Training Camp 8/18

[Pacopete4]

Monday, August 18, 2008
Last evening practice: Jennings, KGB back on field
7:01 p.m.

WR Greg Jennings and DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila are back on the practice field for the first time in a week.

Also practicing are LB Nick Barnett, who pulled imself from Saturday’s game, and LB Desmond Bishop, who didn’t play Saturday. RB Ryan Grant again is in pads, but doesn’t appear to be doing anything.

But there are a whole lot of players not practicing, including C Scott Wells, DT Ryan Pickett, CB Al Harris, DT Johnny Jolly, LB A. J. Hawk, DT Cullen Jenkins and LT Chad Clifton.

Also out are RB DeShawn Wynn, S Charlie Peprah, DT Justin Harrell, DT Daniel Muir, DT Colin Cole, TE Evan Moore and CB Joe Porter.

As expected, there are no changes to the starting offensive line, although Jason Spitz is working at center with Wells out and Tony Moll is in Clifton’s spot at LT. Josh Sitton and Daryn College are at RG and LG, respectively.

It’s a cool, cloudy night at Clarke Hinkle Field. Practice is expected to run close to 2.5 hours, or to about 9 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

It's 75 degrees with a few clouds and some gusty winds as the Packers' last evening practice of training camp is about to begin.

It's cooled off from a daytime high of 89 at 2 p.m. At 6 p.m., northeast winds were at 18 mph, gusting to 30 mph.

-- Mike Vandermause, Tom Pelissero, Pete Dougherty and Rob Demovsky

posted by PackersNews.com at 10:04 AM | 13 Comments
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[Pacopete4]

Is Grant ever gonna play again? I hope its just a case where they are holding him out to get other guys reps but boy, he might come in pretty rusty..

[Maxie the Taxi]

Is Grant ever gonna play again? I hope its just a case where they are holding him out to get other guys reps but boy, he might come in pretty rusty..

IMO Grant can take all the time off he wants this preseason. I doubt it will affect him and he's got one hell of a job in front of him.

[Pacopete4]

Is Grant ever gonna play again? I hope its just a case where they are holding him out to get other guys reps but boy, he might come in pretty rusty..

IMO Grant can take all the time off he wants this preseason. I doubt it will affect him and he's got one hell of a job in front of him.


That sounds good to me too.. but when I was at practice he just stood around and didnt even work on little things like catching from the juggs machine, pass blocking technique, ect... thats where I'm kinda concerned

[Pacopete4]

Last evening practice: Ron Wolf is visiting
7:33 p.m.

Former Packers General Manager Ron Wolf is making his first appearance at training camp, talking to GM Ted Thompson along the sideline. Wolf visits camp every summer at Thompson’s invitation. Thompson served under Wolf in the Packers’ front office in the 1990s.

Wolf is planning to move back to the Green Bay area as soon as his home in Annapolis, Md., sells. He will spend the summer months in Wisconsin and is expected to maintain his winter home in Florida.

Wolf has declined to comment on the Packers' handling of the Brett Favre situation because he knows both parties so well.

7:31 p.m.

Upon further review, defensive linemen Cullen Jenkins, Colin Cole and Johnny Jolly are wearing shorts over their football pants. They are practicing.

7:22 p.m.

QB Aaron Rodgers is wearing a black wrap around his left knee. There’s no reason to believe it’s anything serious because Rodgers is taking part in all of the walkthrough drills and was seen hopping up and down and pumping his legs on the sideline. That said, Rodgers hasn't worn such a wrap at practice during the last month.

A cold front has moved into the Green Bay area, making this the coolest day of training camp to date. at 7 p.m., it was 74 with with northeast winds of 18 mph gusting to 29 mph. It has cooled off from a daytime high of 89.

There are about 200 fans in attendance at tonight’s practice, one of the smallest gatherings of camp.
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Hopefully its for style and nothing behind it

[Pacopete4]

Insider: Thumbs up to Flynn, down to Grant

By Rob Demovsky • rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com • August 18, 2008

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Thumbs up

Matt Flynn appears to be closing in on Brian Brohm for the No. 2 quarterback job.
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Though Brohm continued to work behind starter Aaron Rodgers in practice on Monday, his total snap count was nearly equal to the Flynn received during 11-on-11 periods.

The Packers have been pleased with Flynn’s mobility, arm strength and decision-making. The rookie seventh-round draft pick from LSU threw the ball better than Brohm did in Saturday’s exhibition loss at San Francisco. In that game, Flynn completed five of six passes for 33 yards while getting sacked twice. Brohm, a fellow rookie from Louisville who was taken five rounds earlier than Flynn, completed just four of nine passes for 33 yards against the 49ers.

Flynn was rewarded with additional playing time on Monday. Flynn got 18 snaps during team periods, only two fewer than Brohm. That included a nearly even split with the scout-team offense. Earlier in training camp, Brohm had been getting significantly more reps than Flynn.

Though Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after practice that Brohm remains the No. 2 quarterback, there’s still time for Flynn to pass him. He could get extensive playing time in the final two preseason games.

The Packers are concerned that Brohm continues to hold the ball too long. He showed a penchant for that most of the offseason and after improving early in camp, he has regressed in that area.
Thumbs down

It’s starting to look like it may be a lost training camp for Ryan Grant.

The Packers’ top running back might end up going to into the regular season with little or no work in practice or the preseason games. He missed the first week of camp while his long-term contract was being finalized. During his first week back – in which he was only a limited participant in practice – he sustained a hamstring injury and has been out since Aug. 8.

On Monday, he was on the field in full pads but never got into a drill. After watching the lengthy jog-through period to open practice, Grant went inside the Don Hutson Center with the rest of the injured players and never returned to the field.

McCarthy said after practice that he had hoped Grant would be able to practice this week and play in Friday’s third preseason game at Denver, but that appears unlikely.

The Packers have just five training camp practices remaining – two more this week and three next week. Even if Grant returns next week, he’s going to enter the regular season without much work.
Rodgers watch

There was only one competitive period in practice in which the starting offense went against the starting defense – a four-minute session that focused on screen passes.

Rodgers threw a screen to running back Brandon Jackson on the first play, and then running back Noah Herron dropped a screen on Rodgers’ next snap. The rest of the team drills in practice had the offense working against the scout-team defense or vice versa.
Did you notice?

During a period in which the defense was going against the scout-team offense, Aaron Kampman came up with a rare interception by a defensive end in coverage. On a zone blitz by linebackers Nick Barnett and Brady Poppinga, Kampman dropped about 5 yards into coverage and picked off a Brohm pass that was intended for tight end Joey Haynos.

Rookie receiver Jake Allen’s drops continued. He bobbled a pass from Brohm, and it almost was intercepted by cornerback Will Blackmon.

Despite his struggles against the 49ers, cornerback Jarrett Bush continued to work as the No. 4 cornerback. In fact, he was bumped up to No. 3 on Monday because starter Al Harris didn’t practice.

A sparse crowded attended the final night practice of training camp. Perhaps it was the cool weather or that beginning last week practices contained almost no competitive periods. Instead, they focused on corrections from the previous game and game planning for the next one, much like a regular-season practice.

Retired Packers General Manager Ron Wolf attended practice. He spent most of the evening watching next to current GM Ted Thompson.

[Chevelle2]

Thanks for the reports....anyone know if its worth going up there still, or is the exciting stuff all gone? (Team drills, scrimmages, etc)

[Pacopete4]

Thanks for the reports....anyone know if its worth going up there still, or is the exciting stuff all gone? (Team drills, scrimmages, etc)


A sparse crowded attended the final night practice of training camp. Perhaps it was the cool weather or that beginning last week practices contained almost no competitive periods. Instead, they focused on corrections from the previous game and game planning for the next one, much like a regular-season practice.


That sums up what I was about to type to you but I still think it's worth going. It's very good to be able to get that close to a NFL team practicing to see how actually talented those players are.


On a side note, is anyone really disturbed that Bush is practicing at the #3 CB and still remains the #4?... how? I just don't get it..

[Pacopete4]

http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/08/18/training-camp-practice-17.aspx

Training camp practice #17
By Greg A. Bedard
Monday, Aug 18 2008, 10:07 PM

Green Bay - The Packers didn't have any competitive 11-on-11 drills for the second straight practice. Here are some news and notes:

* Roll call: C Scott Wells (trunk), LB A.J. Hawk (chest sprain), LT Chad Clifton (soreness), DT Ryan Pickett (hamstring), CB Al Harris (back), TE Evan Moore (bruised knee ligament), RB Ryan Grant (hamstring), DT Daniel Muir (groin), DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (knee) and DT Justin Harrell (knee) were out.
* WR Greg Jennings, WR Ruvell Martin, WR Brett Swain and LB Desmond Bishop were back.
* Hawk is now classified as week-to-week and he later said it is not definite that he'll be ready for the season opener.
* Grant said he's still on track to be ready for the season opener.
* McCarthy said Rodgers' left knee was a little sore but he still practiced.
* McCarthy said Brian Brohm is still ahead of Matt Flynn at this point. Flynn had an interception in practice but the pass should have been caught by Jake Allen, who let it slip through his hands and into Aaron Rouse's. In scout team, Brohm threw an interception to Aaron Kampman.
* With all the injuries, there was again a lot of shuffling on the offensive line. Most of the time it was, from L to R: Tony Moll, Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz, Josh Sitton and Mark Tauscher. Colledge also played some LT, with Allen Barbre working in at LG.
* Former GM Ron Wolf was in attendance.