Gary Stands Apart as Lone Star at Final Week of OTAs

Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard were among a huge group of players who chose to skip the final week of the voluntary organized team activities.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the Green Bay Packers, Rashan Gary, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan and Royce Newman were the football equivalent of that old Marines slogan.

They were the few, the proud.

A total of 29 players were not seen by reporters during Tuesday’s practice. Gary, the team’s rampaging outside linebacker, and the three interior linemen were the only starters putting in the work on Ray Nitschke Field as part of the final week of the voluntary organized team activities.

“I’m just here trying to get better,” Gary explained. “We’re getting closer to the season so I’m here working with my outside linebacker coach and trying to bring the team together as we can. Got a lot of young pieces here. I want to make sure that they know the importance of building a championship team. We don’t have time to correct things. We’ve got to hit it full speed. So, I’m happy to be here so I can push the young guys, but I’m just here to get better for myself and better for this team.”

For years, the Packers have built contracts with a financial component to persuade players to show up to the voluntary workouts and practices.

According to Over the Cap, left tackle David Bakhtiari and defensive tackle Kenny Clark could earn $700,000. Running back Aaron Jones, kicker Mason Crosby, safety Adrian Amos and defensive tackle Dean Lowry could earn $500,000. Cornerback Rasul Douglas and tight end Robert Tonyan could earn $200,000. Outside linebacker Preston Smith could earn $150,000 and receiver Randall Cobb could earn $100,000. Seven other players, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, had lesser bonuses.

Players don’t have to be present at all the practices and workouts to get the money. Just a certain percentage. So, chances are summer started a week early for several players who hit the attendance thresholds and got to leave Green Bay with some extra spending money.

The large number of absences made for some unique personnel groupings. Undrafted rookie running back B.J. Baylor worked as the starting running back. Gary was joined at outside linebacker by Kobe Jones, who barely a month earlier was in town as a tryout player at the rookie minicamp. Kabion Ento, Kiondre Thomas and receiver-to-cornerback convert Rico Gafford were the cornerbacks.

There are no workout bonuses in Gary’s contract. He was in Green Bay because that’s where he wanted to be.

“Everything that we do as a Green Bay Packer, you’ve got to realize, we wear this helmet for the players that were before us,” he said. “It’s a historical organization and I want the players to know that, because I had to grow respect and do my history on Green Bay. I feel like the more history and the more you dig into it, the more that you have respect for this team and organization, the harder that you’re going to play for them.

“That’s my No. 1 thing, man. We’re here to win the championship. We’ve been there three years in a row, playoffs. We’re right there. There’s something that we’re missing, so we’ve got to come together. That’s what I’m focusing and pushing everybody to make sure [they’re doing] their one-eleventh. Just the small things, making sure you’re going back and doing stuff so we can come back and be better as a defense and be better as a team.”

Coach Matt LaFleur seemed a bit irked with players who skipped the start of OTAs. Speaking before Tuesday’s practice, the final week of practices until the first practice of training camp on July 27, LaFleur saw a silver lining in what essentially was a young-guys practice.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for a lot of these young guys that need these reps,” he said. “So, really, that’s where the focus lies is with these guys and try to get them as many opportunities as possible.”

It almost would be easier to say who was practicing than to list who was not. Here is the list of players not seen by reporters.

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers.

Running backs: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor.

Receivers: Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, Malik Taylor. Lazard finally signed his restricted free agent tender on Monday.

Tight end: Marcedes Lewis.

Offensive line: David Bakhtiari, Jake Hanson. Bakhtiari would not have practiced because of his knee injury.

Defensive line: Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed.

Outside linebackers: Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Randy Ramsey. Ramsey would not have practiced because of an ankle injury.

Inside linebackers: De’Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers.

Cornerbacks: Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles.

Safeties: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Shawn Davis.

Present but not practicing: OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), DT Hauati Pututau (unknown).