Here’s What Happened at Practice 2 of Packers Training Camp
GREEN BAY, Wis. – After leaning on veterans for most of Aaron Rodgers’ tenure as quarterback, new Green Bay Packers starter Jordan Love is going to be relying on a lot of youth.
They drafted three receivers and two tight ends in this year’s draft. At one point on Thursday at Packers training camp, Love was joined in the huddle by receiver Jayden Reed (second round) and the tight ends, Luke Musgrave (second round) and Tucker Kraft (third round).
The first training camp touchdown went to Reed, who lined up in the slot, ran a post and caught a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone from Jordan Love against linebacker De’Vondre Campbell
“I’m not going to lie, It’s getting to me a lot quicker,” Reed said of knowing the offense. “In OTAs, I was a little cloudy about the plays, and now I’m just getting it much faster. He’ll call it, I know exactly where I’m supposed to go, and it’s just coming to me. The more reps you get, the easier it gets. So, I think I’m in a good spot right now.”
Reed is playing mostly slot receiver after playing mostly as a perimeter receiver at Michigan State. He’s impressed everyone from Love to slot corner Keisean Nixon.
“I spend a lot of time with him, especially with going against him in the slot,” Nixon said. “I told him as soon as he got here, before I even talked to him, I told him I’d be on his ass every day. He’s got to get me better and I’m going to get him better. With the return stuff, I’ll teach him little techniques and stuff like that, stuff that I learned on the fly last year. He’ll be a good player.”
Jordan Love’s Day
Statistically, it was another not-so-great day for Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love. After completing 7-of-15 passes to open camp on Wednesday, he was 5-of-13 with two touchdowns and one interception on Thursday.
Those numbers are terrible but deserve some context. The first pass was to Christian Watson, who bobbled what would have been a difficult catch and had it knocked away by rookie cornerback Carrington Valentine.
Love went 1-for-5 in the first red-zone period with the first touchdown (the aforementioned pass to receiver Jayden Reed) and the interception (a pass into a crowd that was deflected by Jaire Alexander and intercepted by Campbell). He overthrew receiver Romeo Doubs on a fade and threw behind tight end Luke Musgrave with the pocket collapsing.
He went 2-for-3 in the next red-zone period. The completions were both to Watson, the first on a crossing route before a touchdown against Rasul Douglas. More on that later.
The final red-zone period started with a first-and-goal at the 10. Jaire Alexander broke up the pass on first down, Musgrave couldn’t haul in the pass on second down – Musgrave called it a drop – and Love scrambled on third down. On fourth-and-goal from the 4, Love connected with Musgrave but Alexander stopped him short of the goal line.
“I could’ve been maybe one half-revolution deeper,” Musgrave said. “Hopefully, you’d like to see me with pads on maybe turn up and put in that left hand.”
Player of the Day
We could have given this to cornerback Jaire Alexander on Wednesday, as well. The second-team All-Pro corner has not given up a completion in two days. With four or five breakups, including the one that led to the De'Vondre Campbell interception, it’s not as if he hasn’t been tested.
Interestingly, he’s mostly shadowed receiver Christian Watson. Is that a sign of things to come this season or just a best-on-best matchup to get them both ready for the season?
Jaire Alexander (Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images)
Play of the Day
During the second red-zone period, the Jordan Love-led offense faced a second-and-goal from the 5. Christian Watson ran an out and cornerback Rasul Douglas saw it coming and made a break for the ball. Love’s pass arrived a split-second before Douglas. Watson made the catch along the sideline while a frustrated Douglas knocked over a garbage can.
“It was bang-bang,” Watson said. “An eighth-of-a-second earlier or an eighth-of-a-second later, it probably would’ve been different. It was a perfect ball, perfect placement by J-Love and the timing was just perfect. He got a hand on it but it was just the right time where I got a good grip of it.”
Injury Report
New Injury: WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion).
Physically Unable to Perform List: OLB Rashan Gary (knee), CB Eric Stokes (foot).
Non-Football Injury List: WR Grant DuBose (back).
Returned From Injury: LB Tariq Carpenter (illness), S Tarvarius Moore (illness). OT Caleb Jones (illness).
Lineup Notes
- There was one lineup change. With Rashan Gary still out, Kingsley Enagbare moved in with the No. 1 defense alongside Preston Smith at outside linebacker. It was Smith and Justin Hollins on Wednesday, just as it was throughout the offseason.
- First-round pick Lukas Van Ness remains stuck with the third team, taking reps with undrafted rookie Keshawn Banks. There’s no reason to be alarmed – it’s two days into camp and he’s in a veteran group.
- It was a day off for left tackle David Bakhtiari, so the offensive line had Yosh Nijman at left tackle, Elgton Jenkins at left guard, Josh Myers at center, Jon Runyan at right guard and Zach Tom at right tackle.
- Caleb Jones, after missing Day 1 due to illness, was the No. 2 left tackle.
- Tyler Goodson got some first-team reps at running back as it appeared the Packers were taking it easy on veteran Aaron Jones.
Practice Highlights
- After a couple Aaron Jones runs to start the day, Jayden Reed took an end-around and burst into the open field for a gain of at least 15 yards and perhaps a lot more.
“I mean, I’m going to score every time, you know what I mean?” Reed said. “Ja(ire Alexander) said he was going to catch me, but he had a little speed. I felt him on the side running me down. But I’m looking to score every play.”
- Danny Etling’s first pass was batted down by outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton. Etling was ticked off about a blown assignment that let Hamilton come free.
- Sean Clifford’s first pass was a wobbler that was tipped by safety Innis Gaines.
- Alex McGough’s first pass was off-target and wouldn’t have counted, anyway, because guard Royce Newman was guilty of a false start.
- On a toss to AJ Dillon, outside linebacker Preston Smith bulldozed rookie tight end Luke Musgrave into the backfield and made the play.
- Cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, a fifth-round pick in 2021 who barely played last season, had a few strong plays. First, he filled the hole on a run by Aaron Jones to limit the play to a short gain. Then, on back-to-back plays, he broke up a pass by McGough and stopped running back Lew Nichols at the line.
- The day ended with McGough ripping a touchdown pass to Bo Melton. Melton has had a productive first two days.
- Because the defense won the day, coach Matt LaFleur had the offense do up-downs. Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell playfully chided some of the players for not having enough “up” in their up-downs.
Packers Training Camp Schedule
The Packers will practice on Friday but it’s closed to the public. They’ll practice for a fourth consecutive day at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday before a day off on Sunday.
The team will practice in front of the fans three times next week before next Saturday’s Family Night.
Quote of the Day
New quarterback Alex McGough is learning the offense on the fly, meaning long nights and early mornings to learn an offense that rookie Sean Clifford, for instance, has been immersed in since May.
“I don’t need sleep. I’ve got ADHD, man, I’m good. If I get 5 hours [of sleep], I’m usually solid. Coffee’s my best friend.”
More Green Bay Packers Training Camp News
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Highlights from Practice 1 of Packers training camp
Bike-riding tradition continues (with photos)
‘West Coast Camp’ got Jordan Love and teammates started
Aaron Rodgers connects with Jordan Love
