Two Packers Rookies Finally Practice at Training Camp

After missing the first six practices, running back MarShawn Lloyd and safety Kitan Oladapo went through drills at Packers training camp on Tuesday.

Green Bay Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

GREEN BAY, Wis. – A pair of Green Bay Packers rookies, third-round draft pick MarShawn Lloyd and fifth-round pick Kitan Oladapo, made their long-awaited training camp debuts on Tuesday.

Lloyd, a running back, and Oladapo, a safety, had missed their first six practices. They were eased into the action by going through individual drills.

On a steamy day, it didn’t take long for Lloyd to struggle a bit. There’s no way to get into football shape other than playing football. Not long into the first drills with position coach Ben Sirmans, Lloyd’s helmet was off and he was doubled over. After a long drink, it was back to work.

“It was definitely good,” he said. “Definitely a lot that I learned about being in shape. Definitely not in the best shape I need to be in. Felt like I was good when we’re not in the shoulder pads and running regular, but once you put on the helmet and shoulder pads, it’s a whole different story. …

“No matter what you do, no matter how hard you work in the offseason, no matter how much you run, football shape is totally different.”

The Packers feel they are strong at the top of the backfield depth chart with 2022 NFL rushing champion Josh Jacobs and a peak-physical-condition AJ Dillon. Lloyd, however, brings an explosive element that was apparent during drills. He just has a different pace than Jacobs, Dillon and Emanuel Wilson.

“We’ll put him in situations that we think he can handle and then, as we move forward, we’ll put more on his shoulders,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Monday. “But from what I saw from OTAs, I was very, very excited about his speed, his cutting ability, his ability to catch the ball from the backfield and stuff like that.”

Lloyd’s goals haven’t changed.

“It’s on all gas, no brakes,” he said. “All my goals is all for the team right now. I don’t have anything individual. I feel like what we do as a team, those things will come. I just want to be able to be utilized in all ways to help the team as much as possible.”

Lloyd sustained an injured hip flexor while working out with other rookies before the veterans arrived for training camp. He wasn’t sure when he’d be introduced to 11-on-11 drills, though he wouldn’t rule out being ready for Family Night on Saturday.

“Now it’s just football,” he said. “I’ve been playing it my whole life. I played in the SEC, I played on the Pac-12, so I’ve played against all these types of guys all the time, but it was pretty cool to actually be here.”

Along with Lloyd, Oladapo made his training camp debut, though his absence was much longer. In fact, this was his first practice since the Senior Bowl. The fifth-round draft selection was recovering from surgery to fix a broken toe suffered at the Scouting Combine.

Like Lloyd, Oladapo only participated in individual drills. The safety says he doesn’t know what the timeline of his return to full availability.

“I’m very excited, I want to go out there,” Oladapo said. “Iron sharpens iron, and they're out there making plays, I want to go out there and make some plays, too. They're all doing the celebrations. So, it's been fun to watch more practices, but I can't wait to get out there.”

Oladapo will have to work his way up the depth chart, with fellow rookies Evan Williams and Javon Bullard receiving first-team reps. Oladapo is hoping to absorb everything he can from the young, competitive room. 

“At the end of the day, I never feel like it's a disadvantage, it’s just a learning experience for me to sit back and watch X(avier McKinney) and other safeties excel in this defense.”

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