On a day when the NFL was thrown a giant curveball over coronavirus testing, the Green Bay Packers were back on Ray Nitschke Field on a sticky Sunday morning for one of their longest workouts of training camp.
By mid-morning, word came out that the league’s New Jersey-based testing center, BioReference Lab, reported several irregularities with test results. Apparently there were several false-positive tests for Covid 19 prompting some teams to delay the start of Sunday workouts and others, like the Buffalo Bills, to cancel the camp practice all together.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur said they were made aware of the issues and a couple of his players showed irregular results but it was not serious enough to delay or postpone practice. Both the league and lab released statements that they are investigating the situation.
Speaking of the pandemic, tight end Jace Sternberger confirmed today he indeed tested positive at the start of camp, becoming one of five players placed on the Reserve/Covid 19 list. Sternberger said he never exhibited any symptoms and the medical staff did a great job getting him through the isolation period and back on the practice field. All five players originally on the list the first week of camp have since been reinstated.
As for the practice, the first of four straight this week, temperatures were a sticky 80 degrees at the 10:30 start and climbed throughout the two hour session.
Tackling Sunday donuts at camp.
Adrian Amos was back at work after spending two days attending a family funeral. Davante Adams was a full participant again. Jaire Alexander, Za’Darius Smith, Rick Wagner and Marcedes Lewis did not work today. Montravius Adams is still out with a toe injury but he did limp out to watch practice, no longer wearing a protective boot.
The offense seemed intent on the deep ball during early 11 on 11 work. Aaron Rodgers hit Adams on a bomb with Darnell Savage in tight coverage on the first team snap. Later, Rodgers went back to back with Adams for a 60 yard touchdown vs Josh Jackson and the next play, Jake Kumerow pulled down a deep post in stride beating Stanford Samuels.
Mason Crosby, another of those former Reserve/Covid players, looks to be in the swing. During the field goal period, he knocked through all 8 attempts. Punter J.K. Scott and backup quarterback Tim Boyle split the holding duties.
Rodgers also ran a competitive two minute drive, starting at his own 20 with 1:15 on the clock and the offense down by two points. Robert Tonyan converted a third and five with a tough catch in traffic and Jamal Williams also moved the chains with a sideline grab. The offense moved to the 29 and Crosby hit the game winning field goal from 47 yards away as time expired.
That’s when LaFleur excused the veterans and kept the development players on the field for one last period, the first all live, full tackling, unscripted scrimmage of the summer. The highlight play was rookie linebacker Kamal Martin perfectly timing a middle blitz and blowing up a running play in the hole. Martin has made a lot of eye opening players over the past several days. With no pre-season games coming this summer, live tackling periods like this are crucial to the collection of first year players looking to catch the eye of coaches.
Practices are scheduled through Wednesday with Tuesday’s workout back inside Lambeau Field.
