woodbuck27
06-19-2007, 02:35 PM
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/PKR01/706190436/1989
Injury updates Tues. June 19,2007
First-round draft pick Justin Harrell has taken part in only limited individual drills since the team selected him in late April, but McCarthy said the rookie should be ready for all drills when training camp opens July 28.
Harrell had a torn biceps early last season at the University of Tennessee, and the Packers have held him out of minicamp and organized-team-activity practices to allow his post-surgical arm to heal longer.
"He's down there working after practice with the three younger linemen. He's been doing that throughout the OTAs," McCarthy said.
"We're just being smart with him. (Team physician) Pat McKenzie still feels he's close, but it will probably take the next two to three weeks where he feels comfortable where he's at."
Today is the final OTA practice and is closed to the media.
Other players who missed practice Monday because of injuries were:
receiver Greg Jennings (hip flexor), defensive end Aaron Kampman (knee), linebacker Abdul Hodge (knee), guard Tony Palmer (knee), receiver Chris Francies (thumb) and offensive lineman Tony Moll (unannounced).
Rough day
With several veteran starters leaving the OTAs after last week, Monday's practice with mostly backups and young players fighting for roster spots was especially testy for an offseason workout.
Though offseason practices are conducted with helmets but no pads, there were at least three altercations, and on other 11-on-11 plays it wasn't unusual to see a player or two hit the ground.
Teams try to get as much as possible out of the OTA workouts, but the NFL's collective-bargaining agreement with its players union prohibits live contact and limits the tempo of offseason practices.
The Oakland Raiders were forced to shut down their final week of offseason practices this week because of complaints to the NFL Players Association that their practices were conducted at too high an intensity.
"It's a fine line," McCarthy said,
"because you want the tempo and you want the intensity. But player safety is at a premium, and that's something we talk about all the time — especially in the spring, because we're only in helmets — just to be smart.
"But it seems like once or twice a practice it happens — we had three little skirmishes (Monday). You can't have your cake and eat it, too. It's a fine line, and it grows with your football team from a maturity standpoint. We need to do a better job of how we practice and how we protect one another out there. The more mature teams do that, and I think we're getting better at it, but we still need to get better in that area."
Among the veterans who left the OTAs after last week are quarterback Brett Favre, cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, receiver Donald Driver and receiver Robert Ferguson.
Injury updates Tues. June 19,2007
First-round draft pick Justin Harrell has taken part in only limited individual drills since the team selected him in late April, but McCarthy said the rookie should be ready for all drills when training camp opens July 28.
Harrell had a torn biceps early last season at the University of Tennessee, and the Packers have held him out of minicamp and organized-team-activity practices to allow his post-surgical arm to heal longer.
"He's down there working after practice with the three younger linemen. He's been doing that throughout the OTAs," McCarthy said.
"We're just being smart with him. (Team physician) Pat McKenzie still feels he's close, but it will probably take the next two to three weeks where he feels comfortable where he's at."
Today is the final OTA practice and is closed to the media.
Other players who missed practice Monday because of injuries were:
receiver Greg Jennings (hip flexor), defensive end Aaron Kampman (knee), linebacker Abdul Hodge (knee), guard Tony Palmer (knee), receiver Chris Francies (thumb) and offensive lineman Tony Moll (unannounced).
Rough day
With several veteran starters leaving the OTAs after last week, Monday's practice with mostly backups and young players fighting for roster spots was especially testy for an offseason workout.
Though offseason practices are conducted with helmets but no pads, there were at least three altercations, and on other 11-on-11 plays it wasn't unusual to see a player or two hit the ground.
Teams try to get as much as possible out of the OTA workouts, but the NFL's collective-bargaining agreement with its players union prohibits live contact and limits the tempo of offseason practices.
The Oakland Raiders were forced to shut down their final week of offseason practices this week because of complaints to the NFL Players Association that their practices were conducted at too high an intensity.
"It's a fine line," McCarthy said,
"because you want the tempo and you want the intensity. But player safety is at a premium, and that's something we talk about all the time — especially in the spring, because we're only in helmets — just to be smart.
"But it seems like once or twice a practice it happens — we had three little skirmishes (Monday). You can't have your cake and eat it, too. It's a fine line, and it grows with your football team from a maturity standpoint. We need to do a better job of how we practice and how we protect one another out there. The more mature teams do that, and I think we're getting better at it, but we still need to get better in that area."
Among the veterans who left the OTAs after last week are quarterback Brett Favre, cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, defensive tackle Ryan Pickett, receiver Donald Driver and receiver Robert Ferguson.