after autograph all the way back to the stadium.
Tomorrow, it really will be real, fully padded football.
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