Minor injuries to key starters give young depth pieces and converted veterans a chance to turn heads in Green Bay.
Packers WR Bo Melton shined at practice on Monday.
Packers WR Bo Melton shined at practice on Monday.(WBAY-TV)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The Green Bay Packers’ training camp practice on Monday saw a flurry of moving parts on both sides of the ball, as minor injuries sidelined key players and opened the door for young standouts to make their case.
From defensive back rotations to a wide receiver-turned-cornerback-turned-receiver putting on a show, here is a look at the key developments from today’s practice.
Secondary shuffling: Bullard sidelined, young DBs step up
The Packers’ secondary featured several new looks today, most notably with safety Javon Bullard sitting out practice while wearing a walking boot. Despite the precautionary footwear, the defensive back downplayed the severity of the injury.
“It’s just a little bruise,” Bullard clarified. “If we had a game tomorrow, I’d play.”
In his absence, Kitan Oladapo took the lion’s share of reps as the third safety in the defense.
Bullard wasn’t the only defensive back missing. Cornerback Carrington Valentine remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that has kept him out for the past week.
With Valentine out, the cornerback depth chart saw some fascinating rotations. Incumbent starter Keisean Nixon spent a significant portion of practice working with the second and even third-team units for the second consecutive day. This shift is largely due to the rapid rise of younger cornerbacks, highlighted by second-round pick Brandon Cisse and Jaylin Simpson.
“He a baller, man,” Bullard said regarding Cisse. “I think what really makes him special is just his willingness to learn from different people, different coaches, different teammates. He’s really a sponge, man. I think it’s crucial for a young player to come in and just learn because you learn with experience. He’s a great football player. That experience matters in this league, and I think he’s coming in here and just being a sponge, soaking up that knowledge from any and everybody, and I think he’s going to be special. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us, for sure.”
Simpson made the play of the day on defense, capping off Monday’s practice with a spectacular goal-line interception.
“(Simpson) is a baller, man,” Bullard said of his teammate. “I was just telling him before he caught that pick, ‘Bro, be greedy. You’re a baller, go make that play.’ And he made it.”
Simpson credited Bullard for the pre-play motivation. “When the ball is in the air, it’s ours. It’s mine,” Simpson said. “Boom bada bing, pick-six. I love Bull. He’s always trying to speak life and motivation to all of us.”
Melton shines as receivers battle injuries
On the other side of the ball, the Packers’ wide receiver room was also operating shorthanded. While the team has a clearer hierarchy at the top this season, injuries to Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden kept both out of practice for a second straight day.
With two of the top targets sidelined, Bo Melton took full advantage of the extra opportunities, delivering the two best offensive plays of the afternoon. Melton caught a touchdown on a trick play deep downfield and later rose up to “Moss” Keisean Nixon on a highly contested jump ball.
“When I’m out there, I believe the ball is coming to me all the time,” Melton said. “So, I run my route accordingly. Especially if the ball is deep, I feel like that’s my specialty—taking the top off the defense. I have to make sure I’m coming down with them.”
Melton’s performance is even more impressive considering where he was at this point last year: attempting to transition to cornerback. Now back at his natural wide receiver position, the comfort level is clear.
“It’s different in a good way,” Melton said. “I feel a lot more comfortable at receiver. On defense, I felt like it was kind of boring because the ball isn’t coming your way. On offense, you’re much more involved. I like that aspect of it.”
Whether on offense, defense, or special teams, Melton’s selfless attitude has made him a favorite in the locker room.
“I was an older brother to my younger brother, so I always wanted to show him the way,” Melton explained. “I’ve always put others before me because I want to see other people succeed. I bring that same energy to the NFL. This is football—it’s nothing I haven’t been doing, so I just do the same thing.”