Matthew Golden’s growth and impact showcased in early Packers’ training camp practices

Paul Bretl | 7/30/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — A 54-yard touchdown reception from Jordan Love to Matthew Golden not only showcased the playmaking abilities that we know the rookie receiver brings to the Packers’ offense, but also the growth he’s experienced in just six training camp practices.

During a move-the-ball period, the offense faced a third-and-four from their own 46-yard line. Golden was tasked with running a double-move just as he had done earlier in the week. However, on his first attempt a few days ago, he didn’t execute the route as cleanly as he wanted.

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But on Tuesday, Golden got another opportunity, made an adjustment with how he used his eyes, and got behind Keisean Nixon and Evan Williams to haul in the 54-yard touchdown catch.

“It was a route that I ran earlier in the week,” Golden said at his locker after practice. “As days went on, that’s something that I wanted to get better at. I had that route again today, I did something a little bit different, gave him my eyes, had the DB bite under and took the route high, and Jordan gave me a good ball.”

Like any young player, Golden is navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump from college to the NFL level. As Matt LaFleur described before the team’s third practice, he often sees that show up with Golden in how he’s processing what’s going on. “There’s a lot going on upstairs,” as LaFleur put it, but that’s also very normal as well.

However, Golden’s ability to adjust and execute the proper changes to lead to a more effective route is one example of how things are already beginning to slow down for him as he gets more reps under his belt.

Helping Golden to make those tweaks and gain a better understanding of the offense and his role within it is the feedback he receives from the defensive back room, specifically Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Xavier McKinney. Golden is also in constant communication with Jordan Love, who provides added insight into how he wants certain routes ran.

“It’s right where it’s supposed to be,” Golden said of working with Love. “I feel like I can go to him and ask him. He gives me a lot of feedback on different routes or anything he thinks I should do differently. It’s helping me to understand the offense more, knowing what I need to do and where I need to be.”

In addition to the 54-yard touchdown catch showcasing Golden’s explosiveness, his strong hands have been on display. On a sideline pass, Keisean Nixon had tight coverage and was able to get his hand in front of Golden to contest the throw, but he hauled it in anyway. On another play in the red zone, Golden ran a quick slant and plucked the ball out of the air before the safety could get over in time.

With his 4.29 speed, we’ve also seen Golden’s YAC ability. On a short throw towards the right sideline during an early practice, Golden put his foot in the ground and cut back towards the middle of the field, where he accelerated past the cornerback.

Golden has shown a naturalness when it comes to adjusting to the ball as well. While one throw ultimately ended up incomplete, a heave downfield by the quarterback at one point in the air looked like a possible interception with two defenders in coverage, but Golden adjusted his route and found himself in a position to at least make a play on the ball. Then, in one-on-ones vs. Carrington Valentine, on a deep ball down the left sideline, Valentine was tight in coverage, but Golden adjusted back towards the ball to make the catch.

“I think he’s done a really nice job with his opportunities,” GM Brian Gutekunst said. “And again, it’s very, very early in the beginning stages. But he’s done a very nice job with his opportunities. I do think being a three year guy, two years at Houston, one year at Texas, he’s young, certainly the exposure at Texas probably was very helpful coming in his ability to succeed at the end of that season.”

Like Gutekunst and LaFleur have said, it’s early; however, the playmaking potential that Golden provides and what made him a first-round selection has already been showcased through six training camp practices. And not only is Golden making plays, but he’s doing so in a variety of ways, whether that be downfield, after the catch, or at different levels of the field with his route running.

There are still likely to be ups and downs, as is the case for really any rookie, but the growth and impact Golden can have on the offense has been evident as well through just a handful of practices.

“It’s starting to slow down for me,” Golden said. “It’s starting to feel like I can go out there and just play and have fun, not have to think about what I need to do. It’s just going out there getting open, knowing my assignment and alignment. I’m enjoying it, every part of the process, the ups and downs, even when I don’t have a great day, it’s about how I’m going to get better the next day. That’s what I’m leaning on.”

Packers training camp notebook: ‘Real football’ leads to running a lap

Paul Bretl | 7/29/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — As Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur said prior to Tuesday’s training camp practice, there was going to be “real football” taking place today. So what does “real football” entail?

“It’s exactly what you think it means,” LaFleur said.

Real football on Tuesday included full pads, one-on-one drills, some live tackling, a lot of physicality, and eventually, that all resulted in Rasheed Walker and a few teammates taking a lap near the end of practice.

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To end practice, there was a 25-minute move-the-ball period with the Packers rotating through the first, second, and third units. During the first-team offense’s second time through, Walker and JJ Enagbare were locked together as the play unfolded and then continued to be once the play was over.

Enagbare would let go, but Walker didn’t, and he would pull Enagbare to the ground.

“Offense is going hard, defense is going hard,” Walker said at his locker after practice. “High intensity. Thick of camp, stuff happens.”

Once the commotion settled, the offense left the field, with LaFleur following and yelling at Walker to take a lap–something that hasn’t happened to many of these players in a long time. For Tucker Kraft, he hasn’t ran a lap since his sophomore year of college. For Zach Tom and Josh Jacobs, it had been since high school.

However, while Walker was the only player instructed to run, he was joined by his fellow starters along the offensive line, including Tom, Sean Rhyan, Jordan Morgan, and Elgton Jenkins, along with Jacobs and Kraft.

The other players didn’t have to join. Nothing was discussed before or after the incident that led to several of Walker’s teammates joining him, but as Rhyan said, they weren’t going to let Walker run alone.

“At the end of the day, we were out there with him when the incident happened,” Rhyan said. “It was a unit thing, so we just took a jog with him. Nothing wrong with it.”

Tom added, “We didn’t want him to go around alone, so we’re just like, let’s join him. Obviously, we have his back.”

While what happened after the whistle between Walker and Enagbare garnered the most attention, there was some minor pushing and shoving throughout the day. And when it was all over, a fiery LaFleur addressed the team in the middle of Ray Nitschke Field, a moment that Jacobs said was among the “top three” most fired-up moments he has seen from his coach.

“I think we need to see that from him sometimes,” Jacobs said. “I think it’s good for the team. At the end of the day, he’s the leader. Everybody is looking to him. He sets the standard, and we as leaders set the standard as well, but we gotta maintain the standard that he sets. I think he said a lot of good things out there.”

Notes and takeaways from Packers training camp practice No. 6

Elgton Jenkins returned to team drills one day after going through individual drills. The Packers still had Jenkins on a snap count as they ramped him back up, so he did not take every rep during the team portion of practice. When Jenkins was on the field, he was at center, with Walker at left tackle, Morgan at left guard, Rhyan at right guard, and Tom at right tackle.

Aaron Banks was out due to a back injury. When Jenkins wasn’t on the field, Rhyan moved to center, and Jacob Monk took over at right guard.

MarShawn Lloyd was out with a groin injury after exiting yesterday’s practice. Dontayvion Wicks was out with a calf injury and Savion Williams exited early.

Like any first-year player, Matthew Golden is navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump to the NFL. At the beginning of training camp, LaFleur mentioned that there is “a lot going on upstairs” from a processing standpoint as he gets more comfortable with the offense–which is normal.

However, having said that, he is also regularly capitalizing on the opportunities that come his way. Overall, Golden has flashed very strong hands, his ability to adjust to the ball, and on Tuesday, a double-move put him behind Hobbs and Evan Williams for a 50-plus yard touchdown catch.

“Man, I think they were in man coverage and MG was on the back side,” Jordan Love recalled. “They did a good job guarding our front-side concept, but I just worked back and he ran a double move and he did a really good job selling it, it’s a play that we actually ran yesterday, a similar play, and I think he just did a great job selling it, committing to the first route before he broke out and I think that’s what helped get him open.

“Those are the easy ones, just lob it up there for him and let him go finish it. He’s been doing some really good things.”

Jeff Hafley’s defense in Year 2 is already throwing what feels like a ton of different looks at the offense. We are seeing the disguising of coverages, blitzes from all parts of the field, and simulated pressures.

“I think our defense does a great job of giving some very challenging looks,” LaFleur said. “I love it because it’s making both sides of the ball better. I’d say there’s some good and there’s some things that like always, that you’ve got to improve.

One-on-ones: Here are some of the results from the receiver vs. defensive back and offensive line vs. defensive line drills.

  • Lukas Van Ness beats Jordan Morgan
  • Jordan Morgan beats Devonte Wyatt
  • Rashan Gary beats Zach Tom
  • Rasheed Walker beats Barryn Sorrell
  • JJ Enagbare beats Kadeem Telfort
  • Anthony Belton beats Arron Mosby
  • Luke Musgrave beats Javon Bullard
  • Matthew Golden beats Carrington Valentine
  • Xavier McKinney beats Tucker Kraft

Second-year linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper had an impressive day. On one run play that was bounced outside, Hopper identified, knifed through the blocker, and made the tackle behind the line of scrimmage. On another play, he was a late blitzer up the middle, pressured Love, and that throw was then intercepted.

Hopper has been at middle linebacker with the second defense and has filled one of the outside linebacker roles with the third unit.

 “He’s done a nice job,” LaFleur said of Hopper. “I think he’s definitely taken a step in the right direction.”

It’s going to be interesting to see how the back end of the receiver depth chart shakes out. Malik Heath, Mecole Hardman, and Savion Williams are all getting rotated in, and perhaps adding to the difficulty when it comes to evaluating these players is that each has a different skill set that they bring to the team.

“Whether we keep five, six, seven, who knows how the roster will shake out,” GM Brian Gutekunst said of the receiver position. “To me, particularly, all those guys, Matt asks a lot of our wide receivers. Obviously, they’ve got to make plays in the passing game, they’ve got to catch the ball, get open, threaten the defense, but they’ve also got to block. They’ve got to get in there and do some of that dirty work we ask our guys to do a lot of that.

“And then, certainly, usually if you’re going to make the 48-man roster, particularly if you’re not one of those top guys, you’re going to have to play on teams. You’re going to have to play a lot of teams for us. Those are the things we’re going to look for.” 

Speaking of special teams, as we know, the ability to contribute in this phase of the game is key for any back-end roster player. One name to watch in that regard is Kristian Welch. During the teams period today, Welch was with the punt coverage, punt return, and field goal block units. If I were to build out the depth chart, he would be the sixth linebacker at this time, but his ability to help on teams could be a reason the Packers go heavy at that position.

Lineup notes: The one thing I’ll add here is that Barryn Sorrell, Warren Brinson, and Nazir Stackhouse are each gaining more opportunities with the second-team defense. They aren’t often starting out with that unit, but each has been rotated in more often as more practices take place.

As mentioned yesterday, ball security has been an issue for the offense. Hafley’s defense has made it a priority to go after the football aggressively, and they’ve done a good job of it.

“It’s a double-edged sword, you know?” 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. They’re doing a really good job of taking it to heart. 

LaFleur continued, “In turn, it needs to make our offense better. I got on the guys this morning about exposing the football. Certainly we all know what kind of player Tucker Kraft is and can be. He can’t allow Evan Williams to reach around and punch a ball out. So it is challenging everybody, and hopefully that makes us that much better.”

Packers training camp notebook: Observations, notes from practice No. 5

Paul Bretl | 7/28/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers had their first padded practice on Monday. The messaging from Matt LaFleur was for the players to “compete to be your best,” but to “take care of each other” as well.

That has been the messaging from LaFleur since training camp started. Nate Hobbs, however, has flirted with that line a time or two, so much so that on Sunday, LaFleur told reporters that he spoke to Hobbs about it.

On Monday, as Marshawn Lloyd took a carry and made his way towards the left sideline, Hobbs hit him low. In a game setting, the tackle was perfectly fine. But in a training camp practice, it was unnecessary.

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On the next three possessions for the starting defense, Hobbs wasn’t on the field.

“He sat me for a second. Put me in timeout. Let me think about my decisions. And I thought about it real good. Again, it wasn’t an intentional decision like, ‘Oh, I’m going to tackle him.’ It was like, I was behind a blocker, once I popped back in and got my vision on the ball-carrier, he was as close as we are and his shoulder pads go a little down so by nature, I got low, just to protect myself so I wouldn’t look crazy and get run over.”

After Hobbs’ “timeout,” he returned to the starting defensive unit, where he played out the rest of practice. Lloyd did not return, but remained on the practice field.

What to know from Packers’ fifth training camp practice

Injury updates: Elgton Jenkins was activated off the NFI list and went through individual drills with the offense, and did so at center. For the second day, linebacker Quay Walker went through individual drills. As the defense competed against the offense, Walker was on the other side of the field, seeing what the defenders saw, and going through the mental reps. Aaron Banks was also back in the team portion of practice at left guard.

Savion Williams gets his chance with the ones: For the first time during training camp, Williams got his opportunities with the starting offense, rotated in with the many other receivers the Packers have. Up to this point, when on the field, he’s been working with the backups, which he still did on Monday as well.

“I think he’s done a great job,” LaFleur said of Williams. “I think he’s again, he’s another guy that showed a lot, and I think there’s still a lot going on upstairs, so as to be expected. I mean, this is his first opportunity out there with the full team, and so we’re excited about him.”

With the pads on, we got our first actual look at the offensive line play. In pass protection, I thought the first team unit held up well, even when Jeff Hafley sent some pressure. However, in the run game, the defensive front generated really good push and it was tough sledding.

The starting offensive line with Banks back in the mix was Rasheed Walker, followed by Banks, Sean Rhyan, Jordan Morgan, and Zach Tom. Morgan’s reps at left tackle came with the second unit, but most of his snaps overall came at guard, which has been the case throughout camp.

“I’d definitely say athleticism, timing and overall ability to re-direct,” Morgan said about his game. “I think I’m just a natural at tackle.”

I’ve mentioned it recently, but the defense has done a really good job of going after the ball. Today, another forced fumble happened when Evan Williams punched the ball out from behind against Tucker Kraft. Williams said that forced fumbles have been a huge priority for Jeff Hafley this offseason.

Lineup notes: Ty’Ron Hopper got some opportunities with the first team defense, which was a first. As mentioned, almost all of his snaps with the second unit have come as the MIKE linebacker. The team is clearly trying to get him comfortable in that role. Also of note, UDFA Nazir Stackhouse got some reps with the twos. Stackhouse provides a run-stuffing presence in the middle.

“He’s done a nice job,” LaFleur said of Hopper. “I think he’s definitely taken a step in the right direction. Now we’re out of underwear and in full pads, so you gotta do it now. I think you get a better evaluation, a better sense of how these guys are going to perform when you’re actually playing football or you’re thuddin’ up, you’re fitting blocks, you gotta get off blocks, all of that.”

It’s early, a lot can change, but I think John FitzPatrick will have the opportunity to carve out some sort of role this year. If I were building out the tight end depth chart, I’d have him ahead of Ben Sims, and his blocking abilities could be valuable as Tucker Kraft potentially gets utilized differently in the pass game.

No surprise here, but Brandon McManus was again perfect. He is now 21-for-21 in training camp.

“I don’t even think about it,” LaFleur said when McManus is kicking. “It’s great.”

There seems to be a pass rush rep or two each practice from Lukas Van Ness, where he creates push or makes his way into the backfield.

UDFA running back Amar Johnson from South Dakota State has some impressive burst and change-of-direction abilities. The running back room is obviously crowded, but watch for Johnson to make some noise in the preseason. Defensive end Deslin Alexandre–again in a crowded room–has had some nice pass rush reps as well in the early going.

Micah Robinson has been working mostly with the third team defense, but he got matched up with Matthew Golden and did a really good job reading the double-move, staying tight in coverage, and forcing an incompletion.

“Just using my eyes and my feet,” Robinson said of the play. “I was in man coverage. It was a single receiver on the backside so I just got into my back pedal and when he broke down, just had the eye control, he broke down and broke back up field, tried to cut him off, get on the top shoulder and make the play.”

Barryn Sorrell has mostly been with the third defense at end, but since offseason programs, has gotten reps at defensive tackle during obvious passing situations.

“Just across the board, I’m trying to be the best player I can be,” Sorrell said. “So whether that’s in the run game, in the pass game, there’s always things you can improve the little details on. I’ve just been trying to be intentional of knowing those details and working on those details every day.”

Two-minute drills: The scenario for each offense was starting at their own 30-yard line with 1:45 left on the clock and down by two points.

Up first was Malik Willis and the twos. The drive could have ended on the second play with Carrington Valentine jumping the out route to Malik Heath and nearly having another interception. The big play that put the second offense in scoring position was a back shoulder throw to Heath down the left sideline. Heath did a really good job showing late hands and secured the catch. After a few runs, McManus came on and made the go-ahead kick.

Jordan Love and the ones orchestrated a very efficient drive. Of Love’s five pass attempts, four of them went to Jayden Reed, who caught three of them. The offense quickly made their way into field goal range, with McManus knocking it through.

“Me and J-Love was just connecting man,” Reed said at his locker. “It was the 2-minute drill so it was kind of our fast-pitch stuff, just trying to get the ball down the field and me and J-Love connected well on that drive.”

Packers’ Elgton Jenkins returns to practice; focused on playing center

Paul Bretl | 7/28/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — On the practice field on Monday, the Packers’ fifth training camp practice, was Elgton Jenkins, who went through individual work as he ramps up after missing some time.

Prior to the first training camp practice, Jenkins was placed on the Non-Football Injury list (NFI) with what GM Brian Gutekunst said was a back issue. Jenkins was not present for OTAs, and while he was at mandatory minicamp, he did not practice during that time either.

Meeting with the local media at his locker following Monday’s practice, Jenkins said that he hurt his back while lifting weights early in the offseason. Not wanting to rush back, he let it heal so he could come back at “full speed.”

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“Just being out there with the guys was my favorite part,” said Jenkins about his return. “Having the pads on. Obviously, this was my first day, so we’re ramping it up. Just being out there, just being able to have fun, smile with them, go through the plays and stuff like that. It feels good to play football. I enjoyed it.”

Upon his return to the practice field on Monday, Jenkins took over as the Packers’ starting center rather than at left guard, where he was named a two-time Pro Bowler. This was a move that the Packers approached Jenkins about very early on in the offseason. In fact, the initial conversation came up in Jenkins’ exit meeting.

The Packers gave Jenkins time to think over the position change, but he was on board from the start.

“Honestly when he asked me the first time and I was like, yeah, lemme think on it,” Jenkins recalled. “I thought about it for a little while and he called again and I was like yeah, I’ll do it. I just go with life, let it flow honestly, but I don’t feel like I just thought about it a lot, a lot. It was just more he called, asked, I was like yeah, I’ll do it and go from there.”

Jenkins’ move to the center will not, however, come with any added financial stability. Although Jenkins has two years remaining on his current deal, none of the contract is guaranteed. Given the current structure of the deal, the Packers can save $20 million in cap space during the 2026 offseason if they were to release him.

Jenkins is also moving to a position that, around the NFL, isn’t earning the same type of money that guards are.

It was reported by ESPN that Jenkins was looking to get more guarantees added to his contract, a move that, on the Packers’ part, would have been unprecedented for a player still with two years left on his contract.

While not getting into the specifics of the conversations, Jenkins did say that his agent and the Packers spoke this offseason. But now, his focus is on playing center.

“They had a conversation, and obviously the conversation was going on for a long period of time, but right now where we’re at is focusing on the being the best player I can be,” Jenkins said. “Been playing this game for 20-some years, seven years in the league, I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. The financial side, I know that’s going to come. Right now, it’s just how can we build chemistry within the O-line to get better and as an offense.”

The center position isn’t foreign to Jenkins by any means. During his final two seasons at Mississippi State, that’s where he started and played over 1,700 snaps. However, at the NFL level with the Packers, Jenkins has fewer than 400 regular-season snaps at that position. So admittedly, there is some rust that has to be knocked off.

“There was definitely some rust that had to be knocked off,” Jenkins said. “I’m about to get the ins and outs of things, but I played it in college, got drafted here as a center. It’s not going to be anything different. I played it last year, played it a couple games early in my career, so it’s not going to be nothing crazy and I feel like I’ll to be a great center in this league.”

Beyond the blocking component that comes with being a center, a huge part of that player’s responsibilities is making the pre-snap protection calls and any adjustments. Given Jenkins’ experience in the offense, that element should come relatively easily for him.

However, as he continues to ramp up and eventually get back into team drills, building that rapport with Jordan Love and the continuity with the offensive line unit as a whole, which features a new left guard in Aaron Banks, will make the practice reps quite valuable.

“I feel like the sky’s the limit, honestly,” Jenkins said about playing center. “I can be an All-Pro, Pro Bowl, same guy – probably even better, honestly. We’re just going to see.”

Comfort in defense and new position leading to confident play and fast start for Packers’ CB Kalen King

Paul Bretl | 7/27/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Addressing the media prior to Sunday’s fourth training camp practice, Matt LaFleur heaped praise on Packers’ second-year cornerback Kalen King. There weren’t clichés or coach speak either, like you may hear around the NFL during this time of the year–LaFleur really likes what he has seen from King in the early going of training camp.

“I think he’s had a pretty impressive three days, especially coming off the wrist surgery, or whatever,” LaFleur said. “So, just continue to stack those days and take advantage of those opportunities. But I think he’s shown a lot. I know he’s not the biggest guy, but he’ll throw his body around in there and shows a lot of toughness.”

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Out of 257 draft picks, King was the 255th selection by the Packers in the 2024 NFL draft out of Penn State. Just one year prior, during the 2023 offseason, there were a number of draft analysts who projected that King might be a first-round pick in 2024 after he allowed a completion rate of just 45%, forced nine pass breakups with three interceptions, and was named a second-team Walter Camp All-American.

However, during King’s final season at Penn State, his completion rate when targeted sky-rocketed, his ball production dipped significantly, and not helping was the 4.61-second 40 that he ran during the pre-draft process. All of a sudden, King nearly went undrafted.

“I feel like last season was just more of a learning opportunity for me to just really take everything from the vets,” King said at his locker on Sunday of his rookie season. “Take everything from the coaching staff, the feedback, and just use that as a catapult for bringing myself into this year. I have bigger expectations for myself in this season and this time around. So I just use everything that I learn last year and try to build on that.”

As a rookie, King wasn’t only navigating the jump that comes with transitioning from college to the NFL level, but he was making a position change as well, moving from outside cornerback to the nickel. According to PFF’s tracking data, of King’s 1,317 defensive snaps at Penn State, only 34 came from the slot.

While both positions fall under the cornerback umbrella, they are vastly different. An outside corner is on an island, but there is more time to react. At the nickel, everything happens much more quickly, can be more physical, and not to mention that being able to help out in the run game is a must.

“I would just say the details,” King said of moving to the nickel. “Like coming from college I never played nickel. To coming into the NFL and just learning nickel and just me being able to see what I can do. And now I feel like I’m way more confident in it. I know much more of the details and I know what’s coming.

“So I feel like just that whole year last year just getting acclimated to it and being at nickel, at corner, I feel like it made me smarter and it made me more ready for it.”

The experience gained over the last year, both in on-field reps at the nickel position, along with the comfort of operating in Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme, has contributed to the confidence that King is playing with in his second season.

But off the field, learning from veteran players like Xavier McKinney, King has also changed how he prepares, whether that be how he takes notes in meetings, goes through walkthroughs, or his nutrition.

“I felt very good,” said King about his offseason and current play. “I feel like this training camp compared to last year, I’m way more attentive, I’m way more intentional, and I’m just more comfortable out there, especially with last year me learning a new position in nickel. I feel like this year has been me honing in on that, being more confident, and I feel like that’s paying off.”

Javon Bullard and Nate Hobbs have shared reps at the nickel position with the first team defense during training camp, but King has been the go-to nickel option with the second unit.

King would spend all of last season on the practice squad, but he was elevated for the Packers’ road matchup against Detroit in early December. King didn’t see any snaps during that game on defense or special teams, but that experience and that feeling is something he wants to recreate every week during the 2025 season.

“It was great,” King said of the elevation. “Just me having the opportunity to be a part of the team. Dress with those guys, walk out the tunnel with those guys, warm up with those guys. It was amazing but fast forward to this year, I want that to be every week, not just this week.”

Packers training camp notebook: Observations, notes from practice No. 4

Paul Bretl | 7/27/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — After an off-day on Saturday, the Packers wrapped up their fourth training camp practice on Sunday. Monday’s practice will be the first this summer where the pads are on.

“That’s where you can get a better evaluation when these guys are in full pads,” Matt LaFleur said. “They’re allowed to fit up on people and work those combinations and certainly in the pass protection we’re trying to limit our pass rushers from bull rushing so you don’t get a great, I guess, evaluation on being able to anchor when you are starting to get pushed in the pocket. So looking forward to tomorrow.”

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However, before we look ahead to what’s happening on Monday, let’s take a look back at what took place during Sunday’s practice.

Injury updates: Back at practice were LG Aaron Banks–who only went through individual drills–RB Amar Johnson, and going through individual work was Savion Williams, who missed the previous practice with a concussion. Still not practicing was Quay Walker (ankle)–although he was going through individual work with his helmet on–Christian Watson (knee), Collin Oliver (hamstring), John Williams (back), and Elgton Jenkins (back).

Starting offensive line combinations: The starting unit with Banks not doing the team portion was Rasheed Walker at left tackle, followed by Jordan Morgan, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk, and Zach Tom. When Morgan got an opportunity at left tackle, Travis Glover moved to left guard, Monk to center, and Rhyan to right guard. Rhyan also dropped out at one point for just a play or two, with Glover then taking over at right guard.

“It feel way more comfortable,” Glover said about being in Year 2. “It’s actually a crazy feeling. I be looking at the rooks now like, I know exactly what they going through ’cause now, it’s like I basically — you never got it, but I got like a headstart to the plays and stuff, so I’m way more comfortable with the IDs, the personnel and all that stuff. So it feels way, 10 times better and this just Year 2.”

One noteworthy change on defense. While the first and second units defensively remain mostly the same, we did see Isaiah Simmons taking nickel reps next to Isaiah McDuffie on some reps as well as Edgerrin Cooper on others. Up to this point, he has been the SAM linebacker in base with Walker out.

Is the cornerback depth chart taking shape? We know that the top three spots on the depth chart belong to Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Carrington Valentine. I would say the next three spots include Bo Melton and Kamal Hadden as the outside corners and Kalen King as the nickel. King, in particular, has had a really good start to training camp.

“I think he’s had a pretty impressive three days, especially coming off the wrist surgery,” LaFleur said before practice. “So, just continue to stack those days and take advantage of those opportunities. But I think he’s shown a lot of, I mean, I know he’s not the biggest guy, but he is a pretty, he’ll throw his body around in there and shows a lot of toughness.”

Where are the Day 3 rookies playing? Warren Brinson and Barryn Sorrel have mostly been with the third team defense, although today, more than others, they saw some rotational reps with the second unit. Micah Robinson is with the third defense right now as an outside cornerback.

Defense is getting their hands on the ball. This has been a theme in the last two practices, whether it be forcing pass breakups, coming away with interceptions, or forcing fumbles. Today, as Jayden Reed turned upfield, Rashan Gary came in from behind and punched the ball out as Reed was going out of bounds.

On another play, Kenny Clark created pressure up the middle, and Jordan Love seemed to lose Ty’Ron Hopper, throwing it right towards him over the middle of the field. We saw this last season under Jeff Hafley, but the defense is doing a really good job of swarming to the ball carrier as well.

Along with Hopper forcing an interception, we saw him not playing the MIKE linebacker role with the second team defense. This, by my recollection, was the first time in four practices that he wasn’t the designated middle linebacker.

Matthew Golden had a couple of really strong hands receptions. One of which came in the red zone on a slant at the goal line that he plucked out of the air.

While it’s a crowded wide receiver room, one name to watch–likely for a practice squad spot–is Sam Brown, who went undrafted in April out of Miami. Working with the third team offense, he was on the receiving end of a few red zone targets.

“To be honest, I took the route of me going undrafted, I took that personal,” Brown said after practice. “So I just come into the facility head down ready to work every day. People look at it as like, oh, you a step behind. I look at it as, I just got more steps to get to. It’s not necessarily where you start. It’s how you end.”

As the Packers continue to rotate the QB3 reps each day, Sunday was Taylor Elgersma’s turn to take the bulk of the team snaps over Sean Clifford.

Coming into Year 3 and in a competitive receiver room, Malik Heath is focusing on showcasing that he can fill a more well-rounded role and not just be a red zone target or blocking option at the position.

“Just put on film that I can play ball and I can run routes,” Heath said at his locker. “Just showing that I’m more than a blocking receiver. I’m more than just a red zone target or anything short and intermediate route running. I’m trying to show that I can do everything.”

Lukas Van Ness has put together some sound pass rush reps over these four practices. We also saw a couple of good run defense snaps from UDFA defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, who was able to create some push. Brenton Cox got into the backfield as well on some pass rush attempts.

There was a lot of red zone work today. The defense seemed to do a good job of throwing a variety of looks at the offense. There were several plays where the quarterbacks didn’t seem to have anywhere to go with the ball.

“Nothing really different for me,” said Xavier McKinney about the defense being in Year 2 under Hafley. “I think if anything I’m just trying to elevate my game more and be a much better leader than I was last year, so I think it’s always just a work in progress for me trying to figure out ways where I could be better for this team and for my room, not only for myself but helping the other guys.”

Practice ended with each offense starting at the 12-yard line with only 9 seconds left on the clock. Malik Willis didn’t have anywhere to go initially, but found Luke Musgrave over the middle around the four-yard line. If I had to guess, he would have been tackled short of the goal line, and the clock would have expired.

On Love’s first play, with no one open initially and not much time left, he threw to the back of the end zone out of the reach of Romeo Doubs. With four seconds left, McDuffie came on a blitz, Love back-pedaled and found Tucker Kraft in the end zone, who boxed out Evan Williams.

Clifford ran the third team offense and found Sam Brown on an out route. He was a yard or two shy of the end zone but did get out of bounds to stop the clock. On the final play, my guess is that it ends in a sack with Deslin Alexandre beating Anthony Belton, who has been playing right tackle with the third team offense.

LB Isaiah Simmons playing faster, making plays as comfort grows in Packers’ defense

Paul Bretl | 7/27/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Standing at his locker after the Packers’ first training camp practice, running back Josh Jacobs described linebacker and former top 10 pick Isaiah Simmons as a “unicorn.”

As Jacobs highlighted, Simmons’ combination of speed, versatility, and physicality makes him a very unique player at the linebacker position. Those qualities were all on display during the team’s first training camp practice, which included Simmons fighting through a block and blowing up a screen play to Jacobs in the backfield.

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“Jordan (Love) canned it,” Simmons said of the play. “I thought he checked it away from me when he seen me but just couldn’t really imagine that they would have a wide receiver blocking me. I don’t really plan on no receiver blocking me, for real. When I seen it went that way, it was just full go.”

Then, during the Packers’ second training camp practice, in a move-the-ball period with the second team defense, Malik Willis dropped back, hit the top of his drop, turned to his right, and immediately let the ball go. But close by was Simmons, who got his hand on the pass, deflecting it to Carrington Valentine for the interception.

Versatility is one of the calling cards of Simmons’ game, and as Simmons described during OTAs, it’s a bit of a “gift and a curse.”

During his five NFL seasons, Simmons has played 583 snaps along the defensive line, 1,325 as a box defender, 796 snaps in the slot, along with 70 at safety and 82 at outside cornerback, according to PFF.

However, a free agent this past offseason, what drew Simmons to the Packers wasn’t all the creative ways that Jeff Hafley was going to utilize him or all the different roles that he could potentially fill within the Green Bay defense. Instead, what attracted Simmons to the Packers was that he was going to have one job–playing linebacker.

“I feel like it’s been beneficial to me so far,” Simmons said. “Just allowing me to really learn one thing, opposed to learning this today, something else tomorrow and who knows the next day. I’m really appreciative of that.”

As the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Simmons’ career up to this point hasn’t played out how one would hope for a top 10 pick. But despite the up-and-down play at times and sporadic opportunities, Simmons has been able to put up some numbers. He’s compiled over 300 total tackles in his career, has held opponents to under 10 yards per reception, has recorded 44 pressures, and has five interceptions, along with 10 pass breakups.

“There’s a reason he was a top 10 pick,” Matt LaFleur said. “He’s got all the measurables, and it’s just getting him acclimated with our system and knowing what he can do and try to put him in some advantageous positions where he can really showcase his talent.”

Within the Packers’ defense, Simmons has been tasked with filling the SAM linebacker role in Hafley’s 4-3 defense. With Quay Walker on the PUP list, Simmons has been the third linebacker with the starting defense when the Packers are in their base look, alongside Isaiah McDuffie and Edgerrin Cooper.

With the second unit, he has continued to fill the SAM linebacker role when in base, and has been the nickel linebacker as well, along with Ty’Ron Hopper.

“Speed, just my length, everything,” Simmons said about his game. “I’m just not the build of a typical linebacker so there’s times where my length can help me with getting off blocks or my speed and my agility because (I can) out-athletic a guy as well. I feel like I kind of bring both just with my length and my power as well as my speed and agility.”

From offseason programs to training camp, Jacobs believes that Simmons is already playing faster as he gets acclimated and more comfortable with Hafley’s defensive scheme.

How exactly Simmons fits into the linebacker unit, particularly once Walker is back on the field, is likely still to be determined. But with his unique skill set and Hafley’s creativity, the opportunity to carve out a role and make an impact very much exists, and is something we’ve already seen early on in training camp.

“Man I think we got a helluva room,” Simmons said of the linebackers. “I think we have a really good chance to be one of the top linebacker groups in all the NFL. Everybody comes ready to work every day and we all push each other, and the next guy pushes you to be even better, because if you don’t, then you’ll fall behind and you will see a difference. I really appreciate this group, just from the classroom to the field. Everybody comes to work every day.”

Controlling what he can control, Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks capitalizing on early training camp opportunities

Paul Bretl | 7/26/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — From Year 1 to Year 2, for many NFL players, there is a jump. There’s a jump in what they put on tape and a jump in production. During the 2024 season, Dontayvion Wicks’ second in the NFL, while he continued to put on tape that he can create separation and get open, the production didn’t follow. In fact, it dipped in comparison to his rookie season.

Despite having 17 more regular-season targets in 2024, Wicks caught the same number of passes as he did during his rookie year. He finished with 165 fewer yards, averaging 4.3 fewer yards per catch.

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Whether it be a positive or negative in the game of football, there are almost always numerous factors that contribute to any outcome. But perhaps the biggest factor of them all for Wicks were the dropped passes.

“As a receiver, as a human being, at my position, you drop a few, it’s a confidence-breaker but it’s about you, for real,” Wicks said at his locker after Friday’s practice. “It’s about staying there and controlling what you can control. When the ball comes my way, I’ve got to make a play.

“That’s my job. Just being there, being around the ball more, when my opportunities do come, that leads to trust with 10 and also with the coaches. I know I can be there and make the plays like I’ve been in OTAs and today. It’s making those plays so they can trust me when we go out there on Sundays.”

Wicks finished the 2024 season with eight dropped passes, according to PFF’s metrics. He was also just 3-for-14 on hauling in any contested throws. Compared to his position group league-wide, Wicks’ eight drops were tied for the eighth most. His drop rate, which takes into account the number of targets, was the second-highest.

Those overall numbers aren’t where they need to be, but what gets lost when looking back at Wicks’ 2024 performance is that for much of the second half of the season, the drops weren’t an issue. Of the eight he was credited with on the year, only two came after Week 9. On contested catches during the second half of the year, Wicks was 3-for-5.

“I would say people really don’t see the mental aspect of it,” Wicks said of the drops. “I was going through a lot last year. Man, it was hard. It was hard getting through it mentally. Everything wasn’t going my way, how I expected it, but it cleaned up toward midseason and I started to have fun again. Once you have fun, like Vrabes says a lot, the ball finds energy. When you’re happy for each other, happy for the players that’s making plays – we’ve got a lot of playmakers, so you might not get a ball every now and then.

“So, just keeping that mental strong and going onto the next play. When you’ve got the energy, the ball comes your way, so just staying focused and not worrying about what’s coming your way, what’s not coming your way, controlling what you can control. When the opportunities do come, capitalize, and then that’ll make way for more opportunities. That’s really the focus this year is capitalizing when they do come my way.”

Although it’s early, through offseason programs and the first three practices of training camp, Wicks has been capitalizing on the opportunities that have come his way.

As mentioned, and as we’ve all seen, Wicks, with his releases at the line of scrimmage and suddenness as a route runner, is very good at creating space between himself and the defensive back.

ESPN’s advanced receiver score metric utilizes player tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats and breaks down the receiver position into three key categories: getting open, making the catch, and picking up yards after the catch (YAC). That data then makes up an overall score for each pass catcher.

When it comes to Wicks’ ability to get open, among all receivers and tight ends last season, he ranked tied for fourth in that category. Trailing only Malik Nabers, Mike Evans, and AJ Brown.

“You could feel it was almost like the whole world’s weighing on him,” passing game coordinator Jason Vrable said. “And I just told him, ‘Man, just let your work take care of itself. And every day you show up, outwork everybody in this room.’ And you saw at the end of the year when the ball was coming his way there was a real confidence toward the end to get open and make the play. And just do one play at a time.”

The play of the day from Friday’s practice was made by Wicks. During a two-minute period in practice, Wicks was initially running a deep post, and as Jordan Love moved out of the pocket to buy time, Wicks adjusted his route, got behind Xavier McKinney, and hauled in the 40-ish yard touchdown reception.

“It was a 2-minute play,” Wicks recalled. “We had to get down the field to win the competition. We called a play and I knew I had the post. I had a man on me. I released, ran full speed. I knew X was over the top so I stemmed out a little bit and broke flat across. It was a runaway and J-Love gave me the ball, and I ran under it and that was all from there.”

Wicks again is a part of a crowded wide receiver room, perhaps even more so this season with the addition of Matthew Golden in the first round of the NFL draft. But even so, his ability to win at the line of scrimmage is going to put him in a position to get targets. There’s a reason that he was second on the team in targets–only behind Jayden Reed–last season: Wicks gets open.

Now, in Year 3, it’s about consistency, and as Wicks described, capitalizing on the opportunities that come his way. From there, the production will undoubtedly follow.

“It’s really just controlling what you can control,” Wicks said. “It’s up to the coaches to call what they call, so when the play’s called and it’s called to you, you’ve got to capitalize on those opportunities so they can trust you more to call it to you. It’s really capitalizing on the opportunities that you get. You might not get a lot in practice so the ones that do come your way, you want to capitalize on them so QB1 can trust you and the coaches can call the plays for you to get those opportunities.”

Packers training camp notebook: Observations, notes from practice No. 3

Paul Bretl | 7/25/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Practice No. 3 is complete for the Packers. Saturday will be an off day before the team is back at it on Sunday.

So, as we do following each practice, let’s empty the notebook and discuss what took place.

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Injury updates: Left guard Aaron Banks exited Thursday’s practice with what Matt LaFleur called a “little back issue.” In LaFleur’s words, everything checked out all right, and Banks is “very day to day.”

Rookie wide receiver Savion Williams did not practice on Friday as he works through a concussion. There were no other changes to the injury report. Also not practicing were Quay Walker (ankle), Christian Watson (knee), Collin Oliver (hamstring), Amar Johnson (hamstring), John Williams (back), and Elgton Jenkins (back).

What about the offensive line today? With no Jenkins or Banks, we saw a few different configurations. I would say the primary lineup with the starters was Rasheed Walker at left tackle, followed by Jordan Morgan, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk, and Zach Tom. Monk continues to get his share of work at guard. There were some reps where Monk and Rhyan flipped, giving Rhyan some right guard snaps.

“Consistency just throughout my game,” said Rhyan about what his focus is. “And that kind of stems from being in even better shape than I was last year. I really just want to be able to play at a high level the whole time instead of taking those dips here and there. I want to just be able to play 100% all the way through.”

The second offensive line unit was made up of Anthony Belton at left tackle, followed by Donovan Jennings, Monk, Travis Glover, and Kadeem Telfort. Morgan’s left tackle snaps would mostly come with the twos. For an open competition at left tackle, Morgan’s opportunities with the starters compared to Walker’s don’t seem to be all that close. But, of course, things can change.

“He’s got everything that you’d ever want,” LaFleur said about Walker as a tackle. “And in a tackle, whether it’s left tackle, right tackle, he’s got the size, the athleticism, he’s not afraid of hard work he’s put in, like he looks great. I think for him, it’s just the consistency to do it down in and down out, and not only that, but at an elite level, which I think he’s fully capable of doing.”

On the third offensive line unit was Brant Banks at left tackle, along with JJ Lippe, Trey Hill, Tyler Cooper, and Belton at right tackle, as he continues to be cross-trained.

Is the running back depth chart taking shape? If I were to build out the running back depth chart right now, my official prediction, based on playing time and whose snaps are coming with what unit, would be Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Emanuel Wilson. The big question here is, will the Packers keep four running backs?

“Very motivated,” said Lloyd about the upcoming season. “Like I said, it’s like a kid in a candy store. I’m excited. I love this game. I love this team. I’m just excited to be able to help. I think I can help. I bring an explosive ability and I’m excited. I’m very excited.”

Starting defense remains the same. Lukas Van Ness, Devonte Wyatt, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary are along the defensive line. Nate Hobbs and Keisean Nixon at cornerback. Isaiah McDuffie is the middle linebacker with Isaiah Simmons and Edgerrin Cooper around him, while Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams are deep. In nickel, we’ve seen both Bullard and Hobbs taking snaps. When Hobbs is inside, Carrington Valentine takes over outside, and Bullard has often taken some snaps at deep safety for Williams.

“I feel more confident coming into Year 2,” Bullard said at his locker. “Kind of set your feet in a little bit, understand how the game is really played and the highest level, and now you just kind of let loose and let your instincts kick in. Let your experience from Year 1 to Year 2 hopefully make more plays.”

The cornerback depth chart: We know who the top three positions here belong to, but after that, there are roster spots up for grabs. Today, the second unit consisted of Bo Melton and Kamal Hadden outside with Kalen King as the nickel. Micah Robinson, Gregory Junior (in the nickel), and Isaiah Dunn seem to be the primary third options.

There is always some rotating that takes place, but the third string defensive line was Arron Mosby, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, and Barryn Sorrell. The second unit has steadily been Brenton Cox, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks, and JJ Enagbare.

We know Matthew Golden has 4.29-second speed, and the Packers put that in action on Friday, with two touches on end-arounds.

“He’s doing some nice things,” LaFleur said of Golden before practice. “Certainly he showcases his ability to catch a football. It’s pretty impressive. I mean, he uses his hands, and he’s an aggressive catcher of the ball, and then he showed the ability to put his foot in the ground, and had some good YAC.

“So it’s cool to watch these young guys kind of progress and learn, and I still think there’s a lot going on upstairs. And so once that calms down, and he has a great grasp of what the expectations are, I think you’ll see an even better version, where he’s able to play even faster.”

Rotating the third quarterback role. After Sean Clifford got the majority of the QB3 reps on Wednesday, it was Taylor Elgersma’s turn on Thursday. Then today, Clifford was up again. As LaFleur has said, getting four quarterbacks reps in practice isn’t easy, so it looks like Clifford and Elgersma will be splitting time.

Brandon McManus hasn’t missed. He is 15-for-15 overall, and he was 9-for-9 on Friday, which included making three kicks from 50-plus yards.

There were several ‘move the ball’ periods in practice. Overall, Jordan Love was 9-for-13 passing. The best play came on a roughly 35-yard completion to Dontayvion Wicks, who was able to get behind the safeties.

“We had to get down the field to win the competition,” Wicks recalled after practice. “We called a play and I knew I had the post. I had a man on me. I released, ran full speed. I knew X was over the top so I stemmed out a little bit and broke flat across. It was a runaway and J-Love gave me the ball, and I ran under it and that was all from there.”

Malik Willis and the twos were 2-for-5 passing with an interception. The pass was picked off by Carrington Valentine, his second in two days. Clifford was 5-for-9 passing. Thanks to a downfield pass interference penalty by Micah Robinson, he moved the offense into field goal range during one of his possessions. Elgersma was 0-for-1.

The defense would win the day. In general, I thought the defensive line–as much is possible when the pads aren’t on–were able to shrink the pocket and coverage on the back end seemed sticky, with the quarterback at times not having anywhere to go. The defense also did well going after the ball and winning contested catch situations.

“It’s been seamless,” said Kenny Clark about the transition to new DL coach DeMarcus Covington. “It’s been great. DC’s been great for us. Great coach, great leader. I’m just excited to keep on building with him and working with him. He’s a technical guy, a guy that’s detailed in everything that he does. It’s huge. It’s huge for our group, and especially for the young guys, to understand what it takes to be detailed and all that kind of stuff.”

Standout players: Valentine, who as I mentioned, had another interception. I thought Lukas Van Ness was able to generate steady push and close in on the quarterback, while Wicks showcased that ability we all know he has to create separation.

Confident and energetic, new Packers’ CB Nate Hobbs makes presence felt early in training camp

Paul Bretl | 7/24/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — It doesn’t seem to matter who you ask about new Packers’ cornerback Nate Hobbs; whether it’s Matt LaFleur, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, or others, you hear the same words used to describe the person and player–Hobbs is confident, full of energy, and a dog.

“Nate’s a dog, man,” said Bullard after Wednesday’s practice. “Nate comes with it every day. The energy, the swag, the enthusiasm, and just pure want to. Nate’s a guy that’s definitely going to make our team better and our secondary.”

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In only two training camp practices, that confidence and intensity that Hobbs plays with have already been palpable, and are perhaps most notable in his willingness to challenge pass catchers, which has already resulted in several plays on the ball being made.

Most notably on Day 1, Jordan Love had Josh Jacobs open near the back left corner of the end zone on a pass that had air under it. The ball hit Jacobs’ hands for what would have been a touchdown, but at the last second, Hobbs came seemingly out of nowhere to break up the play.

On Thursday, during a move-the-ball period, the offense faced a third down. Using a hard count, Love got Hobbs to jump offsides. Hobbs took responsibility for the penalty, tapping his chest, and on the very next play–now a third-and-short after the flag–he forced another pass breakup on a pass to Dontayvion Wicks that would have extended the drive.

“It was third down,” Hobbs recalled at his locker after practice, “I knew my personnel and I knew it was 87 I believe, Rome, I wanted to jump him, make him get into his route and apply the pressure on him so the quarterback knew he can’t just hold the ball, surprise him a little bit. The first hard count I didn’t go for, the second hard count, I’m like OK cool and I jumped offsides. A mistake we can’t have.

“But I knew if I was to jump offsides I had to make that (next) play to get us off the field, so I told my teammates, that’s on me, I promise I’ll make that play. That builds trust. When your teammates looking around and are like, that could lose a game, so you’ve got to know as a man you’ve got to be accountable. I just told my guys, I’ve got you all. I promise. That builds trust.”

Hobbs played his first four NFL seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Packers this offseason as a free agent addition. Over the previous two seasons, the majority of Hobbs’ snaps have come at the nickel. But as the Packers evaluated Hobbs, they viewed him as a player who could play both inside and out.

Through offseason programs and two training camp practices, that versatility that Hobbs possesses has been on display. When the Packers are in their base 4-3 defense, the two cornerbacks on the field are Hobbs and Keisean Nixon. When the Packers are in nickel, there are times when Hobbs is still outside, and then there are others when he’s lined up as the slot defender.

As Hobbs said when he first arrived in Green Bay back in March, whatever this team needs, on or off the field, he’s ready to deliver.

“He’s done a great job,” LaFleur said of Hobbs. “You can really see the guy’s a competitor, and that’s why we loved him on tape. He’s tough. And he was primarily a nickel with the Raiders, and so it’s been pretty cool to watch him come in, played a lot more outside corner, but also we know what he can do if we want to put him inside.”

On the outside, there are unknowns and question marks when it comes to the state of the Packers’ cornerback position. But internally, as GM Brian Gutekunst has mentioned, the team feels “really good” about the room that has been constructed. A key contributor to that bullish feeling is the confidence in Hobbs, something that he also very much has in himself.

“I bring high energy,” Hobbs said when asked what he brings to the defense. “I’m a dog. You can put me anywhere on the field, against anybody, any player, any man, I’m going to stand my ground. Be on my 10 and make plays. I’m going to bring the energy. Every day I’m going to be the same guy, reliable, consistent, and electric.”

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