Seven Players to Watch on Packers Family Night

The main event of Green Bay Packers training camp is Family Night, with 50,000-plus fans inside Lambeau Field bringing a game-like intensity to the ninth practice of the summer.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In the grand scheme of Green Bay Packers training camp, Friday’s Family Night will be the ninth practice of the summer.

Really, the atmosphere makes it something a bit bigger than just another practice.

“I think they all weigh equally,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I do think that you’re changing the environment and, for a lot of the young guys, it’s their first exposure, obviously, in Lambeau (and) with our fans. And there’s a natural excitement and potentially an anxiety that goes along with that, knowing that there’s a lot of eyes on you. But, at the end of the day, it’s still football and we’ve got to train our guys to have that mindset that you go out there and you compete just like you would any other day.”

LaFleur said there might be some live tackling, which will help with evaluation but also increase the risk of injuries.

“How Matt structures the practice, that’s kind of all Matt and what we’re trying to see,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “As we get closer into the preseason games, we’ll start having some conversations about, ‘Hey, maybe we need to see a little bit more of this and maybe we don’t need to see as much of this.’

“I’ve got a lot of Ted Thompson in me. I’m seeing some of these guys out there who are really eager and playing really well right now and you want to bubble wrap them until September and stock them away and we’ll let a bunch of these other guys get some more opportunities because we know what some of these guys can do. At the same time, I think you really need this time to come together as a team, as a unit.”

Here are seven players to watch, with an assortment of locks to make the roster and those fighting for jobs.

One: QB Aaron Rodgers

Jordan Love has had a training camp filled will with ups and downs and Danny Etling hasn’t been given many chances. But there’s only one four-time MVP, one player with total command of the offense and one player capable of stringing together a bunch of completions.

That, of course, is Aaron Rodgers, who might be making his only appearance at Lambeau Field until the home opener against Chicago on Sept. 18.

“I think practice reps at this point are more important than preseason,” Rodgers said, noting the abundance of defensive looks thrown at him by coordinator Joe Barry that he won’t see in a vanilla preseason setting. “There’s so many more things that test our offense in these practice reps, and they are so, so important. The only thing that occasionally happens, in my opinion, is, when the lights go on, there are some players who rise to the occasion and some players who shrink. And I think that’s all you can see in the preseason. But the practice reps are the most important.”

Rodgers shared his Family Night memories in the associated video.

Two: RB Tyler Goodson

Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are going to lead the backfield. That’s a given. There is a battle to be the third running back, and it’s about to get hotter. With Patrick Taylor nursing a groin injury and Kylin Hill battling back from a torn ACL, undrafted rookies Tyler Goodson and B.J. Baylor will have an opportunity to carry the ball and run with it all the way to a spot on the 53.

Neither back had consistently distinguished himself through the start of camp. Baylor, a big-time runner with tackle-breaking ability at Oregon State, and Goodson, a productive runner and receiver at Iowa, had their moments but hadn’t jumped to the forefront.

That changed on Thursday, when Goodson broke off back-to-back big runs. He’s got some juice in the open field to go with his proven pass-catching ability (70 catches in three seasons).

If there is live tackling, it will be interesting to see what those backs can do after contact.

Three: WR Romeo Doubs

Romeo Doubs has been the story of training camp and could wind up in the starting lineup for Week 1 at Minnesota. He hasn’t been perfect but he’s made more plays in the passing game than any of the receivers – veteran or rookie.

To get the ball from Aaron Rodgers, a receiver needs to earn his trust. In that light, this quote from Thursday – especially the last sentence – was incredibly noteworthy: “It’s never been too big for him. I really like the approach. He’s a very humble kid, but you’re starting to see the personality come out a little bit, which is fun to see. He’s had a lot of opportunities which has been great. With Sammy not practicing a couple days, and obviously Christian being out, lot of opportunities for him, he’s made the most of it.

“He’s still making some mental mistakes, but you expect those. It’s the approach though and his release patterns, catch the ball with his hands. Every single day, you guys know you’ve been watching, there’s been at least one kind of wow play for him, and that’s kind of rare for a young guy like that. Now, we’ve had some guys over the years kind of do that, but they’re all in the top 10 I think in the Packers’ receiving history.”

Four: DT T.J. Slaton

On their defensive line, the Packers have an embarrassment of riches with a Pro Bowler (Kenny Clark), two reliable veterans (Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry) and a first-round pick (Devonte Wyatt). Wyatt is buried on the depth chart and, based on the start of camp, has no chance of contributing at the start of the season.

That’s not a knock on Wyatt as much as it’s a credit to second-year player T.J. Slaton, who has bullied just about all of Green Bay’s offensive lineman at one point or another. Even with the powerful starting trio of Clark, Reed and Lowry, Slaton has earned himself a prominent role in the rotation.

Five: OLB Tipa Galeai

The Packers have a wide-open battle to be the third (and fourth and fifth) outside linebacker behind the premier duo of Rashan Gary and Preston Smith.

Four returning players, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Jonathan Garvin and Randy Ramsey, are in the heart of that battle. On Thursday, Hamilton’s pressure of Jordan Love produced a turnover that Galeai grabbed for a touchdown. The score highlighted what’s been a productive camp for Love’s former teammate at Utah State.

“I remember the plays when I get in the backfield but what sticks out most to me is when I didn’t get in the backfield,” Galeai said. “I count my losses more than I count my wins, just so I can prepare for my study and prepare for my next day. What did I do wrong today? What can I improve in order to be better tomorrow? I feel like I’ve had a solid camp so far but it could be a lot better. That’s what I’m working towards – to go out there and have fun and let loose instead of kicking myself. Next play. Next play. I’m looking forward to these next few days and Family Night coming up, and can’t wait to bring it out in the preseason.”

Six: ILB Quay Walker

Green Bay’s first draft pick, linebacker Quay Walker, has run with the starters from the first day of training camp. He’s been impressive – he’s really fun to watch during the one-on-one pass rushing and pass coverage drills because he’s so big and athletic – and could provide a dominant pairing with De’Vondre Campbell.

“He’s a really talented player, said running back AJ Dillon after losing a pass-protection rep to Walker. “You see it all the time during camp when it’s open. He’s a very talented player and he’s picking it up fast. I don’t know the defense’s game but, from what I’ve seen from my side of the ball, it seems like he’s picking it up fast. I’ve got to give him his due. Definitely him and we have a ton of guys on the offense that are going to open up some eyes. I’m excited for people to see.”

Seven: S Innis Gaines

The Packers lack proven depth at cornerback and safety. Could Innis Gaines help in both areas?

A safety by trade, Gaines and fellow safety Dallin Leavitt – seemingly a lock to make the roster as a No. 1 on all the special teams – have been getting some reps in the slot.

An undrafted free agent in 2020, Gaines sat out his rookie season with a torn ACL. To make some money, he delivered food for DoorDash. The Packers signed him in January 2021 and he spent last season on the practice squad.

Gaines – aka “Thump – is coming off back-to-back strong days. On Thursday, he made two excellent plays in coverage during the one-on-ones and made a brilliant deflection of a pass to Samori Toure that prevented what could have been the “winning” touchdown in a two-minute drill.

How to Watch Packers Family Night

This will be the 21st Packers Family Night. If you’re going (or want to go), the gates will open at 5:30 p.m., warmups will start at 7 p.m. and practice will start at 7:30 p.m. Unlike many other Family Nights, the weather will be glorious.

The practice will be televised on Packers TV Network stations. They are: WGBA-TV in Green Bay and WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, as well as WAOW-TV in Wausau, WKOW-TV in Madison, WXOW-TV in La Crosse, WQOW-TV in Eau Claire, KQDS-TV in Duluth-Superior and WLUC-TV in Escanaba-Marquette. The event will also be televised on KWWL-TV and WHBF-TV in Iowa; KATN-TV, KYUR-TV and KJUD-TV in Alaska; and KDLT in Sioux Falls, SD.