The Packers first day of training camp opened today. A lot of interesting information was revealed today, and some plays were made on the field!
GENERAL/PERSONNEL
Players I don’t see practicing on Day 1 of camp: Mason Crosby Christian Watson Sammy Watkins Keisean Nixon Kylin Hill Jonathan Garvin Randy Ramsey Rasheed Walker David Bakhtiari Elgton Jenkins Robert Tonyan Malik Taylor Akial Byers. 2) Malik Taylor with the rehab group as well. Don’t think he had any injury designation. Herman
Takeaways from Gute’s presser: -P. Taylor/Lowry/C. Jones/C. Brice returning from injury today -Sammy Watkins very short term injury -Watson longer but not long-term -No timetable on Bakhtiari per Gute. Mentions the seriousness of the injury. Says he had another procedure in the offseason. “We are cautiously optimistic.”-Not looking to add WR -Elgton is ahead of schedule. The sky is the limit for Allen Lazard. No concern that Bakhtiari will never be back, per Gute. Herman [See below on Jenkins]
Packers released LB Caliph Brice following Day 1 of camp. Schneidman [Just returned from injury.]
Elgton Jenkins doing some running with the rehab group. Herman [There is video. I looks like a sprint with Jenkins running hard. If I didn’t know he is coming off an ACL, I’d think he was fine. Same thing happened last year with video of Bakh working out, though. Randy Ramsey was up next, but the video doesn’t show him running. Here is a link to Andy Herman’s twitter page https://twitter.com/AndyHermanNFL TGR]
Asked Aaron Rodgers if it was good having Allen Lazard back after missing all offseason: “Yeah, I mean, it’s always tough going from Hall of Famer to Hall of Famer.” Ryan Wood
Bakhtiari doesn’t have timeline for his return, but he sounds optimistic about recovery process from torn ACL despite landing on PUP. “I do feel really good,” he said. “I feel normal.” He says this is the first time since tearing ACL his knee has felt normal. 2) David Bakhtiari made an important clarification about what exactly he’s recovering from: “It’s not really an ACL issue. That’s been, actually, a long time ago. We put that chapter to bed. There’s just other issues we’re navigating around, things I’m learning.” 3) David Balhtiari won’t say whether he regrets playing in Detroit last season, but his knee did not feel 100% entering that game. Asked him if he could have played in the playoffs had he not taken snaps in Detroit, but he won’t go there. “It’s an ‘if’ question,” he said. 4) David Bakhtiari said the third procedure on his knee came shortly before OTAs, forcing him to miss this offseason. 5) Brian Gutekunst says David Bakhtiari had another procedure this offseason after a setback in Detroit. He calls it a “very significant injury, much more than an ACL,” but says there is no concern Bakhtiari will play again.Wood [Tweet 2 is interesting but it didn’t make things clearer. Tweet 4 is very interesting. That makes the procedure prior to OTAs sound like it wsa perhaps a scope, but tweet 5 is different in tone. I don’t know. That doesn’t mean Bakh won’t take longer. It is something. TGR]
A reminder about PUP. If Bakhtiari stays on PUP during camp, he’s eligible to start the regular season on PUP. Only he no longer would have to sit out a minimum of 6 weeks. That number has been trimmed to 4, so in that case he could start practicing a month into the season. Silverstein [I have to check in order to verify that PUP is only 4 games. Maybe they reached a side agreement with the union on that, but I thought it was still 6 games. TGR]
Preston Smith indicated last year he accepted the pay cut in part to play with 12. Jarran Reed told me this offseason 12 was a big draw. And he isn’t the only QB with that pull. Look at the flock of free agents that follows Tom Brady. Wood
QUARTERBACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS:
Now that was a nice ball and read from Love. Hit Toure low but it was exactly where it needed to be. Nice rep from 10. 2) Love late to Amari but he makes the catch with Vernon Scott nearby. Herman
Since he arrived, Matt LaFleur has implored Jordan Love to “let it rip” out of his hand. He just threw maybe hardest ball we’ve seen from him to Amari Rodgers, perfect pass low over middle to avoid hit from a DB. Good catch from Rodgers, but exactly what LaFleur wants from Love. Wood
Romeo Doubs just mossed Kabion Ento on a jump ball from Etling. Very big wow play from 87. 2) Holy shit what a catch from Lazard downfield against Amos. Rodgers put one deep and up for grabs and Lazard skied and held on after coming down hard. These WRs are impressing early. 3) Gary just beasted Royce Newman but Rodgers chucks deep on a beautiful route and catch by Winfree. First wow play of camp. 4) Danny Davis with the leaping catch from Love in the mof to end team drills. Herman
Romeo Doubs just went up on the left sideline and caught a Jordan Love fade pass over 6-1 CB Kabion Ento’s head. Impressive play from the fourth-round rookie. Wood [Same as the Herman “Mossed” tweet above]
Winfree has had two nice offseasons in GB. Hamstring kept him out of preseason last year. Getting early work with the ones. Juwann Winfree plays through contact and makes a nice downfield snag from Rodgers to open second team period. Gary had a pressure on the play. Hodkiewicz
First deep completion of camp is from Rodgers to Juwann Winfree down the right sideline. Contested catch with Eric Stokes in coverage. Drew a nice cheer from the crowd. Schneidman [Okay, maybe I overhyping this play and player. I like Winfree.]
Matt LaFleur emphasizes importance of Christian Watson being activated from PUP as quickly as possible, but no details on when that might be: “I don’t have a whole lot of expectation on when he’ll get caught up to speed.” 2) Matt LaFleur with a money quote when asked about Sammy Watkins’ timeline to return: “I don’t pay attention to timelines anymore. When they’re cleared, they’re cleared.” He pauses. “With no expectation, comes no expectation.” Wood
First team period of camp ends with Danny Davis going vertical to make a nice grab on a PA rollout from Love. Hodkiewicz
Gutekunst said that they are not in the market for a veteran receiver. “There’s not a lot out there,” he said. He said he’s very high on the guys that he has on the roster and it’s more likely that they will have better options at the end of camp. He said they continue to monitor. Silverstein
Rapoport reports that Julio Jones signed with Tamp Bay for $6M, $8M maximum. Ian Rapoport [That’s out of GB’s price range short of being in love with the player. TGR]
RUNNING BACKS:
BJ Baylor with some juice up the middle on a big run. 2)Ok Tyler Goodson. Hell of a cut and some juice!!! Nice job by Tom & Menet blocking. Herman
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:
Starting OL in walkthroughs: Yosh Nijman, Jon Runyan, Josh Myers, Jake Hanson, Royce Newman. Expect that to be a work in progress, though interesting Nijman is now getting LT reps with Aaron Rodgers. Wood
No sign of a starting OL rotation yet – it’s been Hanson at RG and Newman at RT. 2) #2 OL Tom – Menet – Hanson – Rhyan – CVL. Zach Tom at LT with the 2’s. 3) Gary just beasted Royce Newman but Rodgers chucks deep on a beautiful route, and catch by Winfree. First wow play of camp. 4) Ok Tyler Goodson. Hell of a cut and some juice!!! Nice job by Tom & Menet blocking. Herman
Josh Myers with a shotgun snap to Aaron Rodgers before the QB was ready for it. Rodgers caught it but calmly waved his hands after the play as if to say “settle down.” A little amped on Day 1. Wood
Jake Hanson is a name that wasn’t often discussed during off-season but may be the best fit to fill that ever important Lucas Patrick position – guard who could be top reserve at center. 2) Zach Tom already getting work at left tackle and now left guard. Hodkiewicz
Matt LaFleur says it will be a “fluid situation” this camp for rookie OLs Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom because guard and tackle: “You want them to compete for a position, it’s just how much time are you devoting to cross training those guys.” Wood
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN:
Starting defense: Reed – Slaton – Clark Campbell – Quay Jaire – Stokes Amos – Savage. [TGR: I assume it would be Preston Smith and Rashan Gary as the OLBs]
Kenny Clark at 3-tech with Dean Lowry not practicing during offseason. Lowry is back, and Clark has slid back inside with Jarran Reed at 3 and Lowry at 5. Wood
Slaton with a nice quick pressure inside. Herman
DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Toure with a catch from Etling. Prob should have been broken up by Kabion (Ento). 2) Ja (Alexander) gets a couple reps off and it’s Shemar as next man up at CB. 3) Rasul comes in with the nickel and plays the slot. Herman
Rasul Douglas in the slot with starting defense, but he’s getting perimeter reps on second team. Brian Gutekunst has said slot will be week to week. Might see a lot of Douglas in the slot, except vs. undersized, quick WRs. Jaire Alexander can handle those matchups. Wood
LINEBACKERS:
Patrick Taylor with the first turnover of camp. He was running downfield and appeared to just lose the ball. Ty Summers fell on the fumble. Wood
Ty Summers just punched the ball out from Patrick Taylor. Defense recovers for the first turnover of camp. [So, perhaps Wood didn’t see Summers punch it out. No way to know. TGR] 2) I’m almost positive Quay just called the play for the defense. Would be a very early big step for him. 3) Ooo, Quay with some sideline to sideline juice to make the “tackle” on Jones on an outside run. Herman
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Packers K Mason Crosby said he had his right knee scoped two weeks ago. He’s never missed a preseason game before and said “having a couple of those off isn’t going to hurt.” Demovsky [So, no training camp battle this year.]
Matt LaFleur on new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia’s influence already: “I’ve learned more about special teams than I ever have in my life sitting in his meetings.” Wood
Coco (LS) gets first FG snaps. Huber
Josh Myers and Tyler Davis the wings on field goals. Herman