Highlights From Practice 5 of Packers OTAs

It's the Player of the Day, Play of the Day, Jordan Love's day and much more from Green Bay Packers OTAs on Wednesday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love and Romeo Doubs built some chemistry while working with esteemed quarterbacks coach Steve Calhoun before the Green Bay Packers gathered for the start of offseason workouts.

Perhaps that showed up during a 2-minute drill to conclude Wednesday’s OTA, the fifth of the spring.

Starting at their 26-yard line with 1:45 on the clock and one timeout, Love moved the No. 1 offense into position for the “winning” field goal. The first three passes were thrown to Doubs for gains of 12, 6 and 12 yards. A 13-yard completion to Doubs was sandwiched between a couple short completions to rookie tight end Luke Musgrave. Finally, Love hit Doubs again to convert a third-and-5 to the 16.

With time ticking away, Love rushed the offense to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 8 seconds to go. With a downpour approaching, coach Matt LaFleur ended practice, opting for player safety over one more pass.

“I thought it was good,” LaFleur said of the Love-led 2-minute. “Certainly, what’s good for one side is bad for the other, but I just like that our guys are competing. I think we’re learning how to practice, the standards that we want. Our defense is doing an outstanding job of running to the football and, at the same time, trying to keep each other safe because, ultimately, we just want to get better and make sure our guys are working together and really not putting anybody in a compromising position out there on the field.”

As for the Love-Doubs connection: Love has worked with Calhoun since ninth grade. Doubs met Calhoun before his senior season at Nevada and spent part of the spring working with Love at Calhoun’s Anaheim, Calif.-based Armed and Dangerous Football.

“I believe so, yeah,” Doubs said when asked if those workouts have built some quarterback-receiver chemistry. “You work with him so you can know what he likes. Yes, to answer that question, I believe there is some chemistry that we have building.”

Jordan Love’s Day

Jordan Love completed 15-of-21 passes.

The good: He went 7-of-10 on the 2-minute drive, with one of the incompletions being the spike. During a third-down period, he moved the chains with five of his six passes. That’s winning football.

The bad: His long ball to Romeo Doubs early in practice was intercepted by safety Darnell Savage and cornerback Corey Ballentine dropped a pick-six. That’s losing football.

During the 2-minute, he overthrew rookie Jayden Reed, who was running free up the left sideline. He also threw a couple wounded ducks, including one that was caught by tight end Luke Musgrave for a big gain.

Player of the Day

With five receptions during the 2-minute drill, who else but Romeo Doubs?

“Going into Year 2, I’m playing a lot faster,” he said. “I don’t want to say comfortable, because I know being comfortable comes with some sort of complacent area, you know. Just humbly speaking, I’m playing a lot faster. Some of the other veterans, Christian (Watson) and Samori (Toure), we’re all playing fast and it’s going to be really exciting.”

Play of the Day

During his first three seasons, 2019 first-round pick Darnell Savage had eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed. Last season, he had one interception and five passes defensed.

“I think Darnell’s best when he pulls the trigger and he lets it all hang out,” defensive backs coach Ryan Downard said before OTAs. “And I’ve had that talk with him. You see that if you watch his Maryland tape. I mean, he is going to get it now. He’s got to trust himself.”

Savage flashed that playmaking ability when he ranged across the middle to intercept Jordan Love’s deep shot to Romeo Doubs. The ball probably shouldn’t have been thrown, and Savage came down with an athletic, tumbling grab.

More Packers OTAs Notes and Highlights

- When working during an individual-drills period, the No. 1 line was left tackle David Bakhtiari, left guard Elgton Jenkins, center Josh Myers, right guard Jon Runyan and right tackle Zach Tom.

- During 11-on-11, Caleb Jones replaced Bakhtiari at left tackle, Royce Newman stepped in for Jenkins for some snaps at left guard and Yosh Nijman split reps with Tom at right tackle.

- These are noncontact practices, obviously, but rookie tight end Luke Musgrave isn’t just tall and athletic. He looks like a big-time run-after-catch threat.

“He is different,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “He does have an elite trait that he can flat fly and he’s a big, long target.”

- With the entire No. 1 cornerback group absent, Corey Ballentine and Kiondre Thomas were the corners and Shemar Jean-Charles manned the slot.

- Danny Etling, who is ahead of Sean Clifford in the race to be the No. 2 quarterback, booted to his left and threw across the field a bit to rookie tight end Camren McDonald for a big catch-and-run completion.

- Clifford had a good day. During one period, he completed three consecutive passes to undrafted rookie receivers Malik Heath and Duece Watts and tight end Tyler Davis.

The completion to Heath was runner-up for Play of the Day. With a defender in his lap, Clifford took a shot up the right sideline. Because of the pressure, Clifford’s pass was underthrown. Heath throttled down and appeared to use his strength to keep rookie corner William Hooper at bay to make the catch for a gain of about 30.

Taking Attendance

Absent: CB Jaire Alexander, CB Keisean Nixon, CB Rasul Douglas, OLB Jonathan Garvin.

Present but not practicing due to injuries: S Dallin Leavitt, WR Dontayvion Wicks, CB Eric Stokes, OLB Rashan Gary, C/G Jake Hanson, TE Tucker Kraft, WR Jeff Cotton, WR Grant DuBose. DT Devonte Wyatt dropped out.

Participating after not practicing on May 23: LB Quay Walker, LT David Bakhtiari, LG Elgton Jenkins, G Jean Delance, OLB Preston Smith.

Bakhtiari took part only in individual drills while Jenkins got some first-team reps.

“It’s going to play a big part in us as a team moving forward,” Jenkins said of pairing with Bakhtiari. “Just talking to Dave yesterday, we talked about how we want to be the best left side in the NFL. Just us being able to play together, keep on building on the things that we were building on, it’s going to be key.”

Packers OTAs Schedule

The Packers will wind up their second week of OTAs on Friday. For the third and final week, they’ll practice on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The Tuesday practice will be in front of reporters.

The mandatory minicamp, set for June 13 through June 15, will wrap up the offseason.

Quote of the Day

Why is left tackle David Bakhtiari attending the voluntary OTAs?

“I have a bonus and I’m sure like all of you, why did you show up to work? You guys have work to do. This is how we structured my deal and, even though it’s voluntary, we essentially made it mandatory. I’m allowed to miss five days and I intend on missing all five. …

“Honestly, I’m having a great time when I am back. Having fun, good conversations when I’m on the field with anyone. Kind of we understand the expectation, understand where it’s at and it’s been kind of cool. I’m a glorified coach that just sweats a lot. That’s essentially what I do out on the football field.

More Green Bay Packers News

The #Packers' David Bakhtiari just wants to win. The trade of Aaron Rodgers might make that task more difficult.

So, reminded that the Packers went 6-10 in Rodgers' debut season, how will he handle what could be a rebuilding season?

A revealing answer:https://t.co/DCxpLqUqgI

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 31, 2023

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