GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers’ cornerback Nate Hobbs is currently rehabbing a meniscus injury that he sustained in his right knee during last Thursday’s practice.
As Hobbs recalled at his locker on Tuesday, the injury occurred this past Thursday, he learned on Friday that the meniscus was torn, and the cleanup procedure was completed on Saturday.
“There was a play,” Hobbs said, “there was a collision and there was a slight, little minor bump that I felt. Something I always get, somebody ran into me, it was cool, but it turned out to be something deeper than that.”
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A few days removed from the procedure, Hobbs was walking around the locker room on his own with a bandage on his right knee and a slight limp. “I feel good,” he told local reporters.
The decision to get the procedure done now was to ensure that the injury wouldn’t linger into the season and potentially force Hobbs to miss time down the road.
“I feel like that’s part of my job. I’m a professional,” Hobbs said. “I get paid to do this, so anything that’s a concern on my body, I need to try to get on right away. I felt like it was something we needed to do. They gave me the option of whether I wanted to do it the next day or the day after, I’m like, ‘We can do this today. Let’s get ahead of starting to get back.’”
Matt LaFleur wasn’t going to put a timeline on Hobbs’ return, but a report from ESPN says that Hobbs is expected to miss the remainder of training camp but “could be back” for the Packers’ Week 1 matchup against Detroit on September 7th.
When Hobbs was asked about his potential availability for Week 1, he didn’t specify a date or timeline for his return, either, but he is confident in his ability to bounce back from this.
“I’ve been hurt before,” Hobbs said. “I came back before. I played in big games. I’ve been asked to do things that I didn’t know I could do till I did them.”
As a new member of the Packers’ cornerback room, signing with the team earlier this offseason as a free agent, Hobbs made a very quick impact in training camp. Within the first few practices, he had already forced several pass breakups, and the Packers were utilizing Hobbs’ versatility, lining him up both inside and out.
Fellow defensive backs have described Hobbs as confident, energetic, and a dog. That physical play style that Hobbs brings to the Packers’ secondary has led to some questionable hits on teammates MarShawn Lloyd and Dontayvino Wicks. However, that physicality is an element of Hobbs’ game that very much caught the attention of Brian Gutekunst during free agency.
“You’re trying to balance a lot of things as you’re going through camp,” Gutekunst said of the physical play. “We’re trying to become a certain kind of football team that can win and win deep into the playoffs. There’s a certain kind of physicality you have to have and Nate Hobbs brings all that. That’s why we brought him here. It’s very important that all our guys have that kind of edge to them.”
After undergoing his procedure on Saturday, Hobbs had already started his rehab on Sunday, wanting to show teammates that he was going to “attack” this process, and he will carry that same energy forward in meetings and around the building as he works his way back.
“I was having a good camp and I was proving to my teammates and gaining their trust,” Hobbs said. “That’s something I take real serious. Just trying to be the best version of myself out there. And so, whenever you truly try to do that and something like that happens, it hurts. But you either take that and use it or take that as something that’s going to hold you back or look at it like a lesson.”
The Packers bring back a familiar face, signing Corey Ballentine, who adds experienced depth at CB, is familiar with Hafley’s defense, and special teams help.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers bolstered their cornerback depth on Monday and did so by signing a familiar face.
A few days after the Indianapolis Colts had released Corey Ballentine, the Packers announced that they were signing him. Ballentine was a free agent this past offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Colts.
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Ballentine had spent the previous three seasons with the Packers. During that span, he was a core special teams contributor, which in 2024, included playing 195 snaps across five of the six different phases.
Ballentine’s role on defense was mostly small, filling in when the Packers were dealing with injuries at cornerback. However, in 2023, he did play 488 snaps that season while making six starts.
Most of Ballentine’s snaps in games have come lined up on the outside, but the Packers did cross-train him at the nickel position last summer.
The performance from Ballentine that many will remember came in Week 17 against Minnesota. The Vikings went after Ballentine in that game, targeting him eight times, but he allowed just two receptions for 13 yards with an interception and pass breakup.
“Corey did a great job,” said Matt LaFleur of Ballentine’s play in 2023. “He was in a tough situation because there were a lot of games where maybe he wasn’t anticipating starting and then on a Friday or a Saturday, ‘Hey, you’re going in there. You got to go play ball.’ And I thought he did an outstanding job, just whatever we asked of him he was always prepared and that’s the expectation.
“I thought he handled that like a mature player and went in there and played a lot of meaningful snaps for us and also gave us a boost on special teams. So, he’s a versatile player that did a lot of good things for us.”
Green Bay reuniting with Ballentine is a move that made plenty of sense the moment the Colts decided to move on from him.
While GM Brian Gutekunst is confident in the corners at the top of the depth chart, namely Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine, all of whom have “pelts on the wall,” as Gutekunst put it this offseason, there are unknowns when it comes to the depth behind them.
Given what we’ve seen in training camp, it looks like the next few spots on the depth chart belong to Kamal Hadden, Kalen King, Bo Melton, and Micah Robinson, none of whom have any regular-season defensive snaps at the NFL level.
“I think they’ve all done a nice job with the opportunities,” Gutekunst said of the depth at cornerback. “I mean, it’s been really neat to watch Bo get in there and be as successful as he’s been the first few days that he’s been out there. But they’ve done a nice job. I think there’s gonna be some really, really good competition there at the back of that group.”
Ballentine is familiar with Jeff Hafley’s defense, having played in it last season, which will help him hit the ground running here in August, and he can help out on special teams.
It’s a competitive WR room again with limited roster spot(s) but that’s now new to Malik Heath, whose focus has been on the details.
“..trying hone in a little bit more on details … I won’t be the reason the play doesn’t work”
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have again constructed a deep and competitive wide receiver room. So for third-year wideout Malik Heath, it’s another training camp where he is fighting for a roster spot.
However, this isn’t anything new for Heath, who has been in a similar spot during each of his first two NFL seasons.
“I’m just doing my job,” Heath said of the competition. “I compete, but I don’t too much worry about (it). I love my brothers and everything but I don’t too much worry about everything outside of football. So I just try to get my mind right for football.”
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Since going undrafted in 2023 out of Ole Miss, Heath has been on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster in each of his first two seasons. In 2023, that included beating out Bo Melton and Grant DuBose for a roster spot. In 2024, Heath again made the team coming out of training camp, fending off what was a strong showing over the summer by DuBose.
In two years with the Packers, Heath has appeared in 26 games on offense and made two starts. He’s caught 25 of the 37 targets that have gone his way, averaging 8.9 yards per catch with three touchdowns.
In a loaded wide receiver room, Heath’s playing time has been sporadic, filling in when injuries strike or in certain situations, specifically during early, more run-heavy downs where his physicality in the run game can be on display.
“I just keep trying to get better every day,” Heath said. “I try to help my team out by any means necessary. That can come from run-blocking or pass, I just try to help them out.”
While what took place during the 2024 season won’t impact what takes place in training camp when it comes to final roster decisions, Heath does have to shake his performance in the Packers’ Wildcard round loss to Philadelphia.
Due to injuries at receiver, Heath played 26 snaps in that game and was targeted by Jordan Love in some key situations. Unfortunately, he would end up 0-for-3 on those passes, and the missed plays ended up being quite costly.
On the throw from Love that was intercepted by Eagles’ linebacker Zack Baun, a pass that was intended for Heath, Matt LaFleur said in his season-ending press conference that the route was run at 15 yards when it needed to be run at 20 yards. That miscue drastically changes the throwing window for Love.
Heath’s second target came in the red zone, where it looked like the Packers had an easy touchdown opportunity. Love took the snap and threw to Heath on an out-breaking route near the front pylon, but the two were unable to connect, with Heath stumbling just a bit out of his break. The Packers would end up settling for a field goal on that possession.
Then, with five minutes left in the game and needing a first down, Love looked to Heath again, but the receiver couldn’t get both of his feet down in bounds to secure the reception.
“It’s Year 3, trying to get better,” Heath said of this upcoming season. “Trying to grow on the stuff I did my rookie year and in my second year. Just trying hone in a little bit more on details and stuff like that. I won’t be the reason the play doesn’t work.”
As alluded to, oftentimes when Heath has been called upon in games, he’s filled a very specific role. Either shouldering heavy run-blocking responsibilities or as an early-down target near the line of scrimmage. Of Heath’s 15 targets last season, 14 of them came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Heath’s focus this offseason has been on the details and nuances that come with playing the receiver position in LaFleur’s offense, but also on rounding out his game, so he can make an impact in a greater variety of ways. The ability to do more will be vital in this crowded Packers’ receiver room.
“This offseason I was just trying to focus on running more crisper routes,” Heath said. “Being more quarterback friendly, stuff like that. So I can get more playing time and stuff like that. Just working on my route details, basically.”
Between Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams, that’s already five roster spots accounted for. Perhaps the Packers go heavy and keep seven receivers on the initial 53-man roster, but realistically, Heath and others may be competing for just one roster spot.
The ability to contribute on special teams and help out in the run game can certainly be differentiators at this position, but ultimately, day-to-day consistency will be the biggest determining factor in who is on the team and who isn’t. And by consistency, that doesn’t only refer to the receivers catching the passes that come their way, it’s also about executing on those finer details.
“He’s just got to continue to stack and maximize his opportunities,” LaFleur said of Heath. “Obviously, it’s a very competitive receiver room. I love how Malik competes and when called upon he’s done a nice job for us. I would say build upon that and maximize each rep.”
The star of Family Night was S Omar Brown, who came away with 3 INTs. He is now up to 5 total in training camp.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers’ annual Family Night practice isn’t like the other training camp practices that the team has. The obvious reasons are because the practice takes place inside Lambeau Field and not at Ray Nitschke Field. The practice is also held in front of a game-like crowd, which this year featured nearly 60,000 fans in attendance.
But from an evaluation standpoint, as GM Brian Gutekunst explained earlier in the week, how the players perform in this environment will carry more weight than a traditional Thursday morning training camp practice would.
“When we get into Family Night and obviously the preseason games,” Gutekunst said, “those guys got to go out there and make those decisions without those guys in their ear, and I think it’s extremely important for me as an evaluator to see that and to see how they respond to that.”
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In any practice environment, a defensive back coming away with three interceptions like safety Omar Brown did on Saturday night is going to garner attention. But doing it on the Family Night stage means a bit more when decisions have to be made.
Brown went undrafted in 2024 out of Nebraska, where he played his final two college seasons after spending his first three seasons at FCS Northern Iowa. Brown would sign as an undrafted rookie with Denver and spent that training camp with the Broncos.
During roster cutdowns last August, Brown was released by Denver, and the Packers would swoop in and sign him to the practice squad. As Matt LaFleur said after Family Night, Brown was a player that Green Bay had their eyes on during the pre-draft process, which included having him in for a 30 visit.
Brown would spend the entirety of his rookie season on the Green Bay practice squad and was a game-day elevation twice, appearing on special teams in Weeks 16 and 18, where he played 16 total snaps, and once on defense in Week 16, where he played eight snaps.
“Man, I think it was huge,” Brown said at his locker of being on the practice squad last season. “Especially with this safety group. We’ve got a lot of older guys – people that got a lot of experience.
“So, really, I feel like that was good for me. Really just seeing how everything was going to be, having X, having Evan, just being behind this group of safeties is really just big leadership. The whole defense, honestly, but I’d say that my position group, we’ve got a lot of leaders.
Brown’s first Family Night interception came during a red zone period. Positioned at safety against Malik Willis and the second team offense, Brown patrolled the middle of the field near the goal line. Willis tried to fit the ball into a tight window as his receiver crossed the middle of the end zone, but Brown was underneath and plucked the ball out of the air.
The second interception came off Taylor Elgersma, who threw the ball down the seam, where it was deflected in the air and right into Brown’s hands.
Those first two interceptions were prime examples of a safety knowing his job, reacting to what the offense is doing, and being positioned perfectly to make plays on the ball.
“I just ran to the ball every play, really, just like a regular practice,” Brown said afterward at his locker. “That’s what we teach is running to the ball, and I feel like it’s going to come to you if you run to the ball.”
Brown’s third interception consisted of those elements as well, but some impressive playmaking was also a part of the equation. On a deep ball down the right sideline thrown by Willis, Brown elevated with wide receiver Julian Hicks, contested the catch, and on his way to the ground secured the interception.
As Brown recalled in the locker room, he doesn’t think Willis saw him on that play as he “snuck” behind Hicks.
Following that final interception, on the far sideline from the press box where the Green Bay defense was positioned, you could see Xavier McKinney put his arm around Brown and offer some advice.
“Tonight I told him, after his third one,” McKinney recalled, “I just said, ‘Just stay consistent. Stay focused.’ Because as you make those plays, everybody’s patting you on the back, but you’ve still got to understand, you’re still trying to make the team.
“But I think tonight really separated him for making that statement of making that 53-man. So I’m proud of him, and I can’t wait to continue to just see him grow and I’ll be happy to see him once we get into our regular preseason games.”
With Brown’s three interceptions on Family Night, a feat he’s never accomplished at any point in his football playing career, he is now up to five interceptions in total since training camp started. The on-ball production for Brown has been steady since the team’s first practice.
Roughly a week and a half into these training camp practices, Brown has laid an excellent foundation for himself when it comes to making a real push at the Packers’ 53-man roster. However, as McKinney pointed out, while these splash plays are great, making the final roster is all about showcasing consistency.
And at a position group that features McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard at the top of the depth chart, special teams contributions will be a must for Brown as well.
With that said, while all of that is certainly true, for at least one night, Brown was the star of the show in front of a nearly sold-out Lambeau crowd. Afterward, as Brown was meeting with the media, McKinney continued to show his support, chanting “MVP! MVP!” throughout the locker room.
“He’s a stud,” Zayne Anderson added. “He attacks every day like a true pro. He’s always wanting to get better and he’s always asking questions which I think is the first thing and he does his job, which clearly tonight, he gets those interceptions.
“He deserves it, man. He works his butt off and it’s cool seeing guys in the room the fruit come from their labor. Everybody in the room is super pumped for him.”
9 Other quick Family Night observations
Malik Willis has had a really up-and-down camp. When able to throw in rhythm, he’s been very accurate. However, when that timing is disrupted is when he’s throwing the interceptions, and oftentimes, those turnovers are a product of a bad decision.
The defense won the night. Particularly in coverage, the Green Bay secondary was incredibly sticky. There were several plays where the quarterback had time in the pocket, but nowhere to go with the ball. In Year 2 under Jeff Hafley, the defense has thrown a lot of different looks and movements at the offense.
Brandon McManus continues to play at a high level. Including his Family Night performance, McManus is now 34-of-35 on field goals in the team portion of practice in training camp.
Speaking of being around the ball, Carrington Valentine has done an excellent job of that as well. He intercepted Jordan Love during the two-minute period. Matched up against Matthew Golden, Valentine ran the route with him and came away with the interception on an overthrown pass. Valentine ended last season with a few interceptions in the final weeks, and he’s carried that momentum over into the summer.
It’s now been three practices in a row where we’ve seen Warren Brinson making his way into the backfield, and he’s done so against both the run and the pass. Tonight, his standout rushes came in the passing game, one of which was in the red zone, where he disrupted the play. Brinson got steady looks on Saturday next to Karl Brooks with the second defense.
I’m not sure how many linebackers the Packers keep, but Kristian Welch is going to put himself in the 53-man roster conversation with his ability to help on several special teams units. On the starting kick and punt coverage units was Welch, and alongside him were many players who we would consider roster locks.
Tucker Kraft was the only new addition to the injury report with a groin. LaFleur said it was something he had been pushing through in recent days, but the team wanted him to rest up on Saturday. LaFleur also mentioned that Emanuel Wilson avoided major injury during Friday’s practice.
Yes, I just wrote about John FitzPatrick, but with each passing practice, I’m more convinced that he’s going to have some sort of role on offense this season.
It certainly seemed like the Packers were taking close looks at Malik Heath and Mecole Hardman. Early on in practice, it was Heath getting a lot of opportunities with the ones, while in the back-half of the practice, it looked like Hardman got those opportunities. The difficulty here in trying to decipher who might have the edge if the two are truly competing for one roster spot is that both bring very different skill sets to the offense.
Kraft and Musgrave sit at the top of the TE depth chart, but early on John FitzPatrick has shown that he can carve out a role.
“that full offseason, OTAs, and this training camp to go through to really understand the offense”
GREEN BAY, Wis. — We know that at the top of the tight end depth chart for the Packers are Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave. However, that third spot on the depth chart, which could come with some playing time, is up for grabs, and it appears that John FitzPatrick is in control of that role in the early going of training camp.
FitzPatrick was a late addition to the Packers’ roster in 2024, not joining the team until early October, when he was signed off the Atlanta practice squad as Green Bay attempted to bolster their tight end depth while Luke Musgrave was injured.
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A restricted free agent this past offseason, the Packers did not originally place a tender on FitzPatrick, which then made him an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team. But he would make his way back to Green Bay.
After having to learn Matt LaFleur’s robust playbook on the fly last season, FitzPatrick is now much more comfortable with the scheme and his role, having had a full offseason with the team under his belt.
“I feel good,” FitzPatrick said. “It’s been fun. Spending a lot more time with these guys. Learning more from JD (tight ends coach John Dunn), having that full offseason, OTAs, and this training camp to go through to really understand the offense more. That’s been good.”
FitzPatrick is competing with Ben Sims for that third tight end role, but he appears to be ahead of him in the early pecking order based on playing time up to this point. Both FitzPatrick and Sims have seen regular snaps with the twos, but FitzPatrick has been the go-to tight end with that unit when only one is on the field. He’s also gained some reps with the ones as well.
During his college career at Georgia, the primary responsibility for the 6-7 – 262 pound FitzPatrick was as a blocker. In the 90 snaps he’s played at the NFL level with the Packers and Falcons, that’s often been his role as well.
In these early training camp practices, FitzPatrick has provided the offense with an added in-line presence when on the field, but now acclimated to the offense, there have also been more opportunities to move him around, which includes some reps lining up in the backfield and going in motion.
“There’s some stuff similar to what I did back in college, which is fun. A lot of fun movements, running around, hitting people. Old school football. I really enjoy it, getting in the backfield and running around and hitting people.”
While blocking is FitzPatrick’s bread and butter, he flashed his abilities in the passing game during Friday’s practice. Operating with the second-team offense and running a corner route, FitzPatrick made a sliding catch along the sidelines on a well-placed ball by Malik Willis. Then, during the red zone period, FitzPatrick caught a touchdown pass from Jordan Love on a bootleg.
FitzPatrick isn’t going to overtake Musgrave for the TE2 role. But as a blocking-first tight end, he could carve out some snaps in certain situations with the blocking component still a work in progress for Musgrave and something that likely won’t ever be a strength of his game.
The benefit of having a strong blocking presence behind Kraft is not only the help that tight end can provide in the run game, but if the Packers want to feature Kraft more heavily in the passing game this season, then whether it’s Musgrave, FitzPatrick, Sims, or some combination of the three, a steady blocking presence behind him on the tight end depth chart will be required in order to free Kraft up to take on other responsibilities.
“At tight end, you have to be able to do it all,” said tight ends coach John Dunn, “and then a big part of that (is), sometimes you don’t get as many reps as say Tuck does during the week. And so the mental part and the preparation part is just as critical.
“So the thing that those guys (FitzPatrick and Sims) outside of their physical ability, to be able to do what we’re asking them, I mean, they’re pros. They study like they’re playing every play, they go about their business the right way. Obviously they have talent. They’re doing everything we’re asking them to do. I love those guys.”
You tell the impact Nazir Stackhouse is making and what he’s putting on film by the added opportunities that have come his way.
Can he be the next UDFA to make the Packers Week 1 roster?
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have a long history of having an undrafted rookie on their Week 1 roster. Perhaps the next player to join that club is defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, who has taken advantage of his opportunities early on in training camp.
“Stackhouse been taking advantage,” Karl Brooks said after Friday’s practice. “He’s been stacking days each and every day at camp. He’s been improving getting better. He’s a strong man in the run game, but he’s a good player that’s on the right track right now and he’s been playing phenomenal football.”
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Stackhouse was one of the 10 undrafted rookies that the Packers signed after this year’s NFL draft. To some draft analysts, it was likely a surprise that Stackhouse even got to that point. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, for example, had a Stackhouse with a fifth-sixth round draft projection.
Playing on a dominant Georgia defensive front, Stackhouse would appear in 59 games during his five college seasons, which included 42 starts. Listed at 6-4 – 327 and operating in a Georgia defense that rotated the defensive line heavily, Stackhouse’s primary role in college was as an early down run-stuffer.
Stackhouse finished his career with 96 tackles, including nine for a loss, three sacks, one interception, and a blocked field goal. He won back-to-back National titles in 2021 and 2022, and was named a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023.
Players who are tasked with clogging up the middle of the field on running plays aren’t often going to fill the stat sheet with production. But when that player is operating at a high level and generating steady push, taking on double-teams, and occupying space, the defenders around him all benefit from that presence.
With the Packers, Stackhouse’s impact and what he’s putting on tape have been evident with the added opportunities he’s gained as training camp has unfolded.
Early on, he was working strictly with the third-team defense. A few practices in, he was a rotational player with the twos–which is where most of his playing time continues to come from– and then on Friday, as Matt LaFleur said would be the case, Stackhouse earned a few reps against the first-team offense alongside Brooks, as the two filled in for Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt.
“The progression has been great,” Stackhouse said of his play. “It’s been good. Obviously, playing this game, you’re going to learn a lot from a lot of different guys, a lot of different coaches, so yeah, the progression has been going up.”
Stackhouse continued, “There’s still a lot more that I can learn. And shoot me just maintaining that same effort every day at practice, just doing what I do, that’s going to help with that progression as well. Even if like sometimes I think I’m having a bad practice, I know that my effort is going to help me too on the field.”
As mentioned, at the college level, Stackhouse’s bread-and-butter was as an early down run defender. The Packers are still asking him to fill that role, but within Jeff Hafley’s defense, they’re also getting him more opportunities on third downs to rush the quarterback.
“I feel like here, you play first, second down, but we’ll split you in some on third down reps as well,” Stackhouse said. “So you gotta learn some of those simulated pressures, know how to pass rush, one-on-one gotta take advantage, get-offs, all that stuff. There was not a lot of that at college as there is now.”
To a degree, getting after the quarterback is a bit uncharted territory for Stackhouse. Again, it’s just not what he was asked to do at Georgia. So with that, there is a learning curve that comes with it.
“I’m starting to learn how to practice on that side too as well when it comes to pass rushing on third down,” Stackhouse said at his locker. “I gotta be prepared in those moments. When we’re doing two-minute, like I can’t just be lackadaisical on the sideline, I have to always be expecting coach to call my name because they’re not just asking me to stop the run here. They’re asking me to stop the run and do a little bit more to on the defense.”
To state the obvious, there is still a ways to go with a number of practices still on the training camp schedule, along with two joint practices, and three preseason games. But Stackhouse has made a quick impression, and with TJ Slaton no longer on the roster, he brings a different skill set than some of the other players the Packers have at this position group.
“He’s done a really nice job,” LaFleur said of Stackhouse’s play, “and he’s earning more and more opportunities.”
Musgrave has 2 priorities coming into this season.
“I need to stay healthy. Just be a more complete tight end.”
After 2 big plays in the pass game Thursday, he’s off to a good start as the Packers hope to get him and Kraft together on the field ⬇️https://t.co/ektDTX4t8i
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Injuries have unfortunately been part of Luke Musgrave’s first two NFL seasons with the Packers. Out of a possible 34 regular-season games during that span, Musgrave has appeared in just 18 of them.
So now, about to embark on his third NFL season, step one for Musgrave in his continued development is he needs to stay on the field.
“I need to stay healthy,” Musgrave said. “Just be a more complete tight end, working on my blocking. So that’s what I’ve done. I still have so much more to improve upon in all facets of my game, but I do feel comfortable with the place I’m at right now, and excited to keep improving.”
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With the ankle injury from last season behind him, Musgrave has felt good throughout the offseason and during training camp.
With impressive speed at the tight end position, Musgrave can be a very difficult matchup in coverage when coupled with his size. Over the last few practices in particular, we’ve seen that on display.
During a one-on-one period on Tuesday, Musgrave was matched up against safety Javon Bullard and ran a vertical route down the right sideline, where he was able to create quite a bit of separation.
Then, in Thursday’s practice, Musgrave made two really good receptions on what were also very well-placed balls by Jordan Love. The first came on a corner route towards the left sideline with Musgrave bracketed by Xavier McKinney and Carrington Valentine.
A perfectly thrown ball allowed Musgrave to make the contested catch while getting both feet in bounds. As McKinney walked back to the defensive huddle, he could be heard saying, “Good-a** catch.”
A few plays later, Musgrave ran another corner route on the opposite side of the field. With Valentine again close by, Love made another good anticipation throw while Musgrave adjusted to the ball, making the catch.
“I think they were just both perfect examples of there’s no defense for a perfect ball,” Musgrave said at his locker. “I think both balls were delivered exactly where they needed to be for the defense. So, I think all that goes to Jordan. All that – spectacular.”
With Musgrave’s skill set, the playmaking potential is there in the passing game, but an important part of playing the tight end position, especially in Matt LaFleur’s offense, is the ability to help out in the run game.
That is one area in particular that offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said he would like to see Musgrave improve in, and in the early going of training camp, he likes what he’s seen up to this point, saying on Wednesday that Musgrave has done “a really nice job so far.”
Two examples of Musgrave’s improved play as a blocker came on a pair of end-arounds in Tuesday’s practice. In both instances, he was able to take on the linebacker, holding the block long enough for the ball carrier to get by.
“I think I’m getting better,” Musgrave said of his blocking. “Getting better. I’m certainly nowhere near where I’d like to be at some point, but I think every day I’m getting better. I hit the weight room really hard and I feel stronger this year, so I think it’s just getting more polished, better. I’m never probably going to be a guy that just drives people forever, but to be able to do a sufficient job, I think I’m getting better.”
With Musgrave missing time in his first two seasons, we haven’t seen much of him and Tucker Kraft on the field together. So frequently, the coaching staff, Musgrave, and Kraft have all been asked, ‘What can this offense do with both of them on the field together?’
The rudimentary explanation of what could be is that when an offense is able to line up in 12 personnel with two tight ends who are capable as blockers and in the passing game, there is a level of unpredictability that the offense as a whole gains with each of those players able to fill a variety of roles.
This not only creates opportunities for the tight ends, but for others as well, and can do so in both the run and passing game. So potentially, while LaFleur is entering Year 7 as head coach, there is still a part of his playbook that remains largely untapped.
“I think we both know,” Musgrave said about what he and Kraft can do on the field together. “It’s a blast for me to watch Tucker in the run game. I’ve learned a ton from him. So I think it’s kind of known that we’ve got a really good room, me and him could be really good, and then we’ve got a bunch of other guys who are also really good that we can do a bunch of fun stuff.”
Training camp last summer for Musgrave seemed to be a quiet one. There didn’t seem to be as many of those standout plays from him like I recalled above–all of which have come in just the last two practices, by the way.
But now, as is the case for any player, it’s about Musgrave building upon those early performances, so the plays described become the norm. And if that happens, then this Packers’ offense could get a major boost.
“We have a lot of confidence in that room,” LaFleur said of the tight ends. “The big thing for a guy like Luke is staying healthy. It’d be nice to have those guys fully healthy for the duration of the season. Both those guys are weapons and they have things that are within their own skill-set that are a little bit different, which is exciting.”
Packers practice No. 7 and locker room are wrapped up. Let’s discuss everything that happened.
– Warren Brinson – One-on-ones – Jordan Love – Carrington Valentine
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Following an off-day on Wednesday, the Packers were back at practice on Thursday. The last time they took the practice field, Rasheed Walker–and a few teammates–ended up running a lap.
Matt LaFleur wants his football team to be more physical this season. Adding Nate Hobbs to the secondary was a part of that equation. However, there’s also a line that comes with that, especially on the practice field.
“Just continue to try to educate them on the expectations. I never want to let a few moments overshadow the work our guys are putting in, because they really are doing a great job of doing all the little things the right way. Sometimes those things happen. I just think it’s always important to remember that if you do anything in the game, you’re going to get penalized for it, and it’s going to hurt the team.”
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With that said, as Rich Bisaccia put it on Wednesday, you’d rather have to pull the team back when it comes to playing with some physicality than be on the other end of things and have to push them.
As always, with Thursday’s practice and locker room session now wrapped up, here’s a look at what took place.
Injury updates: Back at practice today were Aaron Banks (back), Savion Williams (concussion), and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). Banks would participate in some team reps but was on a snap count. Williams and Wicks would go through the individual periods. Of note, Jayden Reed was off to the side stretching and riding the bike during the team period.
Not practicing today were MarShawn Lloyd (groin), Christian Watson (knee), Collin Oliver (hamstring), and John Williams (back).
Adam Stenavich said that with the offensive line getting healthy, we were going to see more of Jordan Morgan at left tackle, and that was very much the case on Thursday. After Rasheed Walker was with the starting offense at left tackle during the first two series that the starters were on the field, Morgan would handle the starting reps there for the next three series.
“I like what I’m seeing from Jordan,” Stenavich said on Wednesday, “and he’s competing at the tackle spot and the guard spot, and he’s looking pretty solid.”
Stenavich then later added, “Again, I’m really excited from what he’s shown on tape from both positions, guard and tackle.”
We again saw some one-on-ones. Here are some of the notable outcomes from the receivers vs. defensive backs and the offensive line vs. the defensive line.
Enagbare beats Walker
Clark beats Morgan
Monk beats Wooden
Brooks beats Rhyan
Alexandre beats Telfort
Rhyan beats Brooks
Cox beats Tom
Walker beats Enagbare
Wooden beats Monk
Wyatt beats Jennings
Kraft beats Williams
Brown beats Junior
Melton beats Sheppard
Hardman beats Bullard
Heath beats Hadden
FitzPatrick beats Anderson
Luke Musgrave had two impressive receptions on Thursday. The first came on the left sideline with what was a beautifully placed ball by Jordan Love. With Xavier McKinney tight in coverage, Musgrave dove for the ball, made the catch, and kept both feet in bounds. As McKinney walked back to the huddle, he acknowledged how good of a catch it was.
The next big catch by Musgrave came to a few plays later on a corner route. Carrington Valentine was also close by, but another good anticipation throw by Love and an adjustment by Musgrave led to a completion.
“I think they were just both perfect examples of there’s no defense for a perfect ball,” Musgrave said at his locker. “I think both balls were delivered exactly where they needed to be for the defense. So, I think all that goes to Jordan. All that – spectacular.”
It’s a crowded receiver room, as we know, so the ceiling for these two players is likely the practice squad, but Cornelius Johnson continues to catch everything thrown his way, while Sam Brown Jr. has shown the ability to create separation as a route runner.
Musgrave credited Love for those two passes, but overall it was a good day for the quarterback. Ball placement, efficiency, decision-making, and navigating the pocket were all on point.
Speaking of good days, we can put Warren Brinson in this category. Against both the run and pass, there were three or four plays in total where Brinson was in the backfield being disruptive. In a little over a week, Brinson has gone from mostly playing with the 3s to being what I would say is a rotational defender with the 2s.
“I feel like I’m getting better every day and that’s the goal is to keep getting,” Brinson said afterward. “I’m trying to help this team be a contender. I’m trying to play. I’m not coming here to ride the bench.”
Along with Brinson, fellow defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse has been getting some steady looks with the second defensive line unit as well. Although known for his run-stuffing abilities at Georgia, the Packers are using Stackhouse in some third-down, passing-situation packages as well.
On a windy day in Green Bay, Brandon McManus had his first missed field goal in the team portion of practice. On a 49-yard attempt, kicking directly into the wind, McManus’ ball hit a wall and fell right of the uprights. Prior to this attempt, he had made 25 field goals in a row since the start of training camp.
“Today was by far the toughest day,” McManus said. “Pretty windy out there today, but no, it’s always good to be kicking well and feeling confident. I had a confident stroke going.”
The heavy rotation at safety between Evan Williams and Javon Bullard continues. We regularly see both lined up deep next to McKinney, while Bullard also has slot duties when Nate Hobbs isn’t lined up inside. On paper come Week 1, there will be a starter, but I see both have steady roles that will likely be matchup dependent.
We know Brenton Cox has the power pass rush game, but there have been some reps he’s won over the last few days where he’s done so with speed.
“He’s a physical, strong, tough guy who gives you everything that he has and he’s very disruptive,” Jeff Hafley said on Wednesday.
There are a few candidates for play of the day, mainly the two aforementioned receptions by Musgrave, but I’ll choose another throw made by Love, this one to Romeo Doubs. With Hobbs’ blitzing, Love had another beautifully placed ball on a back shoulder throw to Romeo Doubs up the right sideline. Doubs would make a nice adjustment to complete the catch–one that the defender had little chance of contesting. Also on that play, a really nice blitz pickup by Chris Brooks to buy time for Love.
“I thought Bullard did his absolute best playing his best coverage there,” Doubs recalled. “It was just a great ball, a great catch. It’s something that we were working on during the individual before we got to that point.”
On another play during the two minute period, Brooks had a second really good pass pro rep, this time against Enagbare. That ability to help out in the pass game, specifically as a blocker is incredibly valuable and will help earn him a roster spot.
“Obviously, you want guys that are versatile, guys that can catch the ball out of the backfield,” LaFleur said of the backup running back role. “Certainly, in the passing game, they’ve got to be back to pick up protections and just be productive, being consistent, doing all the little things, playing with the right fundamentals, the right eyes, being able to read it one gap at a time. I think that’s all imperative of great running back play.”
Another day, another Lukas Van Ness pressure. This is becoming the norm for him. Rashan Gary also had two strong pass rush reps against Tom in the one-on-ones.
Anthony Belton continues to work at left tackle with the 2s and right tackle with the 3s as the Packers continue to cross-train him. For now, the Packers will keep Belton at tackle, said Stenavich.
Two-minute drills. To set the situation, the offense had the ball at their own 35-yard line, were down seven with no timeouts, and 1:40 was on the clock.
Love’s drive started slow, and a potential sack by Enagbare may have derailed the possession had it been a live game. But the big play that gave the offense a chance was a downfield completion to Mecole Hardman on a crossing route.
However, the next two pass attempts didn’t amount to much. At the opponent’s 33-yard line and with 10 seconds left, Love leaves the pocket and looks to Musgrave in the end zone, but the ball falls incomplete. Several defenders were nearby to contest the throw.
Malik Willis’ attempt while facing the same scenario ended after three plays due to an interception by Valentine. By my count, that is Valentine’s third interception of training camp. He’s done an excellent job of being around the football.
“He’s doing a great job,” LaFleur said of Valentine. “He continues to grow as a player. It’s amazing where he was when he first came in to where he is now in terms of, he’s transformed his body. I think he’s really talented. He played a lot of meaningful snaps for us a year ago and made some critical plays. So that’s a great sign. He just continues to bring competition to that room.”
As the OL gets healthy, there will be more opportunities for Jordan Morgan at LT as the Packers continue to embrace competition up front.
“I’m really excited from what he’s shown on tape.”
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Often discussed this offseason was the Packers’ competition at left tackle for the starting job between Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan. However, six training camp practices in, there hasn’t been much of a competition, at least on the field.
For the most part, Walker has dominated the first-team reps at the position, while Morgan has spent more time at guard. But the reason for that isn’t because of Morgan’s play. In fact, as offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich described on Wednesday, he likes what he’s seen from the former first-round pick.
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I like what I’m seeing from Jordan,” Stenavich said, “and he’s competing at the tackle spot and the guard spot, and he’s looking pretty solid.”
Stenavich then later added, “Again, I’m really excited from what he’s shown on tape from both positions, guard and tackle.”
Left tackle is Morgan’s natural position. Of the 2,404 snaps he played in college at Arizona, 2,392 of them came at left tackle, according to PFF, and as Morgan has said, given the time on task he’s had at that position, it’s where he’s the most comfortable.
What makes Morgan a natural tackle is his athleticism and ability to operate in space to redirect pass rushers. Those qualities could be differentiators for him as the competition ramps up.
“(Just) How athletic he is. How easy he moves and how smooth it looks,” offensive line coach Luke Butkus said of Morgan during OTAs. “I was just talking to Coach Gordon and sometimes it looks like he’s not straining or playing hard. I think it’s just natural, it’s easy for him to just move, to gain ground, to just skim the blades of the grass. It’s effortless.”
The reason that we’ve seen so little of Morgan at left tackle up to this point, especially with the starters, is due to other injuries along the Packers’ offensive line. Elgton Jenkins’ absence moved Sean Rhyan to center, which then created an opening at right guard that Morgan filled.
In Tuesday’s practice, Aaron Banks was out, so Morgan filled in at left guard. But as this unit gets healthier, more opportunities for Morgan at tackle will come with that.
“We were kind of limited with Banks being out and Elgton being out,” Stenavich said. “We had to focus him more at guard. But we’re going to work him in at tackle as much as possible, just to get some competition out there on the left side, and then just see how it goes.”
With Walker, it’s not as if he has played poorly at left tackle–a position he has started at for the better part of two seasons. But the Packers also believe there is more out there for him and hope the competition can help get him to that next level.
Last season, Walker surrendered just three sacks and four quarterback hits, while ranked right around league average in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric at 45th out of 87 eligible tackles. In run-blocking grade, he ranked 65th.
“He’s had a really good camp,” Stenavich said of Walker. “There’s a lot of stuff we wanted to work with him in the offseason, and you could tell he made a conscious effort to come back, and he was in great shape. He looked great. He’s playing hard, and he’s competing, and I think he’s doing a really good job.”
While the focus and primary competition may be at left tackle, Sean Rhyan’s spot as the starting right guard isn’t safe either. Although more snaps are going to be coming at left tackle for Morgan, Rhyan isn’t locked in at right guard by any means.
As the Packers do, they will embrace competition on the offensive line as they search for their best starting five configuration. And if the competition carries into the season, Stenavich is more than comfortable having six or seven players seeing consistent action during a game.
At the end of the day, for the Packers, it’s about getting the best players on the field, regardless of how that has to happen.
“I wouldn’t say any of these guys have anything locked up right now,” Stenavich said. “And I think that’s one thing that is good about where we’re at, because the competitiveness is going to bring out the best in everybody every day. So I don’t know how it’s going to shake out up front, but I am excited about just the possibilities and the options that we have for sure.”
Attacking the football is a priority for the Packers defense. Talking about it and emphasizing it is great but ultimately buy-in is needed.
So how did Hafley get that? Enter Wendel Davis, or the “Ball King” as he’s known here.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Through six training camp practices, there’s been a fairly common occurrence within each of them: the Packers’ offense has put the ball on the ground too often.
Depending on what lens you’re looking through, this can either be a good thing from the defensive perspective or a not-so-good thing if you’re a member of the offense.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Matt LaFleur said of the fumbles. “It’s great for our defense, and I think our defense is attacking the ball unlike anytime I’ve seen it in my, going into Year Seven now.”
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Ultimately, it’s the offense’s job to not put the ball on the ground no matter what. As we know, the ball is life in the NFL. But, for the most part, these forced fumbles are more so a product of the defense’s aggressive and relentless pursuit of the football rather than sloppiness from the offense.
“You see guys come out in practice,” Evan Williams said at his locker, “anytime they’re close to the ball, anytime anyone’s close to the ball, punching at it violently. We’re talk about angry, violent intentions.”
Williams continued, “To go earn that forced fumble is definitely different. I like the way guys are approaching every day having the right mentality about coming to practice, always being ball aware.”
The Packers’ defense in Year 1 under Jeff Hafley was one of the best at forcing interceptions, generating the third-most in football with 17.
When it came to forcing fumbles, the Packers didn’t rank poorly by any means, generating 16 on the season, which was good for the eighth-most. But in evaluating the defensive performance during the offseason, Hafley believed that there was a lot more opportunity out there for his unit when it came to forced fumbles.
So going after the ball quickly became a priority for the Green Bay defense.
“We took the ball away last year,” Hafley said. “We didn’t force enough fumbles and that’s not good enough, so the emphasis coming in is one, our play style, how hard we’re gonna play, how physical we’re gonna play, how we run to the ball. That’s non-negotiable. The other is we’re gonna attack the football, so we need to emphasize it more. We need to coach it better and we need to put it out there on tape.”
Like Hafley has said, as a coach, you can talk about anything, you can prioritize whatever, but getting buy-in from the players so they take that messaging and then go and execute on the football field is entirely different and ultimately what is needed for anything to be successful.
Enter Packers’ defensive quality control coach Wendel Davis, or as he’s known around the building, “Ball King” or “BK,” for short.
Davis has been a defensive quality control coach with the Packers since the 2019 season. Prior to that, he spent three seasons at Georgia as a graduate assistant.
When it came to the messaging of this offseason priority, which again, is constantly attacking the football, Hafley had a vision for what he wanted that to look like, but it’s been the Ball King’s job to execute on it.
During every defensive unit meeting, Davis is the first to present because the ball is the most important thing. The players are divided into teams, and Davis charts and tallies different things that happen over the course of practice, handing out pluses to each player and team when things are done well and minuses when there’s room for improvement as a way to hold the players accountable but also to create some fun competition within the game that includes a weekly award winner.
“He gets up there and he’ll show the point system,” Hafley said of Davis’ presentation, “he’s got a unique siren now built into the ceiling that every time we get a turnover, he hits a button and the siren blares. So we want to sound the siren as much as we can.”
In part, the presentation, points system, weekly award, siren, and everything that goes into this is meant to break up the grind that is training camp and the hard coaching that the players are constantly receiving. But, as Hafley makes sure to note, this is very serious as well, and within Davis’ presentation are plenty of teaching moments.
“He’ll show some video clips,” Hafley continued, “some fun videos but it always come back to different ways to teach how to attack the football, how are we going to respond when we get an interception. The ball’s on the ground, how are we going to scoop it?
“He’ll call guys out who were in position to take a punch and they didn’t. He’ll call guys out who we don’t think took a real punch, took a not very aggressive punch, but it’s stuff the guys are having fun with but they’re starting to swing, and they’re starting to run out of the stacks and that’s what I’m most proud of right now is the effort that the guys have.”
If you want to know whether or not Hafley and Davis have the players’ buy-in, all you have to do is watch a few minutes of the team portion of practices and see the constant barrage of “haymakers,” as Hafley put it, that the Packers’ defenders are throwing at the football.
And with that emphasis, in the early going of training camp, the results have followed with a number of footballs being put on the ground by the offense. The foundation for this play-style and the aggressive pursuit of the ball has seemingly been established. Now it’s about carrying that attack mentality into games and maintaining that sense of urgency.
“It has to be from everybody,” Hafley said of the buy-in, “and I appreciate the buy-in of the players, but we want to lead the league in forced fumbles. We are going to have to work at it and that’s very important to us.”
A big play, YAC, strong hands, adjusting to the ball—all things Golden has showcased in practice.
But also on display Tuesday during a particular play was the rapid growth he’s had in the offense.