Here’s What Happened at Practice 8 of Packers Training Camp

The eighth practice of Green Bay Packers training camp was filled with big plays and noteworthy performances. Here’s what happened on Wednesday at Ray Nitschke Field.

Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love passes the ball at training camp. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love is starting to heat up. Participating in his fourth practice since signing his record contract extension, Love led the No. 1 offense to a touchdown in the 2-minute drill that wrapped up Wednesday at Green Bay Packers training camp.

Here is everything you need to know about a jam-packed eighth practice of camp.

Jordan Love’s Day

The final numbers weren’t great, with Love completing 16-of-29 passes. However, in the final two periods, Love was 9-of-12 passing. One of the incompletions was a drop and another was a clock-killing spike. Two of the completions were big plays down the field: a 40-ish-yard completion on a bomb to Christian Watson and a 21-yard completion to Jayden Reed in the 2-minute drill.

The pass to Reed came on a scramble drill. Love had room to run. Instead, he kept his eyes downfield and found Reed despite tight coverage by Keisean Nixon.

“I think that is definitely a goal of mine to keep working scramble drill when I get outside the pocket, just keep trying to find those big plays down the field,” Love said. “I think for everybody, too – the receivers, tight ends – just keep working the scramble drill when it goes off-schedule, finding the space they can work.

“Especially in practice, I don’t want to just take off and run. I want to try and work the scramble drill and get a pretty good feel for everybody and how we’re going to run it in the games. Definitely something we’ll keep working on.”

Love did run one play later. Pressured by Rashan Gary, Love showcased his underrated athleticism for a gain of 22 to the 11-yard line with 13 seconds to go. On the next play, Love found Dontayvion Wicks in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.

“Wicks was able to break away on the back end line right there and break free from the defender and was kind of wide open,” Love said. “Just put it out there for him. He ran a great route. It’s something that we just put in the other day and we didn’t really run it up to par.”

Plays of the Day

We’ll pick two, and they both came during an end-of-game 2-minute drill in which the offense trailed by seven points.

First, it was the big play to get the offense going. On first down from the offense’s 46, Love found Reed for 21 on the aforementioned scramble drill.

Reed and Nixon both jumped for the ball. Reed made the catch and fell hard on the turf. Even though he lost his helmet, Reed hung onto the ball despite Nixon trying to tug it away for a few seconds.

“I’m not going to lie,” Reed said. “I ran the wrong route on that play. We were in scramble mode. We talked after it, and Jordan said I had space behind and could have kept running. He directed me where to go and he threw it up and I had to make the catch.”

How did he keep his focus after losing his helmet?

“The ball is the name of the game. If you don’t got the ball – if you’re not trying to get the ball – then you can’t win the game. It’s about the ball. At the end of the day, put your mind on the ball and the rest will take care of itself.”

The catch moved the ball to the defense’s 33 and set up the Love-to-Wicks touchdown that made it a one-point game. Coach Matt LaFleur went for two points and the “win,” with Love connecting again with Wicks for our other Play of the Day.

The play showed Love’s incredible arm talent. With the pass rush starting to converge, Love stood flat-footed and used nothing but arm to throw the ball about 15 yards to Wicks.

Love deflected the credit to Wicks.

“It’s like our two-point staple,” he said. “I was kind of looking back side, got back to front side and it looked like everybody was gloved. And then I saw Wicks kind of last second. I was about to start scrambling and I just tried to get it out there before the back side was able to get there. Another good route by him. Way to stay open in the back of the end zone and make a play.”

Player of the Day

Kingsley Enagbare’s strong training camp continued. On the first play of the backups vs. backups 2-minute drill, Enagbare sacked Sean Clifford. Earlier, on third-and-8, he batted down one of Love’s passes.

Enagbare’s 2023 season ended with a torn ACL suffered in the playoffs against Dallas. However, it was only a partial tear, and Enagbare and the team believe he can continue playing through rehab and strengthening surrounding muscles rather than surgery.

“You never know. But ideally, yeah,” Enagbare said of avoiding surgery. “It’s just part of my routine now, at least for this year and probably years after. Obviously, it’s partially torn, so it’s not completely intact, but just staying on top of everything and keeping the muscles around it strong.”

So far, so good. He routinely has been one of the best players on the field.

Packers Injury Report

New injuries: CB Carrington Valentine (hamstring), G Donovan Jennings (knee).

Returned to practice: S Zayne Anderson (knee).

Old injuries:  DE Deslin Alexandre (lower leg), DE Keshawn Banks (groin).

PUP:  TE Tucker Kraft (pectoral).

“He is getting close,” LaFleur said of Kraft. “He is asking every day to be out there, which is what you want. But as soon as the medical staff gives us the clearance, he will be out there.”

Also of note, rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper dropped out of practice with an injury. LaFleur will provide an update before practice on Thursday.

Packers Practice Highlights

- During one-on-ones, running back Emanuel Wilson had an excellent day. He took five reps against the touted rookie Cooper – two as a receiver and three as a pass protector. In protection, he had two excellent reps to end the drill.

The other rookie linebacker, third-rounder Ty’Ron Hopper, had a tremendous coverage rep against running back Ellis Merriweather, with Hopper deflecting a deep pass.

- In one-on-one pass rushing/protection, Rashan Gary beat right tackle Telfort with a wicked spin move and rookie lineman Jacob Monk leveled defensive lineman Spencer Waege.

- The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman said Romeo Doubs again got the better of Jaire Alexander twice in one-on-ones between receivers and defensive backs. Of note, rookie safety Javon Bullard had an excellent coverage snap against tight end Ben Sims on a seam route. That’s noteworthy because Bullard has struggled a bit in one-on-one coverage.

The news corners, Don Callis and LJ Davis, gave up touchdowns to Malik Heath and Jalen Wayne.

Here's why I love training camp.

The #Packers signed one cornerback who had been cutting grass: https://t.co/cbZbENqYQ4
And another who had been selling shoes: https://t.co/CnB6fHKLqN

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 31, 2024

- In the first 11-on-11 reps, Love ripped a slant to Wicks against Alexander. One play later, Keisean Nixon prevented a play-action completion to Watson, then did a Dikembo Mutombo-style finger wag.

- AJ Dillon had two solid runs, one of which included a block by receiver Grant DuBose, which had passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable fired up. Two plays later, DuBose made a leaving catch over safety Zayne Anderson on a pass by Sean Clifford.

- Rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd couldn't handle a handoff by Jacob Eason.

- Love completed a handful of swing passes/screens to Josh Jacobs. Combined, they probably gained 0 yards. Later, safety Anthony Johnson blew up a receiver screen to Watson. Clearly, the Packers need to work on their perimeter blocking.

- Jacobs did have a couple nice runs, one of which was triggered by embattled offensive tackle Andre Dillard. A toss to Jacobs got around Gary, thanks to some misdirection and the pesky blocking of Bo Melton. It appeared Gary accused Melton of holding.

- Gary had a great pressure on third-and-4, which led to a slightly errant throw to DuBose, who couldn’t make the leaping catch against Eric Stokes.

- DuBose struck again later with a diving catch at the sideline against Robert Rochell. Dillon’s blitz pickup against Evan Williams made it possible. One play later, Clifford hit Samori Toure for a gain of about 30 on a corner route. Williams was the closest in coverage.

- After Isaiah McDuffie had a tackle for loss against Jacobs, Love found Melton over the middle but didn’t see Xavier McKinney, who snared his second interception of camp.

“It was one of those plays, I was looking front side and I just totally missed him,” Love said. “I tried to throw it over the middle and right when it came out of my hand is when I saw him.”

- Love stepped to the line and saw Nixon matched against Watson. So, Love let one rip to Watson, who made a tumbling catch of 40-plus yards.

“I’m just putting it out there as far as I can and letting them go out there and make a play and try not to overthrow them,” Love said.

Packers Lineup Notes

- For the second consecutive day, first-round pick Jordan Morgan was the No. 1 right guard ahead of Sean Rhyan, who played extensively at that spot during the second half of last season.

With right tackle Zach Tom still working his way back, the No. 1 line was Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Morgan and Kadeem Telfort. Andre Dillard got some first-team reps at right tackle, as well.

- Second-year player Anthony Johnson was the safety opposite Xavier McKinney. In eight practices, rookie Javon Bullard has been the starter three times, Johnson three times and rookie Evan Williams two times.

- Bullard spent the bulk of his day playing in the slot.

- In giving premier corner Jaire Alexander a break and with Carrington Valentine sidelined, the Packers at times lined up with Eric Stokes and Keisean Nixon as the perimeter cornerbacks with Bullard in the slot.

- Without Valentine, the No. 2 secondary consisted of Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine at corner, Kalen King in the slot and Williams and Bullard at safety.

- Eric Wilson seems to be distancing himself in the battle with second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper to be one of the three linebackers in the base defense. Speaking of linebackers, third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper replaced Quay Walker for a snap at middle linebacker.

Packers Training Camp Schedule

The Packers will practice again at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. After an off-day on Friday, the Packers will hold their annual Family Night practice on Saturday.

After that, the Packers will practice in front of the fans on Tuesday and Wednesday next week before kicking off the preseason at the Cleveland Browns next Saturday.

Quote of the Day

Love, who was intercepted by safety Xavier McKinney, on the Packers’ new-look defense:

“I think the defense has done a great job of mixing up looks. They never really give you the same two looks back-to-back. They do a great job of mixing it up. The safeties are always moving and they make stuff all look the same with their pressures, with their disguise. They’ll show pressure, drop out, so it’s really a mind game for the quarterback trying to tell what they’re in.

“I think they’re doing a great job of being able to pass stuff off and understanding where they need to be in the zones, in the man and communicating well with each other. Whereas OTAs, you could tell it was fresh for them. They were still learning that stuff and now they’re dialed into everything they need to be doing and there’s not a lot of wide-open guys.”

More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News

Here's the latest on the #Packers offensive line, from @JoeyVZ_ ⬇️https://t.co/RyR0x1XeoX

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 31, 2024

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