GREEN BAY, Wis. – Usually, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur holds three weeks of voluntary organized team activities before the mandatory minicamp wraps up the offseason program. This year, LaFleur is holding just two weeks of OTAs before the minicamp, which means a bit of a time crunch.
Fortunately, the youngest team in the NFL last season isn’t the most inexperienced.
“We’re still relatively young (but) our guys are experienced,” LaFleur said after practice on Tuesday. “They’ve been in a lot of these situations. So, it’s just how fast can we get the new guys and some of the younger players that we’re going to obviously rely on? How fast can we get them up to speed and acclimated to what we’re trying to get done?”
Here are some highlights from the fifth of six OTAs this year and the second open to reporters.
Player of the Day
The team’s first-round pick, receiver Matthew Golden, got a lot of first-team reps. In turn, he got a lot of opportunities from quarterback Jordan Love.
Other than the practice-ending 2-minute drills, the 11-on-11 was done mostly at a half-speed tempo. Still, it was interesting to see Love look Golden’s way early and often. On the fifth play of the day, Love might have been sacked by Kingsley Enagbare. The play continued, though, with Golden making a leaping catch at the sideline.
Later, Love hit Golden on a crossing route. Next, Love fit a ball into a tight window, with Golden reaching up for the catch between three defenders.
During seven-on-seven, which was much closer to live, Golden made two more catches. None of them were deep but they showcased his ability to get open and make the play.
Golden added one more catch along the sideline during the 2-minute drill.
“I just like his approach, how he comes to work every day,” LaFleur said. “You know, he gives great effort. His attitude’s been outstanding. Obviously, he’s a talented, young player. So, still got a lot to learn, but I think he’s showing improvement every day.”
Added receiver Romeo Doubs: “The kid’s a stud. Doesn’t really say much. He just comes in and works. He has been real consistent in that area. If he has any questions for me, he comes to me. If he goes to Jayden, he goes to Jayden and makes sure that he asks as many questions as he can because he is a rookie. The kid’s playing fast right now, so I’m excited to see him.”
Play of the Day
During the second play of seven-on-seven, Jordan Love booted to his right a few steps and saw tight end Luke Musgrave streaking toward the sideline. What he didn’t see was linebacker Edgerrin Cooper racing under the route. Somewhere in the middle of Point A and Point B, Cooper soared and made a leaping deflection.
“I feel like for every rookie it’s kind of tough coming in,” Cooper said last week. “I felt as the season went along, I was still picking up on things, learning how things go. At the end of the season, I got pretty dialed in. And right now, I know what it’s all about and how to play well and do all the little things right.”
Jordan Love Stays Hot
The deflection by Edgerrin Cooper was one of the few passes thrown by Jordan Love that hit the ground.
Looking at seven-on-seven and the 2-minute drill – the competitive periods of the day – Love was a combined 17-of-20 passing. The three incompletions? Cooper’s deflection, a low throw to Bo Melton and a throwaway.
Love provided a few highlight-reel throws. On one, he hit tight end Luke Musgrave racing up the seam for a big play. Only one defender stood between Musgrave and a long touchdown. Love also dropped a pass just over Kalen King to Romeo Doubs for a big gain. He added a touchdown in 2-minute – more on that later.
Taking Attendance
These players were not seen at all during practice: LB Quay Walker, CB Nate Hobbs CB Jaire Alexander, C Trey Hill, G John Williams, C Elgton Jenkins.
These players were present but didn’t practice: WR Christian Watson, LB Collin Oliver, DT Nesta Jade Silvera, DT Warren Brinson.
Returned to practice: S Javon Bullard, RB MarShawn Lloyd, TE John FitzPatrick, DT Kenny Clark.
Bullard took part in some 11-on-11 action while Lloyd, Clark and FitzPatrick were limited to some individual drills.
Clark, who injured a toe on a Tush Push in Week 1 against the Eagles, said he had offseason surgery for a bunion and bone spurs.
“It was a tough year,” Clark said. “But I’m excited. I’m back out practicing, back doing indy, so today was my second day doing indy with the team, and just have to keep building forward.”
2-Minute Drills
There were a pair of 2-minute drills to wrap up practice. In both, the offense started at the 25 with 1:40 on the clock, one timeout and in need of a touchdown. The quarterbacks were sharp in both.
Up first, it was the backups led by Malik Willis. Willis completed his first four passes, with completions of 9 yards to Mecole Hardman, 6 yards to Malik Heath, 10 yards to Hardman and 6 yards to Matthew Golden. With pressure on his fifth dropback, Willis threw it away with 33 seconds to go and the ball on the defense’s 44.
After a short completion to Cornelius Johnson set up third-and-5, new receiver Sam Brown had a costly drop over the middle that would have pushed the ball into the red zone. On fourth down, the pocket collapsed on Willis and his pass was batted down by Colby Wooden.
Love got the ball to end the day. It was the No. 1 offense against a combination of starters (defensive line and linebackers) and backups (secondary). Love was a machine. After a 7-yard completion to Bo Melton, Love hit Romeo Doubs at the sideline for a gain of 12. A 9-yard pass to Melton and a throwaway set up third-and-1, which Love converted with an 8-yard completion to Luke Musgrave to the defense’s 39.
After a 9-yard completion to Matthew Golden, Love went deep to Jayden Reed for a 30-yard touchdown over Kalen King. The offense went for 2 and the win, with Love connecting with Doubs.
“There’s just explosion all over the place, man,” Doubs said. “Just having guys that can just rotate and being a dog that way, I just believe that the sky’s the limit for this offense.”
Lineup Notes
- The starting offensive line once again consisted of left tackle Rasheed Walker, left guard Aaron Banks, center Jacob Monk, right guard Sean Rhyan and right tackle Zach Tom. Jordan Morgan got some first-team snaps at left tackle and right guard. When Morgan was at guard, Rhyan moved to center.
- With Nate Hobbs out for personal reasons, the No. 1 secondary featured Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon at corner, Javon Bullard in the slot, and Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams at safety. Kamal Hadden, a sixth-round pick last year by the Chiefs, also got some first-team action.
“As far as who’s in with who, I wouldn’t read into it at all,” coach Matt LaFleur said of Hadden taking first-team reps after Gregory Junior did last week. “We don’t even have any pads on and, as you guys have seen, is mostly jog-through.
“That’s just kind of like where we’re limited now, and so what we’re looking for is these guys being able to line up, communicate, know what to do, and then you would think, with a slower pace, that their fundamentals will be flawless. The problem is, you got guys going at different tempos, and then it kind of gets messy at times. So, but that’s really what we’re trying to get done.”
- With Quay Walker absent, the No. 1 linebackers in the base defense were Isaiah McDuffie in the middle, flanked by Edgerrin Cooper and Isaiah Simmons.
Extra Points
- During 11-on-11, which was not conducted at full speed, Love’s pass over the middle was dropped by Dontayvion Wicks and intercepted by Kamal Hadden. Drops, of course, were a theme for the offense, in general, and Wicks, in particular, last year.
- The other interception was thrown by kicker Brandon McManus on a fake field goal. McManus threw the ball into a crowd and was picked off by rookie linebacker Jamon Johnson.
- The unintentionally humorous play of the day was provided by left tackle Rasheed Walker. On a receiver screen to Romeo Doubs, Walker ran to his left to lead the convoy and accidentally tackled Doubs.
Quote of the Day
Only kicker Brandon McManus, defensive tackle Kenny Clark and cornerback Jaire Alexander have more NFL experience than seventh-year pro Keisean Nixon.
“I don’t feel like I’m an old guy yet. I’m in Year 7 but my body feels like I’m on Year 4. Because with the Raiders, I don’t feel like I was really on the team, for real. I was just making money, I guess. It’s just what it was. When I got here, I feel like I was a rookie.
“My first year here was Year 4 but it don’t change nothing. I’m here to work and show I am who I am and what I can do outside. I showed that last year and just complete my resume. Everything they’ve asked me to do, I did it at a high level whether it was just play kick return – I went All-Pro in that. I played nickel – I got paid at that. I’m here to play corner. That’s just what I want to do.”