Packers Training Camp Highlights: Practice 7
GREEN BAY, Wis. – There are a couple silver linings regarding whatever is holding Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith out of practice.
One, it’s not severe. And two, it’s meant first-team reps for Rashan Gary.
Last year’s first-round pick absolutely dominated a starters-vs.-starters red-zone drill. In a span of five plays, Gary impacted four of them. On the first, he beat tight end Jace Sternberger to “tackle” running back Aaron Jones. On the second, he beat All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and forced an incomplete pass by Aaron Rodgers. On the third, he again got pressure, which forced an off-balance throw that was broken up by Josh Jackson. On the fourth, he was all over a toss to Jamaal Williams.
“I think Rashan’s had some good moments,” coach Matt LaFleur said after practice. “He definitely has the physical ability. For him, it’s just going to be a matter of again, I feel like a broken record saying this, but just consistency, because he has that ability. I think he’s more comfortable in Year 2 of what we’re asking him to do, and I think our defensive staff has done a nice job of trying to get him in position to have more disruptive plays. You never want, to your point, to see a guy like Z out, but it is an opportunity to evaluate somebody else at that position.”
Injury Report
Missed practice: CB Jaire Alexander (unknown), S OLB Za’Darius Smith (foot/ankle), RT Rick Wagner (unknown), TE Marcedes Lewis (unknown), DT Montravius Adams (toe).
Dropped out: None.
COVID-19: None.
PUP: LB Curtis Bolton (knee), OLB Greg Roberts, OT Yosh Nijman (elbow).
NFI: RB Patrick Taylor (foot), G Simon Stepaniak (knee).
Returned: Adrian Amos (personal).
Plays of the Day
There weren’t any splash plays during a starters-vs.-starters two-minute drill that ended the main part of practice. Rather, the drive put together by Rodgers was akin to being eaten alive by mosquitoes, as the late Vin Scully once said.
The drive started at the 25-yard line with 1:15 on the clock, one timeout and Rodgers and Co. in need of a field goal to win.
On third-and-7, Rodgers hit tight end Robert Tonyan for a gain of 12 to the 40 against rookie safety Vernon Scott. After Rodgers clocked the ball with 44 seconds to go, he found Williams for gains of 6 and 8 yards. The latter came on an underhanded flip as he avoided pressure to convert a third-and-4. Rodgers called his lone timeout with 33 seconds to go at the defense’s 46.
From there, Rodgers completed an out to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for 6 yards, then hit Tonyan over the middle for 6 more before clocking the ball with 17 seconds to go. Rodgers connected with Jake Kumerow at the sideline for 5 yards but he was ruled down inbounds. Rodgers and the offense got to the line in plenty of time for a final clocking of the ball with 3 seconds to go. That set up Mason Crosby’s 47-yard field goal.
“That’s what he does,” LaFleur said. “He is in full command out there at all times. Especially in those two-minute, got-to-have-it situations, you have all the confidence in the world. He’s done it a bunch and that’s the standard that he’s set. I thought he did a tremendous job, not only just taking what the defense gave him there, but managing the whole situation. Managing the clock, the play calls and again, just thankful to have a guy like that.”
Links of the Day
– Marcedes Lewis, who is entering his 15th season in the NFL, could have an even larger role in a group of unproven tight ends. “I feel like I was pretty close to that this past year,” Lewis said of potentially playing 40 to 50 snaps per game. “Whatever the team needs, I’m there for it. Obviously, my role as being the pass-catch guy has diminished through the course of my career, which is fine, that happens, and I’m OK with that. If my number is called, then I’ll make that catch and do what I’ve got to do with the ball. And if the ball needs to be ran, come to my side (and) I’ll take care of the guy that’s in front of me. I pride myself on being an all-around tight end and I’m just blessed to be able to continue my dream.”
– Speaking of tight ends, Jace Sternberger said he had COVID-19. Now, he’s making up for lost time. “The biggest battle isn’t necessarily executing the plays or doing that, it’s how you handle it mentally off the field.”
– And speaking of COVID, a New Jersey lab botched numerous tests around the league. A “couple” of those were members of the Packers, LaFleur said. Still, practice went on as scheduled.
The Next Day
The Packers will practice at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ray Nitschke Field and 10:10 a.m. Tuesday at Lambeau Field to complete a stretch of four practices in four days.
Last Word of the Day
After Crosby’s field goal, LaFleur sent the veterans to the showers and had a young-players scrimmage featuring live tackling.
“I thought it was good just to see some of these young guys have to go up there and hit each other and get physical and make tackles and try to make guys miss,” LaFleur said. “So, I thought it was good competition. Got to go back and look at the tape. We definitely want to expose these guys to some live situations because until you get into those situations, you’re not truly sure how guys are going to respond.”
Here’s another line from LaFleur about the live session.
