Here’s What Happened at Practice 11 of Packers Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers returned to the practice field on Tuesday for their 11th practice of training camp. What happened? A lot. From Jordan Love to Brenton Cox, here is everything you need to know from Packers training camp.

Packers players attack a five-man sled at training camp on Aug. 6. / Bill Huber/Packers On SI

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Zach Tom and Tucker Kraft took the next steps in their comebacks from torn pectorals, starters Quay Walker and Jordan Morgan were unable to finish practice and the kickers were blown away on Tuesday at Green Bay Packers training camp.

Here are the highlights from the 11th practice of camp.

Jordan Love’s Day

Jordan Love was sharp in his first tune-up for the preseason opener on Saturday at the Cleveland Browns. While he finished a mediocre 10-of-18 passing, his numbers were skewed by two throwaways, two drops and one misjudged pass.

Love came out slinging it with an extended-play completion to Donatyvion Wicks against Eric Stokes. For the first time this summer, Luke Musgrave was a factor, with the second-year tight end catching four passes. Love also had three completions of 15-plus yards to Christian Watson.

After missing the first four practices while awaiting a contract extension, Love has started to heat up with the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles exactly one month away.

While his predecessor, Aaron Rodgers, wasn’t a fan of the preseason, Love sees value in getting a series or two against the Browns.

“I think that’s going to be very helpful because we’ve been seeing our defense and they do a lot of different stuff, but to be able to see different looks, different guys out there, different disguises as much as we can see before the season is going to make us better,” Love said.

“There’s so many looks that you don’t get to see once you get into a season. You try and do scout team and different things to try and mimic those looks but, once you get into games, sometimes it might be your first time running this route versus this coverage or versus this look. So, as many banked reps as we can get before the season starts is going to help us.”

Player of the Day

With Kingsley Enagbare, a top backup, sidelined by a hamstring injury, Brenton Cox is getting more opportunities. How did he do with those on Tuesday, he was asked, while watching a play on his iPad.

“Yeah, don’t watch that one,” he said with a laugh. “I think I did OK. Just hustling, just trying to be violent and attack the quarterback. Getting back there, that’s the main thing. Get back there, and everything else will fall into place.”

Going from the No. 3 defense meant getting reps against the No. 1 and No. 2 offensive lines. It also meant working alongside Lukas Van Ness and even Preston Smith.

“JJ being out, I have seen a lot more reps,” Cox said. “That’s a challenge for me because going with the 3s and then bumping up the 1s, just balancing that whole thing and on top of special teams. Everything’s a bump up for me but I’m enjoying the challenge.”

The day started with one-on-ones, with Cox going 3-2 against Kadeem Telfort. Moving into 11-on-11, he stopped running back MarShawn Lloyd for a loss. Later, he stopped Emanuel Wilson for a minimal gain before tossing him to the turf. On the next play, his strong pass rush got in the face of Michael Pratt.

Cox went undrafted last year. He made the Packers’ 53-man roster but barely played. He made the roster on the strength of his pass-rushing potential. To get on the field this year will require him to become a bigger factor on special teams.

“That’s been my main focus this year,” Cox said. “We’ve got a lot of pass rushers already dialed in and ready to go. When that opportunity comes, I’m going to be ready to play on special teams for Coach Rich (Bisaccia).”

Play of the Day

Jordan Love marched the offense to the line of scrimmage. Before he started barking out his cadence, rookie safety Evan Williams alerted everyone on the defense that a shot play was coming. Sure enough, Love faked the handoff and got max protection for a shot play.

While the deep pass was taken away, Christian Watson was streaking from left to right on a deep crossing route. Love delivered a bullet, which second-year safety Anthony Johnson read. Johnson, though, couldn’t quite make the play, and Watson made the grab near the sideline for a gain of about 25.

The play demonstrated that nothing can stop excellent execution.

Packers Injury Report

New injuries: WR Rory Starkey (calf), WR Dimitri Stanley (hamstring). Also, LB Quay Walker and RG Jordan Morgan dropped out of practice.

Walker sat out the last two periods. “Everything’s fine,” he said. Morgan went into the Don Hutson Center with a trainer after individual drills; he did not take part in any 11-on-11 work.

Returned to practice: RB Josh Jacobs (groin), TE Tucker Kraft (pectoral).

Old injuries:  CB Don Callas (hamstring), CB Carrington Valentine (hamstring), DE Deslin Alexandre (lower leg), DE Keshawn Banks (groin), DE Kingsley Enagbare (hamstring), LB Edgerrin Cooper (hip), G Donovan Jennings (knee).

PUP: With Kraft off the list, the Packers have zero players on their pre-training cam injury lists.

Packers Practice Highlights

- With a blustery wind at their backs, kickers Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph each went 3-for-3 on field goals. For both, their long attempt was 49 yards.

It was a different story with the wind in their faces. Both kickers went 1-of-3 during a field-goal period and also missed 53-yarders following a 2-minute drill. From 53, Joseph – who has a rocket leg – was short. Carlson was able to drill it through the wind but nailed the right upright.

It was amazing watching the kicks soar toward the goalposts, only to be stopped by Mother Nature.

“I don’t think the wind in a stadium would be that strong,” Carlson said. “Typically, it’ll come in, bounce around. It might swirl (or) it might be a little more side to side. But it’s still really important kicks. Those matter a lot. You expect – no matter how deep it is, how close it is, how windy it is – you expect to go in and perform. It’s one of those things I need to go watch. I didn’t like one of the hits. The other two I didn’t mind actually.”

Overall, both kickers went 4-for-7 on Tuesday. Joseph is 40-of-47 and Carlson is 37-of-47.

- With Cooper missing a third consecutive day of practice, he at times stood about 45 yards behind the defense to take in the action.

- It’s hard to gauge a run game during no-tackling practices, but Josh Jacobs started the day with big runs to the left and up the middle. Later, Lukas Van Ness beat left tackle Rasheed Walker and ruined a toss to Jacobs.

- Receiver Romeo Doubs dropped a pass – a noteworthy thing considering he’s got exceptional hands – and was stripped by Eric Stokes.

- Running back MarShawn Lloyd dropped a pass and fumbled, as well. Fumbling problems were a significant concern for the third-round pick.

- Jordan Love’s second pass was the drop by Doubs. His third pass was a crossing route to Dontayvion Wicks that Jaire Alexander broke up. His fourth pass was the drop by Lloyd. His fifth pass was the Play of the Day.

- On the first play of a period in which the offense started at the 2 with the goal of getting two first downs, Lloyd took a handoff up the middle and was met near the line of scrimmage by linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper. The defenders shouted their approval, yelling “Yeah, Hop!” Meanwhile, Lloyd walked off the field shaking his left hand. He returned to action.

On the next play, defensive tackle TJ Slaton appeared to be the player who deflected Sean Clifford’s pass. On the next play, a third-and-7, first-year tight end Joel Wilson – who has had a productive couple days – dropped a pass.

- Next up, it was the No. 1 offense starting at the 2. On second down, blitzing linebacker Eric Wilson “sacked” Love in the end zone for a safety.

- For the 3s, Samori Toure caught a slant, which was thrown slightly behind him by Mchael Pratt, for one first down on third-and-2. One play later, Wilson made a leaping catch for the second first down.

- In the next period, Love’s deep pass was misjudged by Dontayvion Wicks and fell incomplete. Wicks slowed down but the pass, with the help of the wind, soared over his head. Just as noteworthy, Zach Tom had superb pass protection against Rashan Gary to give Love the time. One play later, Jayden Reed shook Keisean Nixon for a first down on third-and-5.

- Practice ended with the offense starting at midfield with 24 seconds on the clock and one timeout. For the starters, Love hit Watson for a gain of 15. He might have Doubs for much more as he worked free on a double move. Headed back to the huddle, Doubs muttered something toward Alexander, who replied that Doubs really wasn’t open. Joseph and Carlson missed the aforementioned 53-yard field goals.

For the 2s, Arron Mosby batted down a pass on first down, Lloyd caught a short pass but was immediately stopped by Eric Wilson on second down and Clifford missed Grant DuBose on an out on third down. That was the final play of practice.

Packers Lineup Notes

- Rookie Jordan Morgan had taken the lead over Sean Rhyan in the battle to be the starting right guard. However, Morgan missed most of practice with an undisclosed injury, so Rhyan was back with the 1s.

- With Zach Tom moving into team drills following a torn pectoral, the No. 1 line consisted of Rasheed Walker at left tackle, Elgton Jenkins at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Rhyan at right guard and Tom at right tackle. Tom took limited reps, so Kadeem Telfort got a bunch of first-team snaps, as well.

- With Quay Walker missing the final periods of practice and Edgerrin Cooper out again, rookie Ty’Ron Glover worked as the middle linebacker alongside Eric Wison and Isaiah McDuffie. Walker and Hopper also worked together in nickel at times.

- At defensive end, Lukas Van Ness got several first-team reps. Some were with Rashan Gary and some were with Preston Smith.

- For the third consecutive practice, rookie Javon Bullard worked with Xavier McKinney as the No. 1 safeties.

- With Carrington Valentine sideline, the No. 2 corners were Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine. Sometimes, Bullard entered in the slot.

Packers Training Camp Schedule

The Packers will practice again at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. After a closed-to-the-public practice on Thursday, the team will travel to Cleveland on Friday and play the Browns at 3:25 p.m. Saturday.

The team will practice at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday before going to Denver for joint practice and preseason game at the Broncos.

Quote of the Day

Coach Matt LaFleur on the importance of playing Jordan Love in the preseason.

“Re-evaluating the last couple years from when we’ve had guys not play and last year having all the guys play, I thought it was beneficial for us early on, especially Week 1, just to kind of knock some of the rust off. I think there was a lot of value of going through getting your mind right to getting ready to play a football game.

“Obviously, we’re going to be smart with those guys. The last thing we want to do is put guys at risk. I mean, there’s an inherent risk every time you go out on the field, but we’ll be smart with him. But, at the same time, I do think just the preparation of getting ready for a game is invaluable, and why not use those opportunities?”

More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News

Two weeks of #Packers training camp is complete. Now begins the three-week sprint to the Aug. 27 roster cuts.

Here is my second 53-man projection. ⬇️https://t.co/EzkYZTlLiI

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 5, 2024

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