GREEN BAY – The Packers were in pads for their sixth practice of training camp at Nitschke Field on Tuesday.
Here are five things we learned:
- The tempo has definitely ratcheted up with pads going on.
There was noticeably more feistiness on the field as the Packers conducted their longest practice of camp (two hours, seven minutes) in full pads.
That's partly to be expected with the pads on and temperatures still hovering in the 80s. At the same time, Head Coach Matt LaFleur's message to his football team remains to practice smart and take care of one another on the field.
"You love guys coming out here, wanting to compete, a defense that's physical, that's the stuff that wins you championships," quarterback Jordan Love said. "We've just got to find ways at practice to take care of each other in those instances. But to be able to keep that same intensity and same mindset.
"I think those are the things that are going to really make us better and give us that edge this season going against other teams to have that mindset of, 'We're not going to let anybody come in here and do what they want with us.'"
Tempers flared a little near the end of practice when former locker-mates, tackle Rasheed Walker and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare, got into a small tussle after a play in team 11-on-11.
The incident led to Walker having to run a lap around Nitschke Field. In a sign of camaraderie, several members of the Packers' offensive line joined Walker on the jog in addition to running back Josh Jacobs and tight end Tucker Kraft.
Walker said it was the first time he'd run a lap since his freshman year of high school. For Kraft, it was his first lap since his sophomore year at South Dakota State.
"One unit, man," Kraft said. "If we get punished, we get punished together. That's just the way I see it. A little Coach Carter-esque, I guess."
- Josh Jacobs is helping MarShawn Lloyd keep his head up.
The Packers' Pro Bowl running back was one of the first to Lloyd's side after the 2024 third-round pick suffered a groin injury during an early team period in practice Monday.
It was a tough blow for the 5-foot-9, 220-pound running back, who'd been off to a strong start to camp after a series of injuries caused Lloyd to miss all but one game during his rookie season.
"He's going to be all right, man," Jacobs said. "He's not about to miss that much time. I don't really know the extent of his injury, but I know it's nothing major. So, he's going to be all right."
Asked about Lloyd before practice, General Manager Brian Gutekunst said the team believes the injury occurred when he planted his foot on a running play and not necessarily the corresponding hit he took from cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Whatever the case, the Packers are hoping this latest soft-tissue injury for Lloyd won't sideline the 24-year-old running back for long.
"I feel for him because he's worked so far to get his body into elite shape and overcome some of these injuries," Gutekunst said.
Lloyd and receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) were the only new additions to the Packers' injury list.
Left guard Aaron Banks and receiver Savion Williams took part in early individuals before exiting practice. Banks has been dealing with a back issue while Williams is working through the concussion protocol.
- Love is excited to have Elgton Jenkins at center.
After being limited to strictly individual drills Monday, the two-time Pro Bowler was cleared to join the starting offensive line for team 11-on-11.
It's the first opportunity Jenkins has had a chance to snap to Love in a live situation since it was announced earlier this year he'd be moving back to center, the position Jenkins started for two seasons at Mississippi State.
"Obviously with him moving from guard to center that's one of those things we talked about where every rep is valuable to be able to get those snaps and be on the same page," Love said.
"With him being the guy making all the calls in the run game for the O-line and just being dialed in with everything, it's good to have him out there and keep building him up in there."
- Bo Melton is taking quickly to cornerback.
The receiver-turned-corner garnered praise from both Gutekunst and LaFleur for not only his openness to a position switch but also his on-field performance so far at his new spot.
Melton has been rotating in at perimeter corner with the second-team defense while also working opposite Carrington Valentine as the No. 1 flyers and jammers on the punt coverage teams.
"He's done a nice job, and I think when you watch him through the course of drills, the skill set is there," LaFleur said. "It's just getting the adequate number of reps to go and get comfortable out there, I would say, at a very, very difficult position to play. I'm really pleased with not only how he's approached it, but how he's gone out there and executed."
- The Packers hope to get Irish kicker Mark McNamee in Green Bay soon.
On the eve of training camp, Green Bay made a change with its International Player Pathway Program designee when it released Australian kicker Alex Hale and signed McNamee.
According to Gutekunst, the Packers knew it could take five to 14 days for McNamee to gain clearance to enter the United States. They're currently about halfway through that projected window.
Veteran Brandon McManus is 23-for-23 on his field-goal makes through the first week but only kicks every other practice day.
"We're hopeful we'll get him here soon," said Gutekunst of McNamee. "That would help the workload part of it so we can kick every day. Right now, we're kind of kicking every other day. When you have another kicker, particularly the way Rich (Bisaccia) and his team works those guys, it's really nice to have another one to be able to kick every day."
