Paul Bretl | 8/7/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers were back on the practice field Wednesday for their 11th training camp practice of the summer. They’ll have one more on Thursday before heading to Cleveland for their first preseason game on Saturday.
With practice complete, let’s open up the notebook and dive in to what took place.
A few roster moves: After having several players in for workouts the last few days, the Packers made a series of roster moves. They would sign kicker Alex Hale and defensive ends Brevin Allen and Zach Morton. The corresponding moves were waiving/injured cornerback Don Callis and receiver Rory Starkey.
With the first preseason game approaching, the Packers needed more defensive end depth. Deslin Alexandre and Keshawn Banks are still sidelined and we will likely see either none or very little of Rashan Gary and Preston Smith in Cleveland. Hale was a 2024 UDFA from Oklahoma. In his college career, which was the first time he had ever played football originally being from Australia, Hale went 43/54 overall, including 9/16 from 40-49 yards and 3/4 from 50-plus.
Hale was the only kicker who would kick on Wednesday and he went 4/5, with his one miss coming from 45 yards.
“Just trying to show my best,” said Hale. “Do my best. See where that takes me.”
Injury report: Changes to the injury report included JJ Enagbare returning to practice and Jayden Reed being out with a calf injury. Jordan Morgan, who left Tuesday’s practice with a shoulder injury, is expected to miss a week or so, according to Matt LaFleur. As was the case Tuesday, wide receiver Dimitri Stanley (hamstring), Carrington Valentine (hamstring), Deslin Alexandre (lower leg), Keshawn Banks (groin), Edgerrin Cooper (hip), and Donovan Jennings (knee) were all still sidelined.
“He had a shoulder,” said LaFleur about Morgan. “He’ll be out for–it’s nothing long term but he’s going to be out probably for a week or so.”
During practice, we saw Malik Heath stay down briefly and get help from trainers, but he would finish practice. Then on the last play of practice, Christian Watson stayed down after a contested play from Evan Williams, but was back on his feet a few minutes later.
“I don’t know if it was his knee or his cleat but something just kinda hit me in the knee,” said Watson in the locker room. “It hurt a lot worse in the moment.”
What was happening on the offensive line? With Morgan out, we again saw Rasheed Walker at left tackle followed by Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom. Just like on Tuesday, the Packers are still easing Tom back into the team portion and had him take some 11-on-11 reps off with Caleb Jones and Kadeem Telfort filling in for him. On the second offensive line, Telfort and Andre Dillard rotated each series between left tackle and right tackle. When Jones wasn’t with the ones, he spent some time with the second and third units at both tackle spots.
Zach Tom’s impact: I said it yesterday, but it was again true, the play of the offensive line is so much improved when he’s out there. The starting offense is beginning to find it’s groove. Jordan Love would throw two interceptions–more on those shortly–but for the most part, he had time in the pocket and was able to generate some big plays through the air.
“I thought he looked better than I would’ve expected missing that much time,” said LaFleur before today’s practice, “and he came in there, competed, was moving people off the line of scrimmage. Definitely you could feel that in both the run game and the pass game quite frankly. Our line’s had some struggles blocking some of our edge rushers, and I thought he went there and competed and gave Jordan extra time. I loved how he was straining down the field. I thought he did a really nice job.”
LaFleur says we won’t truly see Josh Jacobs impact until there is live tackling, but with Tom in the mix at tackle, we are getting glimpses of the big play ability he brings to the backfield, specifically with how difficult it is to bring him down.
“He’s an established veteran that’s performed at a high level and I just get so excited that he can do it all,” said LaFleur. “He can be a weapon in the passing game, not only as a pass blocker, pass protector, but also out of the backfield catching the ball. He’s got great hands and he hit some speeds yesterday that was exciting to see. He’s just a tough, rugged runner and I don’t think we’ll truly get to appreciate his value until we get into live tackling situations ’cause I think that’s really what he’s known for is just he’s a punishing runner.”
Some notable one-on-ones:
- Karl Brooks goes 1-1 vs. Jacob Monk
- Rasheed Walker goes 1-1 vs. Preston Smith
- Josh Myers goes 1-1 vs. TJ Slaton
- Kadeem Telfort goes 1-1 vs. Rashan Gary
- Colby Wooden goes 1-1 vs. Royce Newman
- Sean Rhyan goes 2-0 vs. Devonte Wyatt
- Malik Heath vs. Robert Rochell: Catch
- Corey Ballentine vs. Samori Toure: PBU
- Keisean Nixon vs. Dontayvion Wicks: PBU
- Bo Melton vs. Kalen King: Catch
- Grant DuBose vs. Germon Green: Catch
- Luke Musgrave vs. Anthony Johnson: Catch
- Romeo Doubs vs. Jaire Alexander: PBU
Cross-training at the nickel position: All three players who are primarily working out as the Packers’ slot cornerbacks–Keisean Nixon, Kalen King, and Corey Ballentine–are all getting some opportunities here and there in 11-on-11s to also play on the boundary.
MarShawn Lloyd is going to be a factor this season, but early on it feels like AJ Dillon will be the backup. As I’ve mentioned in these articles a few times, Lloyd’s burst and acceleration with the ball is incredibly impressive, but Dillon brings a well-rounded skill set, which we saw during the red zone period when he had a catch and then during another series when he picked up a free rusher in pass protection to give Love time. Lloyd was much more sound today and had a nice blitz pickup as well, but he did have a drop and a fumble on Tuesday.
Matt LaFleur said before practice that the rotation at safety will continue, but on the field it does look like Javon Bullard has perhaps separated himself, as he has gotten the starting reps next to Xavier McKinney for the last few practices, and had a very good showing during Family Night.
“No, I think it’s going to be a competitive situation throughout,” said LaFleur about the safety position. “I would expect more rotation as we move forward.”
Big days for Xavier McKinney and Devonte Wyatt: It felt like in each team period, McKinney was making a play. As the deep safety on one play, he ignored Love’s fake and covered the left half of the field to get to Watson who was running a deep route down the right sidelined and forced the pass breakup. On another series, he came away with an interception and had another pass breakup along the sidelines. With Wyatt, he was frequently visiting the backfield.
“Just saw underneath coverage,” said McKinney about his interception. “Our backer, I think it was Quay, Quay did a good job of expanding to it. He got his hand on it. Originally, I thought it was gonna come straight to me. He tipped it and had to readjust. I was able to get the pick. Just me breaking on the ball. Tips and overthrows, we say we gotta get those. I was able to make that one.”
Red zone success for the starters: Two red zone periods resulted in two touchdowns for Love and the starters. On the third play of the first possession, Love found none other than Romeo Doubs in the end zone on what was a very well-placed ball for Doubs to make a sliding catch. On the second attempt, the offense again needed only three plays with a completion to Dillon on an angle route out of the backfield setting up a touchdown run for Dillon the next play.
Two minute period: The situation was the offense was down 21-24 with 1:20 left, one timeout and starting at their own 30-yard line.
Up first was Clifford who went four-and-out. The first play was a pass breakup by Ty’Ron Hopper. On second down, Colby Wooden had a sack. On third down, Karl Brooks had another sack. And then on fourth, Clifford went deep to Toure who was in single coverage with Zayne Anderson, but the ball went through Toure’s hands. From my vantage point, it looked like a very catchable ball.
For Love and the starters, the drive started well, with Love connecting with Watson for nine yards on an out route. Love then found Wicks over the middle for 13 yards on a crossing route before connecting again with Wicks for roughly 30 yards on a deep corner route. The last play was Love trying to find Watson in the end zone, but it was intercepted by Evan Williams, who got into a good position to make a play on the ball. This was the play that Watson got hurt one. This is Williams’ fourth interception of training camp.