Packers Training Camp Will Begin in 50 Days

In his monthly column, Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy discussed the start of training camp and a proposal that would dramatically change the offseason.

Packers OTAs / Bill Huber/Packer Central

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In his introduction to his monthly Murphy Takes 5 column at Packers.com, Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said veterans will arrive for training camp on July 21 – 50 days from now – and rookies and select other players will arrive on July 17.

The first practice will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 22. The annual shareholders meeting also will be held on July 22, starting at 3 p.m.

The first practice is earlier than normal – it was July 26 in 2023, July 27 in 2022, July 28 in 2021, Aug. 3 in 2020 (COVID year) and July 25 in 2019 – but the season will start earlier than normal, too, with Game 1 in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6.

Training camp could start even earlier – much earlier – in the future, with the NFLPA proposal to eliminate the entire offseason program.

Instead of workouts and instruction building up to the three weeks of voluntary OTAs and the mandatory minicamp, training camp would begin in late June, with a lengthy ramp-up period which, as Murphy said, “could prove helpful” in limiting the soft-tissue injuries that “plague some players” during camp.

No different than the possible move to an 18-game regular season, any changes would have to be collectively bargained by the league and the union.

“In terms of what I think of the proposal, I really need to know more of the details and would like to see the research that supports the proposed change,” Murphy wrote. “It is interesting to note that the NFL is really the outlier in terms of offseason programs when compared to other sports. No other sports have organized workouts in their offseasons. They have ramp-up periods leading into the season.

“Football is much more physical than baseball or basketball, though, and having five to six weeks off before the start of training camp is very beneficial to the players. This should be a topic that you hear quite a bit about in the next year.”

The veteran players in the locker room had mixed opinions, with Jaire Alexander against the change and Kenny Clark for it.

Said Alexander: “My thing is only that we’ll be going for about eight months at that point, and that’s a long time to play football, especially with one bye week and three preseason games. I’m kind of liking how it is now.”

Josh Jacobs was on the fence, seeing the benefit for veterans but a downside to the rookies. Coach Matt LaFleur also thought it would negatively impact young players.

“It’s particularly bad for a lot of undrafted guys, because you just don’t have the time to invest in the process and learn the playbook,” LaFleur said. “I don’t think it would be good for the game, personally, but I don’t think they really care what I have to say.”

This year’s training camp will lead up to the three-game preseason:

Sat., Aug. 10: at Cleveland Browns at 3:25 p.m.

Sun., Aug. 18: at Denver Broncos at 7 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 24: home vs. Baltimore Ravens at noon

There will be a joint practice at Denver as well as one in Green Bay against Baltimore.

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