Here’s What Happened at Practice 13 of Packers Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers locked the doors for their 13th practice of training camp on Thursday. From Jordan Love’s day to all the key plays, here’s what you need to know about the final tuneup before the preseason opener at the Browns.

Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander at training camp on Thursday. / Bill Huber/Packers On SI

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers training camp continued with a closed-to-the-public practice on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener at the Cleveland Browns. 

From Jordan Love’s day to an interesting move on the offensive line, here’s what happened with the gates locked and the big shades pulled for the 13th practice of training camp.

Jordan Love’s Day

Quarterback Jordan Love is in a bit of a funk. Even during individual drills, he’s been off-target. Not all the time. Just sporadically.

For the second consecutive day, for instance, Love and the other quarterbacks worked on their pocket footwork. After high-stepping around some pads, the quarterbacks throw to a large apparatus that includes two small nets. The goal is to throw the ball into the proper net. On one pass on Wednesday, he missed the whole thing. On Thursday, he hit the top.

Love completed one of his first three passes before a noteworthy series of four passes in the red zone.

First, Love underthrew receiver Jayden Reed, who was open in the end zone for what should have been a touchdown. On the next play, Love rifled a pass to Bo Melton in the back of the end zone for a touchdown against Eric Stokes. On the next play, Stokes intercepted a pass to Christian Watson. After that, Love threw a dart to the front corner of the end zone for a touchdown to Dontayvion Wicks.

After the period ended, Love and Watson talked about what went wrong on Stokes’ far-too-easy interception.

“I know that it was 9 [Watson] coming across on the over,” Stokes said. “Luckily, Love threw it to me. I mean, he threw it at 9 but luckily 9 didn’t see it.”

In the next period, Love made a pair of superb throws. He stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure and threw a laser over the middle to Wicks between two defenders for a big gain. On the next play – his final attempt of the day – Love delivered our Play of the Day.

Added together, after throwing two interceptions on Wednesday, Love was 6-of-11 passing with two touchdowns and one interception on Thursday. If you include a pass-interference penalty on Lukas Van Ness, who was playing coverage on tight end Ben Sims in the red zone, he would have been 7-of-12 for possibly three touchdowns.

“He’s playing tremendous,” Stokes said. “There’s a lot of throws that you all see where you’re like, that is a throw, that is a throw. So, you’re seeing all that stuff but, then again, I believe us as a defense, we’re only making him better and he’s making us better.”

Player of the Day

You probably shouldn’t make too much out of what happens in the trenches in a shorts-and-helmets practice. However, second-year defensive tackle Karl Brooks had a couple eye-opening plays to continue his strong training camp.

On the third play of the day, Brooks exploded out of his stance and past right guard Luke Tenuta. Only Tenuta putting his arm around Brooks’ neck prevented a sack.

Later, on the aforementioned interception by Stokes, the play was set up by Brooks’ pass rush.

Rookie cornerback Kalen King continued a strong week of practice, as well. King was a seventh-round pick and the third-to-last player selected in this year’s draft. His plunge in production played a role, to be sure, but so did his 4.61 in the 40 at the Scouting Combine and his 4.56 at pro day.

The Packers have used King a lot in the slot, where the 40 time isn’t as important but his quickness and instincts are accentuated. In a span of four plays, he stopped Grant DuBose on a quick pass to the flat, shot forward to potentially stop tight end Joel Wilson short of the marker on third-and-7 and beat his blocker to help stop running back Emanuel Wilson for a minimal gain on a screen.

Play of the Day

There’s a reason why quarterbacks receive outsized contracts. On third-and-5, Jordan Love threw a fastball to tight end Luke Musgrave. Safety Anthony Johnson’s coverage was excellent but the throw was even better. Musgrave caught the ball in stride for a big gain.

Packers Injury Report

New injuries: LB Ty’Ron Hopper (ankle).

Also missed practice: LG Elgton Jenkins (rest).

Returned to practice: WR Jayden Reed (calf).

Old injuries: WR Dimitri Stanley (hamstring), CB Carrington Valentine (hamstring), DE Deslin Alexandre (lower leg), DE Keshawn Banks (groin), LB Edgerrin Cooper (hip), G Donovan Jennings (knee), RG Jordan Morgan (shoulder).

Reed’s absence from practice lasted one day.

The Packers had five picks in the Top 100 of this year’s draft. Three of them – Morgan, Cooper and Hopper – could be out on Saturday.

Packers Practice Highlights

- The Packers are back to three kickers. The newcomer, Alex Hale, kicked on Wednesday. The veterans, Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph, kicked on Thursday. They both went 6-for-6 with a long attempt of 51 yards.

For camp, Joseph is 46-of-53 and Carlson is 43-of-53.

Coach Matt LaFleur said the addition of Hale was “not necessarily” an indication that the team wasn’t happy with Joseph and Carlson.

“We had a workout with a few different guys and he performed really well,” he said. “We always talk about bringing in competition, so we thought we’d add to the competition.”

- Running back AJ Dillon had another productive day. On his first run, he cut it back for a big gain. He did it again later, too, with offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich fired up about center Josh Myers’ block.

- Running back MarShawn Lloyd’s first run of the day wound up in the back of left tackle Andre Dillard, who was pushed into the backfield by Lukas Van Ness. Similarly, Ellis Merriweather’s first run went nowhere because defensive tackle Jonathan Ford worked over Lecitus Smith.

- An end-around to Dontayvion Wicks was thrown for a loss by defensive end Kingsley Enagbare.

- Tight end Joel Wilson has had a couple productive days this week but dropped an easy one on third-and-3.

- Emanuel Wilson got behind linebacker Isaiah McDuffie on a wheel route. Jordan Love’s pass hung up in the breeze, which allowed McDuffie to recover. Both players got their hand on the ball before Lloyd made a one-handed grab out of bounds.

- The final play of the day was a quick pass to the flat to rookie receiver Julian Hicks. Defensive end Zach Morton, who was signed on Wednesday, helped make the stop.

Packers Lineup Notes

- With Elgton Jenkins getting the day off and Jordan Morgan sidelined by injury, the Packers were supposed to start the day with left tackle Rasheed Walker, left guard Royce Newman, center Josh Myers, right guard Sean Rhyan and right tackle Zach Tom.

Instead, Rhyan was flagged for a false start on the first play. Rookie Jacob Monk replaced him. Not for the play or the series but the rest of the day.

- Rhyan was limited to second-team action at center the rest of the day.

- For the fifth consecutive day, Xavier McKinney and rookie Javon Bullard worked as the No. 1 duo at safety. However, rookie Evan Williams and second-year player Anthony Johnson got some snaps with McKinney, too.

“It’s nice,” Bullard said of the chemistry with McKinney. “We had a couple of reps out there today where we feel like we were on the same page. Building that chemistry is everything. 

“It’s different when you’re playing with somebody and you don’t know their tendencies and things like that. Now getting along with him and playing alongside him, it’s kind of really giving me a different mindset in how he thinks and what he wants to do and how he does certain things, so it can help me with my game.”

- The punt return line included Jayden Reed, Keisean Nixon, Samori Toure and Bo Melton.

Packers Training Camp Schedule

The Packers will travel to Cleveland on Friday and face the Browns in the preseason opener on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m.

The Packers have only four more open practices scheduled. Two of those are next week, with 10:30 a.m. start times on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Quote of the Day

Sean Clifford will replace Jordan Love at some point during Saturday’s preseason game. He is excited for the opportunity.

“I remember I posted a picture on Instagram and it was me in a Packers flag football uniform, and I always loved that picture just because I’m the same kid at the end of the day – just a little more knowledgeable about the game now – but it’s the same love now as it was back then. I just remember doing the little things with my parents and just having those little moments and that’s what this is all about for me.

“Every single time I get the opportunity to represent the Clifford family and the Packers, I’m going to do so with the best of my ability.”

More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News

Even by specialist standards, new #Packers kicker Alex Hale has a wild story.

Hale, and his mentor, NFL legend @CarneyCoaching, discussed Hale's incredible path to the NFL today. ⬇️https://t.co/DcTqzVup8v

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 8, 2024

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