The Good, Bad And Ugly From Day 1 Of Packers’ Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers held their first training camp practice on Wednesday, a non-padded workout that lasted roughly 90 minutes.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly from their first day back.

THE GOOD

ZACH TOM: Tom, a fourth round draft pick in 2022, has developed into one of the better right tackles in football. And the Packers rewarded him on Monday with a four-year, $88 million contract extension.

“Obviously he’s been an extremely reliable player and person since he’s gotten here,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday. “For a fourth-round pick to come in and earn the opportunities he had early on, he’s a such a versatile player for us.

“He has the ability to play all over the line, certainly he’s locked down that right tackle spot for the last couple years and done such a good job for us, so I think that was important for the Packers to get that done.”

Tom’s overall Pro Football Focus grade of 87.5 last season ranked fourth among the 140 tackles in football. His run-blocking grade of 90.0 ranked third among all tackles and his 82.1 pass blocking grade ranked 12^th.

Tom allowed three sacks, 24 pressures and had seven penalties in 2024. Tom was also named a first-team All-Pro at right tackle by PFF for the 2024 season.

“It’s great,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Tom’s extension. “It’s awesome any time you get a guy that gets rewarded like that and he’s earned it.

“Any time you pay a player like that, I’m confident he’s going to do what’s got ’em here. It’s just coming out, attacking it the right way, putting in the work and just being a consistent force for us.”

Tom, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract, was thrilled to get a new deal done before camp.

“It’s definitely a weight off my shoulder,” Tom said. “I let my agent handle it.

“I wouldn’t say I was not stress-free coming up to this week, but it’s nice to get it out of the way and now I can just focus on football. Obviously they took care of me financially, so now it’s time to get to work.”

TUCKER KRAFT: Don’t be surprised if this is Kraft’s breakout season.

The Packers’ third-year tight end was a Pro Bowl alternate last season after starting all 17 games and finishing second on the team in receptions (50) and yards (707). Kraft also led the Packers with seven receiving touchdowns.

Love’s first two passes of training camp were completions to Kraft.

“I think he’s an ascending player,” LaFleur said of Kraft. “It’s not by surprise. The guy works his ass off every day. He was here the entire summer working with our guys, putting the work in. So, I think it’s a credit to him.”

DIFFERENT DIMENSION: Running back MarShawn Lloyd, a third round draft pick in 2024, played in just one game his rookie season due to a bevy of injuries. If the speedy Lloyd can stay healthy, though, he could give a lift to Green Bay’s already impressive running game.

Early in Wednesday’s practice, Lloyd bounced outside and ripped off a big run.

“I think my speed is something they can use a lot,” Lloyd said. “I think I have a specific skill set that the team likes and I know that skill set that I’ve attained, so I’ve just got to keep doing what I can do to help the team. I know I can do it, so I’m just going to keep grinding each day and show my worth.”

Lloyd missed the season opener last year with a hamstring injury. Then after playing in Week 2, Lloyd spent seven weeks on the injured reserve list with an ankle injury.

When Lloyd finally appeared ready to return, he suffered an emergency appendectomy and missed the rest of the season.

“Brutal,” Lloyd said. “It sucked.”

Lloyd spent three years at South Carolina, then played the 2023 campaign at USC. Lloyd had his best college season with the Trojans, finishing with 820 rushing yards, nine touchdowns and a 7.1 yards per yards per carry average.

He then ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds at the NFL Combine.

Lloyd could be an X-factor this season, but he has to stay on the field.

“No. 1 is just staying out there each and every day,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Lloyd. “I think once he does that, I think his natural talent, it’s very hard in this sport to get better when you’re not out there practicing each and every day.

“Every time we were able to get him out there, he certainly showed things. So just getting him out there each and every day will be important. He’s done everything he could to do that. He looks really good right now, but that’s going to be an important part for him.”

THIS AND THAT: Safety Xavier McKinney, who finished second in the NFL with eight interceptions last season, had an INT late in practice. McKinney high pointed a ball intended for Dontayvion Wicks and intercepted Love. … Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden beat cornerback Carrington Valentine on a slant route for a touchdown reception from Malik Willis. … Love threw touchdown passes to Chris Brooks and Romeo Doubs. … No. 3 quarterback Sean Clifford threw a touchdown pass to Johnny Lumpkin.

• WHO’S PLAYING WHERE?: The Packers will undoubtedly try countless lineup combinations over the next month as they settle on their final 53-man roster. On day one, here were some items to note:

• Edgerrin Cooper and Isaiah McDuffie were the starting linebackers when the Packers were in nickel.

• The top offensive line was (from left) Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Jordan Morgan and Zach Tom.

• When Green Bay was in nickel, Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs were the corners and Javon Bullard worked the slot.

• McKinney and Evan Williams were the starting safeties.

• Linebacker Isaiah Simmons received first-team reps when the Packers were in their base defense.

• Rookie Anthony Belton was the No. 2 left tackle. The rest of the No. 2 offensive line was Donovan Jennings, Jacob Monk, Kadeem Telford and Travis Glover.

THE BAD

LINE DANCING: The Packers’ plan is for converted guard Elgton Jenkins to play center this season. Jenkins is out right now, though, with a back injury, so right guard Sean Rhyan moved to center with the No. 1 offense and Jordan Morgan took Rhyan’s spot.

The problem with Jenkins already being sidelined is three-fold.

First, Jenkins needs reps at center and the revamped offensive line needs time to develop continuity.

“That’s one of those things where that center-quarterback exchange, you’ve got to get a lot of reps in, a lot of work with guys, especially when it’s somebody new,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “But Elgton’s a guy that’s been around, we’ve got a lot of reps with him at center with different things that have happened and moving around and just getting snaps in general. Once he gets back from injury, it’ll be great to have him back out there because it’s one of those things you want to be feeling as comfortable as possible.”

Second, Morgan is expected to battle Rasheed Walker for the left tackle job. By sliding to guard, though, Morgan will have less time to challenge Walker for that spot.

Third, Rhyan had an extremely solid 2024 season, his first as a starter at right guard. Instead of building on that momentum, Rhyan is now learning a new position.

“I don’t mind it,” Rhyan said of playing center. “It’s just a new position. I was getting comfortable at guard, but you can’t get comfortable in this league.”

FROM THE INFIRMARY: The following Packers did not practice due to injury: linebacker Quay Walker (ankle), center Elgton Jenkins (back), wideout Christian Watson (knee), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring), cornerback Micah Robinson (knee), running back Amar Johnson (hamstring), and offensive John Williams (back).

THE UGLY

TURN BACK THE CLOCK: During Don Shula’s first training camp with the Miami Dolphins in 1970, he implemented a four-a-day practice schedule. Yes, four-a-day.

When Mike Sherman took over as Green Bay’s coach in 2000, he held 51 practices his first summer.

This year, Packers coach Matt LaFleur has 16 scheduled practices, and will likely have a couple of walkthroughs.

The NFL world has changed dramatically in the last generation or two. And today’s training camps are far softer and gentler than the ones of yesteryear.

With so little time on the practice field, it’s also tough for general managers like Green Bay’s Brian Gutekunst to assemble a 53-man roster.

“Yeah, it’s different,” said the 52-year old Gutekunst, who’s been with the Packers since 1999. “I think there’s enough opportunities between now and when we have to make those decisions, but they’ve dwindled. You know, there’s not as many.”

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement that was approved in 2020 has severely limited the amount of time that teams can be on the practice field.

For example, there’s a mandatory five-day acclimation period that’s required for players, where the focus is on meetings, medical exams, and controlled physical activity. Live contact is also prohibited during the first five days of camp and is limited in subsequent practices.

LaFleur said he wouldn’t necessarily schedule more practices if he could. Instead, he’d focus on other areas.

“I feel pretty confident with what we do,” LaFleur said. “Might have more time in the building, more meetings, more walk throughs.”

The NFL is definitely a safer place than it once was, and that’s a terrific thing. The daily grind of training camp is nothing like it once was, though, and that’s too bad.

“There are definitely a lot more restrictions in regards to, like you mentioned, the time constraints and all that,” LaFleur said. “I do think the mentality has kind of changed a little bit. Before you were out there two a days, grinding and that’s not the case anymore.”