Day two of Packers training camp featured a hotly contested red zone period and ultimately another victory for the defense.
The practice lasted 1 hour and 34 mins in duration, and here’s everything you need to know:
Green Bay Packers Attendance/injuries:
After leaving practice early yesterday, Dontayvion Wicks missed day two with a concussion sustained on a hit by Innis Gaines.
David Bakhtiari was absent from practice. The veteran left tackle works on a different schedule to the rest of the team due to the serious knee injury he suffered in 2020.
Meanwhile Tarvarius Moore, Caleb Jones and Tariq Carpenter returned from the non-football injury list (NFI) after an illness.
Individual drills:
Of note during drill work, Gaines was working with the cornerbacks rather than the safeties.
He lined up as a slot corner during the team period on day one and it appears the Packers may be grooming him for that role. He saw some action in the slot last season as well.
For the second straight day, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs worked off to the side during the special teams session, this time running routes versus Jaire Alexander.
Depth chart:
To open the team period, the starting offense was as follows:
Jordan Love, Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Luke Musgrave, Yosh Nijman, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan, Zach Tom.
The starting defense:
Devonte Wyatt, Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Kingsley Enagbare, De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Preston Smith, Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Rudy Ford, Darnell Savage.
With Bakhtiari not practicing, it’s impossible to say whether Tom is still ahead of Nijman in the battle for the right tackle job.
Enagbare and Hollins rotated with the ones throughout the day, while Lukas Van Ness is still lining up with the twos.
Team period:
Due to the subsequent red zone session, the team period was shorter on day two, but some interesting nuggets were still to be found.
Running back Tyler Goodson was given an extended look with the first team in different roles, including in the slot, split out wide and as a decoy on a jet sweep.
Rookie receiver Reed showed off his speed on an end around which fooled the defense and went for a big gain.
The Packers used a lot of 12 personnel for the second straight day, incorporating two tight ends. This is a package Green Bay used extensively a season ago and should provide plenty of opportunity for Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis to see the field.
On the defensive side, seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine continued to show he belongs, closing quickly to break up a pass intended for Watson.
Slaton powered his way through Myers for a pressure, and Walker slipped through the line of scrimmage to make a run stop in the backfield.
With the twos, the starting offensive line was Caleb Jones, Sean Rhyan, Jake Hanson, Royce Newman, and Rasheed Walker.
Rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks were the two defensive linemen, while Dallin Leavitt and Jonathan Owens lined up at safety.
Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie impressed with a pass rush from the edge and a run stop, while Gaines almost had an interception of Sean Clifford, breaking up a pass.
Goodson and Lew Nichols staked their claims for the number three running back spot, both displaying effective runs.
It was a tough day for undrafted rookie receiver Malik Heath. He had a mental error, missing a check from QB Danny Etling and blocking when the ball was being thrown to him. He later dropped a pass in red zone.
Red zone period:
Love threw some impressive touchdowns in the red zone period, as well as his first interception of camp.
His first TD was an accurate strike to Reed on a crosser, beating Campbell in zone coverage.
On the next play, his pass intended for Watson was deflected by Alexander and picked off by Campbell, exacting some revenge. Enagbare had applied pressure after beating Nijman around the edge.
Later, Love found Watson for a pair of scores, the first coming late in the play after going through his progressions, processing right to left and hitting Watson on a secondary read.
The second touchdown was the headline grabber, as Love zipped a strong, accurate pass to Watson on a five-yard out route on the left side, beating tight coverage from Douglas to the pylon.
Jones rushed for a touchdown at the goal line, with some help from Davis blocking, finding space between a six-man line. Davis received a fair share of reps with the ones.
The defense had plenty of wins, although much of the offense’s struggles came from their own misfires.
Runyan had a false start, Musgrave dropped a slant pass, Goodson dropped a WR screen, Love overthrew Doubs on a back shoulder pass and gave Musgrave too much to do on a high end zone pass, although he did well to buy time in a collapsing pocket initially.
Love showed his composure in the pocket again, scrambling for a near touchdown, before Alexander stopped Musgrave short of the goal line on fourth down.
The star corner stayed down after the play and was seen with a slight limp, but there didn’t seem to be any real concern over his health.
Wyatt made his presence felt during the red zone period, quickly moving down the line to help stop a run to the opposite side.
The reserve offense, led by Etling and later Alex McGough, struggled in the red zone.
Etling placed a pass high and behind Bo Melton which fell incomplete versus Owens. A pressure from Colby Wooden forced him to scramble on another play.
Jason Lewan pressured McGough which led to an incompletion, and he threw another pass away after scrambling. The former USFL MVP ended practice with a touchdown pass to Melton on a slant though, after collecting a low snap.
With the defense winning the day, the offensive players and coaches faced a forfeit, which was ten up-downs.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
