Healthier LaFleur Taking More of Hands-On Role at Practice

Once again, four of the five starting offensive linemen missed practice on Friday

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The health of the Green Bay Packers under first-year coach Matt LaFleur has been one of the story lines of the season.

That story took a different twist on Friday. LaFleur, who suffered a torn Achilles playing basketball at Lambeau Field in late May, served as a pass rusher as the quarterbacks worked on bootleg passes. The coach looked spry in attacking the quarterback and changing directions on the brown grass of Ray Nitschke Field.

“I don’t know. Not very long,” LaFleur said when asked how long he’d been taking a more active role at practice. “I’ve gotten a little healthier as the season’s progressed and, I promise you, it’s not because of all the time I’ve spent rehabbing this thing.”

Following the injury, LaFleur watched practice from a “souped-up” golf cart. By the start of training camp, he had ditched the cart and hobbled around training camp with a walking boot. The injury forced LaFleur to scrap some of his hands-on coaching style. Now, he’s able to coach the way he wants. After one rep on Friday, he almost instantaneously went from rushing the quarterback to delivering a technique tip.

“I think it’s important,” LaFleur said. “That’s what I love to do and, hopefully, I don’t know, maybe it brings some energy. I always want to be in the mix, I always want to be in the fray and that’s why you get into coaching is you love doing that and coaching the guys up and giving them looks and, you know, just talking ball.”

LaFleur has recovered quickly in spite of himself, since his focus has been on coaching the team and not his rehab.

“It’s pretty easy to keep the focus on the main thing,” he said. “There’s going to plenty of time in the offseason to try and get my calf back. It’s pretty embarrassing right now. You will not be seeing me in shorts any time soon.”

As for the team, it remains without four starting offensive linemen – left tackle David Bakhtiari (illness), center Corey Linsley (back), right guard Billy Turner (hamstring) and right tackle Bryan Bulaga (concussion) – tight end Marcedes Lewis (illness), fullback Danny Vitale (ankle) and outside linebacker Preston Smith (unknown). Tight end Jimmy Graham (unknown) was back on the field.

The players will get the weekend off before starting preparations for next Sunday’s divisional playoff game on Monday.

“Hopefully,” LaFleur said, “everybody will be healthy and ready to go on Monday.”