The Green Bay Packers returned to Ray Nitschke Field on Tuesday for their first training camp practice since Family Night. We\u2019ll only have two more opportunities, on Wednesday and Thursday, to get a look at the team before their first preseason matchup against the New York Jets on Saturday. After this week\u2019s set of practices, they\u2019ll only have three more practices open to the public, including a joint practice against the Seattle Seahawks on August 21st, this summer.<\/p>\n
So how did practice go today? Let\u2019s dive into it.<\/p>\n
Tight end Tucker Kraft (groin) returned to practice today, and linebacker Quay Walker (ankle) also participated in 11-on-11 drills. Kraft was held out of Family Night on Saturday night, according to head coach Matt LaFleur, so that he could rest an injury he had been pushing through during camp. Recently, Walker had been participating in walkthroughs with the team after coming back from offseason surgery.<\/p>\n
Players who were non-participants on Tuesday were running back Emanuel Wilson (knee), running back MarShawn Lloyd (groin), receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf), receiver Christian Watson (knee), offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (groin), offensive tackle Travis Glover (shoulder), offensive lineman John Williams (back), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring), defensive end Arron Mosby (groin), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee) and cornerback Kamal Hadden (hip). At this point in camp, everyone but Watson, Williams and Oliver has practiced with the team. At the start of camp, LaFleur stated that Watson and Williams had the only long-term injuries on the roster, but it\u2019s at least a little concerning that Oliver hasn\u2019t suited up once since minicamp.<\/p>\n
As far as injury updates go, Wilson told the press that he believed that he tore his ACL<\/a>, but it has since been revealed that he only had a bone bruise. We classify that as good news. The bad news? Hobbs, the Packers\u2019 big free-agent signing on the defensive side of the ball, had meniscus surgery<\/a> and is expected to return to practice around the start of the regular season.<\/p>\n The Packers added center Lecitus Smith today<\/a> and waived receiver Sam Brown Jr. with an injury designation. Brown had been dealing with an ankle issue. Smith\u2019s signing was likely a response to Green Bay\u2019s failed experiment of converting Trey Hill and Donovan Jennings to reserve centers. Jennings had several high snaps with the third-team offense on Family Night. Smith should help the team at least get through preseason games without quarterbacks having to chase down balls when the hits are live.<\/p>\n With Walker out, the starting lineup today up front was made up of Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom, exactly the same lineup we saw on Family Night<\/a>. At this point, it doesn\u2019t seem like Jacob Monk is really pushing Rhyan for the right guard job, like he was earlier in the summer. There\u2019s still the potential for Morgan to play at right guard, but those opportunities will be sparse until Walker comes back to left tackle.<\/p>\n When Banks missed some reps later in practice, Monk was the first offensive lineman off the bench to play left guard before he was pushed out in favor of Jennings<\/a>. Previously, the Packers liked to use Glover off the bench in these situations, but Jennings looks to be the next man up in the pecking order.<\/p>\n Quarterback Jordan Love connected on a deep touchdown to receiver Romeo Doubs in practice today, something that was missing from Love\u2019s performance on Family Night<\/a>.<\/p>\n Interestingly, it wasn\u2019t Isaiah Simmons who was displaced by the return of Walker at linebacker, but Isaiah McDuffie. That\u2019s right, Simmons, Walker and Edgerrin Cooper were the \u201cstarting\u201d linebackers in three-linebacker sets today. This is the first time we\u2019ve seen this lineup, as Simmons\u2019 rise up the depth chart has mostly come while Walker has been off the field.<\/p>\n Otherwise, the starting lineup is pretty solidified. At defensive tackle, Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt have been treated like everyday starters. The same is true at defensive end with Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness. Safety is Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney, with Javon Bullard playing in the slot. Outside cornerback, with Hobbs out, is locked up by Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. The depth chart could shake up when Hobbs returns, as he played outside cornerback in two-cornerback sets and both outside cornerback and slot cornerback in nickel looks this summer, but this is what it\u2019s going to be until he comes back from injury.<\/p>\n New-but-old cornerback Corey Ballentine, a former starter who was picked back up by Green Bay earlier this week, made a pass breakup in his return to the team. According to Packer Report\u2019s Andy Herman<\/a>, he mostly worked with the third-team defense today.<\/p>\n The summer of Brandon McManus continues. The Packers kicker hit multiple 50-yard field goals today, though he did miss one. He\u2019s up to 44 makes on 46 attempts in training camp, per The Athletic\u2019s Matt Schneidman<\/a>.<\/p>\n