Highlights From Practice 1 of Packers Training Camp

Here is our quick-hitting review of the first practice of Packers training camp, including the play of the day, player of the day, injury report and more.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 27, 2022 5:39 PM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers sliced and diced the defense, no different than any other Green Bay Packers training camp practice over the years.

This time was different, though. The defense has garnered most of the offseason hype while the offense is the major question mark following the trade of Davante Adams.

“We’re a defensive team now,” Rodgers said at his locker after Wednesday’s practice, the first of training camp.

Of course, he didn’t mean it.

“I felt coming into camp, to be honest, we were going to get our butts kicked most days because our defense is talented and deep and athletic,” Rodgers said. “It’s one of the best defenses on paper that we’ve had, but I told those chumps, ‘1-0, offense.’”

Rodgers skipped most of the offseason program, aside from participating a bit during the two minicamp practices. You hardly would have known it. The four-time MVP was as sharp as could be. Including a breakup by Jaire Alexander, you could probably count his incompletions on one hand. He dissected the defense with a bunch of bootlegs and a handful of slants. He dropped a couple bombs, too, with Juwann Winfree getting behind Eric Stokes and making a splendid catch as he hit the turf and Allen Lazard hauling in a moon ball vs. Adrian Amos.

“I threw a little bit in the gym with some of the guys,” Rodgers said of his offseason routine. “I threw my 50 throws a day I like to do, but the offseason’s about extension and being able to have range and strength in those extended positions. I feel like it takes a week for me to get my arm in shape. That’s kind of been the way it’s gone over the years. It doesn’t take a whole lot to get back into football shape from here.”

Harder days are ahead. Rodgers will welcome those moments, knowing that daily tests against Green Bay’s potentially powerful defense in July and August will get the revamped offense ready for the weekly exams in September and beyond.

“The offense is going to take some lumps, especially when the pads go on, because our defensive line is pretty stout. And I think we need that. We need to go against a top-notch defense every single day and kind of get it handed to us. Today was definitely an offensive day, but we’re going to take our lumps, and I look forward to that because it’s going to build some character through the adversity we have to face as an offense after some of the pieces that we don’t have right now.”

Player of the Day

Aaron Rodgers’ fundamentals focus was being “heavy at the back of my drop” and throwing the ball on time. Missions accomplished. Rodgers spread the ball around, with receivers, tight ends and running backs all making noteworthy plays in the passing game. It didn’t matter that veteran Sammy Watkins and rookie Christian Watson – let alone All-Pro Davante Adams – weren’t on the field.

“I got kind of a fist-bump from Tom Clements, which is really hard to get, so I felt like I had a decent day, too,” he said of his quarterbacks coach, who is back for a second tour of duty with the team.

Play of the Day

The more impressive play was Allen Lazard’s jump-ball catch of a deep shot against Adrian Amos. Perhaps the more noteworthy play came earlier, when Rodgers threw a deep ball to Juwann Winfree, who got a step past cornerback Eric Stokes and made a sliding catch along the right sideline.

For all the focus on Lazard’s ascension into the No. 1 spot, Sammy Watkins’ desire to change the trajectory of his career and the addition of three draft picks, Winfree has flown under the radar. A sixth-round pick by Denver in 2019, he hasn’t done much in his career but he’s coming off his second consecutive strong stretch of offseason practices.

“When he’s in the first huddle and you see me throw a deep ball to him, it’s great for him,” Rodgers said. “It’s the same message to you guys that I’m sending to him, and that’s that I trust you. As you guys know, that’s an important step that has to be taken in the process from quarterback to receiver, so I’m really proud of Juwann. He’s always been a professional for us, had some bad luck with injuries, and hopefully he can stay healthy and have a great camp.”

Packers Depth Chart Notes

- The starting corners were Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, with Rasul Douglas entering as the third corner and manning the slot.

- During the offseason practices, the inside linebacker tandem usually was All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell and incumbent starter Krys Barnes. On Wednesday, it was Campbell and first-round pick Quay Walker.

- During the offseason practices, the No. 1 offensive line was left tackle Yosh Nijman, left guard Jon Runyan, center Josh Myers, right guard Royce Newman and right tackle Cole Van Lanen. On Wednesday, it was Nijman, Runyan and Myers joined by Jake Hanson at right guard and Newman at right tackle.

- Sticking with the line and going to the second unit, third-round pick Sean Rhyan played right guard and fourth-round pick Zach Tom played left tackle. Tom, a left tackle during his final two seasons at Wake Forest, played only guard and center during the offseason practices. Runyan got some second-team snaps at center.

- Jack Coco got the first run at long snapper.

Packers Injury Report

In all, 13 players did not participate on Wednesday.

Missed practice: OLB Jonathan Garvin (unknown), WR Malik Taylor (unknown) DT Akial Byers (unknown).

Non-Football Injury List: WR Sammy Watkins, CB Keisean Nixon, OT Rasheed Walker, OT Caleb Jones.

Physically unable to perform list: K Mason Crosby (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), OLB Randy Ramsey (ankle), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).

Activated from PUP: RB Patrick Taylor, DT Dean Lowry.

Extra Points

- With Mason Crosby out following knee surgery, rookie Gabe Brkic made 3-of-4 field goal attempts. He hit from 39 yards but was wide left from 42 on his first set, then split the uprights from 45 and 48 later.

“A minor scope on the knee,” Crosby said. “Through OTAs and different things it just felt like something wasn’t quite right in there, so we went in. Doc doesn’t like to say ‘clean it up’ but just stabilized some things that were probably lingering issues over a long period of time.”

- Undrafted rookie receiver Danny Davis (pictured) made a nice leaping catch on a pass from Jordan Love. Love greeted him seconds later for a high-five.

- The day ended with Patrick Taylor fumbling on a running play. Ty Summers recovered.

- Undrafted rookie running back Tyler Goodson cut through an opening into the clear, eliciting some “oohs” from some scouts on the sideline.

- Rookie receiver Romeo Doubs made a superb leaping catch over cornerback Kabion Ento for a big gain on a pass from Danny Etling. It was a continuation of Doubs’ big-play ways from May and June. Among the first on the scene to congratulate him was Allen Lazard.

- The quarterbacks have a drill where they high-knee over some dummies, stop and throw the ball to a set of three nets located 20 yards away. On one throw, Jordan Love missed the entire apparatus.

Roster Move

Caliph Brice’s training camp lasted just one practice. The Packers released the undrafted rookie linebacker on Wednesday. The transaction cleared space for the addition of another USFL receiver.