The first practice of training camp is in the books as the Green Bay Packers start their ramp up to the 2023 NFL season.
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know from day No. 1.
The only players missing from practice on day one were Tariq Carpenter, Caleb Jones, and Tarvarius Moore with illness, Grant DuBose with a back injury, and Rashan Gary and Eric Stokes due to their respective knee and foot injuries that ended their 2022 campaign.
The practice was around 90 minutes in total and started with individual drills, where newly installed QB1 Jordan Love showed off his accuracy, firing passes into nets and throwing to receivers.
Notably, edge rusher Jonathan Garvin worked with the defensive line group rather than the linebackers, perhaps signifying a position change that could give him a better chance at making the 53-man roster.
Packers Training Camp Recap: Defense Wins Day No. 1
Depth Chart Notes
During the ‘team’ portion of practice, the offense and defense were split into first, second, and third string, giving some insight into the current hierarchies.
The headline is Zach Tom, who started at right tackle with the first team all day ahead of Yosh Nijman, who lined up with the twos. Tom held up well versus Preston Smith and also took a few snaps with the third team at center.
Josiah Deguara, Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, and Tyler Davis rotated with the first team at tight end throughout the day.
Rookie first-round pick Lukas Van Ness was with the second-team defense. Smith and Justin Hollins were the first team edge rushers. Kingsley Enagbare and La’Darius Hamilton also got reps with the twos at EDGE.
Rudy Ford started opposite Darnell Savage at safety, with Dallin Leavitt and Jonathan Owens running with the second team.
Safety Innis Gaines appears to be the Packers backup slot defender right now, lining up with the twos behind Keisean Nixon on the depth chart. Gaines saw some action in the slot toward the end of last season.
Corey Ballentine and Carrington Valentine lined up as the second-team cornerbacks, while left tackle Rasheed Walker also received some snaps with the twos.
Danny Etling ran the Packers second-team offense, while rookie fifth-round pick Sean Clifford led the third team.
Packers Defense Dominating Early
The offense labored on day No. 1, struggling to get going on the ground and through the air.
Kenny Clark, De’Vondre Campbell, T.J. Slaton, Isaiah McDuffie, Jonathan Owens, and Anthony Johnson Jr. were credited with stopping attempted runs at different times, while Van Ness made a nuisance of himself, blowing up plays in the backfield.
Love wasn’t helped by windy conditions, which made downfield passing difficult. Multiple deep throws hung in the air and were ultimately broken up.
He missed passes to open targets in Musgrave and Watson, led Toure out of bounds with a sideline toss, and also fired a pass to no one, which was presumably due to miscommunication. Watson also dropped his first target of camp.
Pass coverage was tight throughout the practice, with Jaire Alexander doing what Jaire Alexander does, We saw Nixon diving to break up a pass intended for Jayden Reed, and Shemar Jean-Charles disrupting a Danny Etling pass towards Bo Melton.
The safeties and linebackers were in on it, too. Campbell and McDuffie caused incompletions or made quick stops when the running backs did make a catch. Gaines, Leavitt, and Benny Sapp had PBUs of their own.
The pressure was put on Love at different times, with Clark, Smith, and Quay Walker on a blitz harassing the Packers QB.
Rookie tight end Musgrave struggled with his blocking responsibilities and was beaten by Smith and Devonte Wyatt on separate occasions.
The offense ended practice doing push-ups as punishment for losing the day.
Packers Offense Exploits the Middle of the Field
When the offense did have success on Wednesday, it mostly came via passes over the middle. Romeo Doubs, who had a nice day, was often the recipient, but Love also tossed a sidearm pass to Samori Toure over the middle to end practice.
Love was praised by reporters for his calmness on day No. 1 of Packers training camp, at one point moving around the pocket before scrambling for a solid gain.
Aaron Jones was able to find some room to run up the middle after Smith initially shut down the outside, while Patrick Taylor and Lew Nichols III also flashed with effective rushes.
Luke Tenuta’s name was mentioned multiple times as he impressed in pass protection versus Van Ness and Brenton Cox Jr. with the second team.
First-year receiver Dontayvion Wicks will have caught head coach Matt LaFleur’s attention with a block on Ford to seal the edge and spring a run, although he later walked off to the side of the practice with a trainer.
New kicker Anders Carlson went five for six in adverse conditions, his lone miss coming from 44, which a low snap may have impacted.
Check back tomorrow for a recap of the Packers’ second training camp practice.
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