Saturday’s top takeaways
It looks like free-agent signee Rick Wagner isn’t the presumptive starter at right tackle and the Packers really are having an open competition for that job, at least early in training camp. The Packers signed Wagner to a two-year deal that averages $5.5 million and included a $3.5 million signing bonus, but in Saturday’s first real practice of camp he rotated with Billy Turner at that position with the starting offensive line. In fact, in 11-on-11 periods Turner, the starting right guard from last season, took the first snap of each rotation, and Lane Taylor lined up at right guard (Taylor has started 46 games at left guard for the Packers). Wagner also took regular snaps with the starters, and when he came in Turner moved to right guard. Coach Matt LaFleur probably won’t want to go too deep into camp before deciding his right tackleright guard combination so the line can get plenty of work together before the opener, but the Packers won’t practice in pads until later this week, so he won’t have much to go on until then they get in a few practices with hitting. “We’re going to keep shuffling that line along until we feel good about it and know that we’re headed in a certain direction,” LaFleur said. “But at least for the next couple of weeks, it’s definitely going to be a competition each and every day.”
To ramp up the competitive atmosphere with no fans present, LaFleur has taken to calling out third downs in team drills as “competition downs.” In their first install of camp, the Packers had plenty of third downs worked into their 11-on-11 scripts, with the coaching staff making sure everyone knew each was third down. One of the most notable came early in practice when Allen Lazard beat Josh Jackson on a slant route and made a one-handed catch for a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers. On another third down in the red zone,
outside linebacker Preston Smith showed his athleticism by staying with running back Jamaal Williams on a double-move out of the backfield and breaking up the pass from Rodgers along the sideline in the end zone. Firstround pick Jordan Love threw two short touchdown passes on third downs – a 14-yarder on an in-route to Jake Kumerow and a 3-yarder when he scrambled to his left and hit Malik Taylor along the sidelines. Undrafted rookie cornerback Stanford Samuels made a good breakup of a potential 18-yard touchdown pass while playing trail coverage when Love tried to drop a touch throw to Darrius Shepherd. “(The third-down emphasis) just adds a little bit of energy and urgency to our play,” LaFleur said. “Certainly today felt a little bit different than your typical training camp day. We didn’t have the energy of our fans, which we dearly miss, but guys are going to have to dig deep this year and look inside themselves to bring that
juice when we go out to play on Sundays.”
QB watch
Love worked as the No. 3 quarterback, and based on his limited team reps in his first NFL practice open to reporters he appears to have an easy throwing motion and some ability to throw with touch.
“He’s very natural (as a thrower) and, you know, there’s a lot to clean up right now,” LaFleur said. “He’s a young quarterback that is learning a new system. And just how specific we are with the footwork, I think that takes time. And so, but I’m pleased at how he attacks it on a daily basis. I think he’s a really intelligent kid and he’s very athletic, so I think it’s a matter of time before he can pick up mechanics. But, you know, our challenge to him each and every day is just, you’ve got to get that 1 percent better.”
Injury report
Returned from COVID list: K Mason Crosby.
Still on COVID list: TE Jace Sternberger, LS Hunter Bradley, DL Treyvon Hester, LB Greg Roberts. Non-football injury list: RB Patrick Taylor, OL Simon Stepaniak.
PUP: LB Curtis Bolton, OL Yosh Nijman.
Bits and pieces
Jackson, a former second-round pick who ended up buried on the depth chart last season, had a rough early start at cornerback. Along with getting beaten by Lazard on a shorter touchdown pass, he gave up a deep ball from Tim Boyle to Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Crosby went 7 for 8 on field goal attempts, though it wasn’t a live period because there was no defense on the field. The kicks ranged from 33 yards to 45, with the miss coming from 45. With Bradley not practicing, offensive lineman John Leglue handled the long snapping.
Quote of the day
“That’s how we want it to look. I think a lot of our offense it’s the second year. We’re just more comfortable in the offense and feeling a little bit better about play selection, timing, responsibilities on each play. We’ve added on a lot of different things that we did well last year and it’s only Day 1. That’s the fun part, it’s just one install that went in and it was in helmets. That’s the way it needs to look when we’re practicing. Matt, I’m sure will be unhappy about the tempo and the problems we had, but I think we got in and out of the huddle really well and we’re pretty sharp.” – Aaron Rodgers on the offense having only one penalty and no interceptions in its first camp practice.
Practice schedule
The Packers are off Sunday and practice at 10:10 a.m. Monday.