Here’s What Happened at Practice 5 of Packers Training Camp

We have the Play of the Day, the Player of the Day, Jordan Love's Day and much more from Monday at Green Bay Packers training camp.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Aug 1, 2023 9:15 AM EDT
Original:
Jul 31, 2023

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers training camp took a major shift on Monday. After four weeks of offseason practices and four training camp practices conducted in shorts and helmets, the Packers worked in shoulder pads. It wasn’t full pads but it was at least a step toward “real” football.

“It’s always good to get the pads on and see where everybody’s at,” offensive lineman Zach Tom said. “When you don’t have pads on, it’s kind of like tag. It’s nice to see where you’re actually at when you go up against the guys we’re going up against. Yeah, it’s always exciting.”

Here is our daily review of the action from Ray Nitschke Field.

Jordan Love’s Day

Coming off a big Saturday in which he was 16-of-22 practicing, Love had his third day with a ho-hum ratio of completions vs. incompletions.

On Monday, he was 7-of-12 passing. He started with four consecutive completions, all for short gains to tight ends Josiah Deguara, Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave along with a run-pass option in which he zipped one into the flat to Christian Watson vs. Jaire Alexander.

Love was 2-of-3 in the next period, with Musgrave making a nice all-hands catch on a fastball before Love threw a deep strike to Watson. More on that later. Next, he threw one pass during an end-of-game sequence but it was dropped by the running back.

Finally, a starters vs. starters 2-minute drill went nowhere. On first down from the 30 with 1:15 on the clock and the offense in need of a touchdown, Love threw over the middle and linebacker Quay Walker dropped an interception. A checkdown to Aaron Jones gained 4, Rasul Douglas broke up a pass on third down and Jayden Reed dropped a beautiful downfield shot on fourth down. It wasn’t an easy catch but it’s a play that must be made.

Not including anything that happened during a half-speed Friday practice, Love is 35-of-62 passing (56.5 percent).

Christian Watson (Photo by Tork Mason/USA Today Sports Images)

Player of the Day

The Packers’ defensive line is one giant question mark. A breakout third season by TJ Slaton would go a long way toward turning a potential weakness into a strength.

To be sure, it’s almost impossible to judge play in the trenches while watching from the sideline. There are just too many bodies in the way. What is easy is finding the splash plays.

During the one-on-one pass-rushing drill, Slaton used his power to absolutely destroy center Josh Myers. Myers was sent back-pedaling like a linebacker dropping into coverage. Slaton’s fellow defensive linemen roared their approval.

On the first play of 11-on-11, a handoff to AJ Dillon went right into the waiting mitts of Slaton for a tackle for loss. Finally, during a backups vs. backups 2-minute drill, rookie quarterback Sean Clifford led the offense into at least Hail Mary range on the final play. Instead, Slaton ran him down and hit Clifford’s arm as he was about to throw.

Plays of the Day

Let’s pick two.

- During the backups’ first snap of 11-on-11, Danny Etling fired a pass into the flat, which rookie cornerback Carrington Valentine caught in stride for what would have been a pick-six.

“I went through my keys and my checks and I saw what was in front of him, and I just wanted to go make a play,” Valentine explained as teammates chanted “CV!”

Valentine intercepted only one pass in three seasons at Kentucky. That’s why he was a seventh-round pick, his college coach told Packer Central.

“It means a lot,” Valentine said. “I still feel like even though I didn’t have a lot of interceptions in college, I had knack for the ball, so I’m just showing that we’re here now and I’m just displaying that.”

- Late in practice, Jordan Love connected with Christian Watson for a 67-yard touchdown. Love’s deep ball was perfect, and Watson gained just enough separation to run away from Innis Gaines. Here's the play from a forbidden fan video.

“It was actually a ‘can’ play,” Watson said. “We got the man look we wanted so we canned away from the other play and we went to the man-beater. I gave him a release off the line and used my speed to run away. It was a perfect ball – right on the outside shoulder, right on the red line. I couldn’t have asked for a better ball. It was right in the stride. It was perfect.”

Injury Report

New Injuries: LT David Bakhtiari (modified schedule).

Old Injuries: OLB Rashan Gary (PUP list; knee), CB Eric Stokes (PUP list; foot), WR Grant DuBose (Non-Football Injury List; back), WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion).

Returned From Injury: TE Tucker Kraft (missed the end of Saturday’s practice).

Transaction

The Packers have a new offensive lineman.

Lineup Notes

- With veteran left tackle David Bakhtiari getting the day off, it was Yosh Nijman at left tackle and Zach Tom at right tackle.

- For the most part, the starting outside linebackers remained Preston Smith and Justin Hollins with Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare with the 2s.

- For the most part, Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford formed the No. 1 tandem at safety. Tarvarius Moore and Jonathan Owens were the No. 2 pairing.

Practice Highlights

- Peyton Manning was in town. He walked off the field with coach Matt LaFleur and signed a lot of autographs.

- During one-on-one pass protection, only left guard Elgton Jenkins among the starters won both reps. Zach Tom, Yosh Nijman, Josh Myers and Jon Runyan split against, respectively, Lukas Van Ness, Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton and Justin Hollins. Offensive tackle Caleb Jones earned clear wins in all four reps. It’s hard to say a backup is a lock to make the roster but that would seem to be the case with Jones.

- Simultaneously, the running backs worked on blitz pickup against the linebackers. Aaron Jones (vs. De’Vondre Campbell), AJ Dillon (vs. Quay Walker) and Tyler Goodson (vs. Eric Wilson) had strong wins.

- One play after Danny Etling tossed a pick-six, he delivered a beautiful deep ball to Jayden Reed for a big gain vs. Corey Ballentine.

- Tight end Camren McDonald had a nice lead block to spring Tyler Goodson for an explosive run.

- During a lengthy punt period, Ballentine almost blocked Pat O’Donnell’s punt. Later, it looked like towering tight end Austin Allen was the one who did block O’Donnell’s punt.

- Jones had a big perimeter run behind Nijman. On the next play, he was devoured by Walker and Campbell.

- There were three 2-minute drills, with none getting a sniff of the end zone. First, rookie quarterback Sean Clifford overcame a third-and-13, then threw a 20-yard completion to receiver Jadakis Bonds. Clifford’s run for 8 to the 23 gave the offense a last-ditch hope on a Hail Mary but defensive tackle TJ Slaton’s aforementioned pressure put an end to that.

Next, it was the Jordan Love-led starters failing to get a first down.

Finally, it was No. 4 quarterback Alex McGough’s turn. A diving catch by Duece Watts picked up one first down but defensive tackle Karl Brooks batted down a pass and cornerbacks Tyrell Ford and Kiondre Thomas had back-to-back breakups before McGough overthrew Malik Heath on fourth down.

With the offense losing all three of the 2-minute drills, the daily punishment was pushups.

Packers Training Camp Schedule

The Packers will practice at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday this week before Saturday’s Family Night at Lambeau Field.

After that, there are only six open practices remaining in camp.

Quote of the Day

Jaire Alexander, on teaching linebacker Quay Walker how to meditate.

“Oh, it’s cool, man. We all need somebody to look up to. When I came into the league, I had Tramon Williams, 14-year vet. So, it’s an honor. And, shoot, I mean, we’re all not perfect, but as long as they’re taking the right steps to get there, then that’s all that matters.”