The 2021 Green Bay Packers training camp has reached halftime. Two and a half weeks in, two and a half weeks to go. There are only three public practices left on Ray Nitschke Field, two of them next week against the New York Jets and of course three straight Saturday Pre-Season games that kick off this weekend against the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur admitted today it’s time to hit somebody else.
Practicing for the third straight day of a four day stretch, LaFleur lightened the load. After stretching inside the Don Hutson Center for about 20 minutes, the team spent less than an hour outside on Nitschke. Only two quarterbacks were out throwing, Jordan Love and Kurt Benkert.
Kurt Benkert and Jordan Love split Wednesday reps.
As for the starting quarterback?
Aaron Rodgers in sweats.
Aaron Rodgers along with Marcedes Lewis and Preston Smith were given a veterans’ day of rest. That might have given Aaron time to process the news he won’t become the next, permanent host of Jeopardy. The MVP gave it a two week run as guest host a couple of months ago and openly expressed his interest in becoming the successor to the late Alex Trebek. Instead, the show’s longtime executive producer, Mike Richards will take the reigns with Mayim Bialik handling prime time specials or spinoffs like the National College Championship.
There were few actual practice highlights on an overcast, breezy day. Rashan Gary was back on the sidelines with a groin injury after he returned to duty on Tuesday.
The inside linebacker battle got plenty of attention as both Oren Burks and Ty Summers were called to the media auditorium for a post-practice visit with the media.
Burks, now in his 4th year, and Summers his third, are still working as backups behind maybe three others. Krys Barnes established himself as the primary play caller impressively in his undrafted rookie season. 2020 draft pick Kamal Martin was also being groomed as a starter but is currently dealing with an injury. And for the fourth year in a row, the Packers have signed a veteran to not only compete, but perhaps start. That approach has missed more than it’s hit with B.J. Goodson, Antonio Morrison and Christian Kirksey playing stop gap roles. Now it’s De’Vondre Campbell’s turn. The 6 year veteran played his first four years in Atlanta and last season in Arizona. He’s easily the tallest version yet at 6-3 and has taken the majority of snaps with Barnes in camp. So where does that leave Burks and Summers?
Both players have become core special teams players and Burks has embraced that role and believes he’s become a better linebacker in the process:
Summers is in the same boat. He knows he’ll be a part of lifting up the play of the special teams under new coordinator Maurice Drayton but he also wants to play linebacker without pressing to move up the depth chart.
We also heard from running back Patrick Taylor today.
Patrick Taylor plays dodgeball.
Taylor had a very productive career at Memphis but an injury derailed his season season. He went undrafted and was signed by the Packers. The foot injury never quite healed and Taylor spent the entire season on the Reserve/Non Football Injury list. It wasn’t easy.
Taylor is tall and a long strider who has shown some capable hands and a willingness to stonewall blitzers in pass protection. LaFleur said his meeting notebook rivals the quarterbacks. He is an under the radar back who could very well take the number three job behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
Finally, with pressure mounting on the young players vying for a roster spot, even their livelihood, a little perspective from former Canadian Football League receiver Reggie Begelton who’s in a spirited fight for a job.
Well said.
Final practice of the week is Thursday morning at 10:10.
