Official 2016 Packers Training Camp master thread

I think this D is going to be a lot more hybrid than in the past. I saw Clay with his hand in the dirt twice today. Datone looks noticeably slimmer, not small though, built more like Peppers. I think it's helped his pass rush though, he looked quicker more comfortable playing on the edge. 

The interior D looks smaller, but more active and physical. Kenny Clark is built like Mike Daniels...shorter, more compact and athletic looking rather than a big fatty NT. I love this kid Dememtris Anderson from UCF, he did some things today in one on ones and in team...tossed an OL on the ground more than once. 

I didn't realize Clark was a stubby. 

Grave Digger posted:

I think this D is going to be a lot more hybrid than in the past. I saw Clay with his hand in the dirt twice today. Datone looks noticeably slimmer, not small though, built more like Peppers. I think it's helped his pass rush though, he looked quicker more comfortable playing on the edge. 

The interior D looks smaller, but more active and physical. Kenny Clark is built like Mike Daniels...shorter, more compact and athletic looking rather than a big fatty NT. I love this kid Dememtris Anderson from UCF, he did some things today in one on ones and in team...tossed an OL on the ground more than once. 

Good catch...looks like the perfect under the radar guy...from Ft. Pierce FL, just down the road from me... Kahlil Mack is from there as well.

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Packers.com

The Green Bay Packers signed DT Demetris Anderson on May 9, 2016.

Anderson, 24, began his career playing 10 games for Western Michigan as a freshman before transferring to Central Florida, where he started 24 of 26 games played as a redshirt sophomore and junior. He missed all of the 2015 season due to a knee injury. Anderson was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in both 2013 and 2014.

I could actually see something like that happening.

Never a shortage of stupid guys in sports media. 

Larry's three things is a pretty good daily segment at packers.com

1. Peppers "oldschooled" Sprigg's a little bit today getting around the edge on him. Understandable...more of a tip of the hat comment to a vet that still has it.

2. Cosby looks solid.

3. Ha Ha Dix came across the middle in  a blur to absolutely paste Janis today.

Mike Clemens Audio

Rookie Martinez enjoying reps with starters in the dime

God almighty...please give us an ILB that can cover.

It will be just our luck...then he gets deported in November...j/k  ;-)

Anybody at camp got any info on how Fackrell is doing?  Have not seen much from anybody. 

FLPACKER posted:

Never a shortage of stupid guys in sports media. 

And most of them aren't former athletes. 

Herschel posted:

New Toy/Speedsters are also getting lined up in the slot more to help them avoid press coverage. 

Why couldn't the Packer coaches do that last year?  

 Looks like I spoke too soon on Peter King's trip to Green Bay. In this interview he says he has a feature on Rodgers that should be coming out tomorrow.

oldschool posted:

titmfatied posted:

Looks like we have a new contender for the worst nickname in club history:

Free agent LaDarius Gunter, the third rookie, was active 50 percent of the time and played only 39 snaps. When the Packers concluded offseason workouts six weeks ago, Whitt called it almost dead even among the three.

“‘Gunt’ came out of (2015) preseason playing better than the other two,” Whitt said. “Some things that kept him from being up were special-teams things that I think we have addressed now."

-McGinn preview of the secondary

 

 

Mike Hunt and Cleditus, please report to customer service.

 

...your party of Clinton-Dix, and Fackrell is ready

Ha Ha is about to make the Nick Collins leap. He's my sleeper for the guy that becomes all world in Green Bay in 2016. 

Agree completely.

So does Morgan Burnett.

ammo posted:

Anybody at camp got any info on how Fackrell is doing?  Have not seen much from anybody. 

It's still early in camp, but Fackrell looks like he's still adapting, same for Dean Lowry and Jason Spriggs. He's shown athleticism off the edge and hustle, but I saw him get beat twice in coverage, once against Rodgers and once against Perillo, so he has some things to improve on. That's in contrast to the Stanford boys (Martinez/Murphy) who look very comfortable and natural out there. Murphy had a nasty bout in 1 on 1's against #93 Gilbert where he flat out tossed Gilbert to the ground as a RT. He's a guy I could see being a Mark Tauscher type...nothing particularly exciting about him but he gets the job done.

Kenny Clark looked the most comfortable and rotated with Guion with the 1's in addition to Pennell and Daniels as the interior. He's definitely got the bull rush down, saw him whip a couple OL with that. 

If Ha Ha and Morgan become what Nick and Morgan were about to become. 

Thanks Ted. 

The DBs finished the day in front of us with a drill where they pitted a Safety against a CB. One guy caught a fastball ball from the juggs machine and then the next guy stood in front of him and caught one. They kept moving up until someone dropped it. HaHa never dropped it and got right in front of the juggs machine twice. Loved what he's been doing this week overall though. HaHa has been vocal and he's been flying around the field making plays.

Another guy who looks very comfortable is this ILB #45 Pikula. Looks short and squatty out there but he really flies around. I've noticed him more than Bradford. Probably a PS guy. 

#31 Robertson Daniel seems very likely to earn a roster spot IMO. Kind of a LaDarius Gunter clone...tall, lanky, good instincts. 

Any Jayrone Elliott sightings?

More on playing Burnett as a hybrid S/LB:

6:20 PM ET
Rob Demovsky
ESPN Staff Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Morgan Burnett wouldn’t say what the position is called -- or even what defensive package the Green Bay Packers were in -- but anyone who saw what he did Thursday at practice could tell he wasn’t playing his traditional strong safety spot.

He looked more like a linebacker.

Just don’t compare him to Arizona’s Deone Bucannon, who plays a hybrid safety-linebacker position that the Cardinals have renamed the dollar linebacker.

Morgan Burnett insists he's still a safety, but admits defensive coordinator Dom Capers is doing some tinkering. Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports
“I’m still a safety,” Burnett insisted after Thursday’s practice.

He offered little else about what appears to be a new role in either the nickel or dime defense, depending on what defensive coordinator Dom Capers calls it.

“I feel where you’re coming from,” Burnett said. “But I can’t give anything away.”

The only true inside linebacker on the field in that package was rookie Blake Martinez, who not only appears to be on track for a starting job but as the third-down backer as well. But there was Burnett in the same vicinity, near where the second inside linebacker would play if Capers had called his nickel defense.

“It’s still early; nobody’s position is set right now,” Burnett said. “I just think we’re at the point now where everyone in our safety room is versatile and can move around and play different spots. It’s all about learning each other’s role and being interchangeable and understanding each other’s position and thought process. By doing that, you get moved around a little bit, but it’s up to the coaches to where things are going to be set. Right now, I’m just doing what’s asked of me.”

The 6-foot-1, 209-pound Burnett might seem a little small to play like a linebacker, but Bucannon is the same height and only a couple of pounds heavier.

“We’re two different players; we’re in two different schemes,” Burnett said. “I don’t know the Arizona defensive scheme. I know here, just as a safety you’ve got to be interchangeable, you’ve got to be able to play deep, you’ve got to be able to play in the box. Sometimes you’ve got to go out against the No. 2 receiver and play man to man. Just moving around in these practices gives you the opportunity to work on your technique because you never know during the course of a game what type of position you’re going to be put in.”

Entering his seventh NFL season, Burnett has as much experience as anyone in the Packers’ secondary and should know the defense inside and out regardless of where he plays.

Burnett wouldn’t be the first safety the Packers have experimented with in a linebacker-type position. They discussed a similar role last season for Sean Richardson before a neck injury ended his season and perhaps his career.

“I think it’s a primary position in the National Football League,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said without specifically being asked about Burnett in that role. “I talk about the importance of attacking the middle of the field, but also defending it. Obviously you have to have as many hybrid, to use the term, players that are big enough to play run defense in there, but also are athletic enough to handle the players that are attacking the middle of the field. I think it’s a position that you can’t have enough of.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-...s-use-deone-bucannon

Don't forget Dom had CWood basically playing a hybrid CB/LB in 21's salad days. Morgan's no Woodson but the guy's a great box safety.

So who slides into the safety spot vacated by Burnett if he deploys as a dime LB? Candidates would be Hyde, Banjo.

Yeah Elliot has been the primary backup to Matthews. The depth chart I've seen so far has been:

CB: Shields/Randall/Rollins, Gunter, Daniel, Dorleant, other young guys

LOLB: Perry/Peppers, Datone, McCray

DE: Daniels, Anderson/Lowry, Kuder

NT: Guion/Clark, Price

DE: Pennell, Ringo

ROLB: Matthews, Elliot,  Fackrell, Gilbert

ILB: Martinez, Ryan, Thomas, Bradford, Pikula (no Barrington)

S: Burnett/HaHa/Hyde (lot of 3 Safety looks with Hyde as deep man), Banjo, Whitehead

Offense has been:

QB: Rodgers, Hundley, other two

RB: Lacy, Starks, Crockett, others rotate a lot

FB: Ripkowski, haven't noticed Squirewell

WR: Cobb/Adams/Janis, Abby, Davis, Williams, Allison (no Nelson/Monty)

TE: Rodgers, Perillo/Backman, others (no Cook)

LT: Bahk, Spriggs

LG: Sitton, Walker

C: Tretter, Barclay, Rotherham (no Linsley)

RG: Taylor, Murphy, Patrick

RT: Bulaga, Murphy, James

Nothing earth shattering as far as depth chart. Still pretty early, but it's fairly obvious who the main 35-45 are with a couple of depth players who may sneak in. 

Anything on safety #29 Brice? He got some attention in OTAs for his athleticism. 

Haven't noticed him specifically stand out. Doesn't mean he hasn't stood out though, practice is spread out all over the field so you miss some position groups. 

Saw some video of Anderson beating Rotherham. Looks like he has made the biggest early "splash" of the UDFAs

I don't think beating Rotherham is exactly a splash but having a active guy that isn't getting beat by scrubs is a good thing.

Thanks for the updates Grave Digger.  Did you notice if they're still using the 'get low' steel frame contraption for the lineman?

The information coming out of practices from twitter has been sparse at best.  To be fair the rain made it tough for the reporters to use their phones yesterday and lord knows if they have new restrictions about what they can and can't tweet imposed on them by the Packers this year. 

Wes Hodkiewicz moving to the Packer site is almost like losing another set of eyes on practice.  I think it's natural he'll be focused on it more from an 'official Packer' perspective than one with a critical, honest eye.  He's making great content over there, but the local papers lost one of the sharper guys to essentially do public relations for the Packers.   

ESPN is doing this weird thing where they (I'm assuming) make Rob Demovsky put out half tweets with the rest linking to the espn site. I suppose to drive up clicks and page views.  Clunky is about the kindest way I can describe it.  I feel bad for the guy if it was forced on him.    

Then you have Wilde.  The 40% of the time he's focused on the Packers it's fantastic.  The rest of the time he's fiddling around with what song is playing during the practice breaks, henpecking fans for their behaviour, and reporting about Rob Demovsky reporting.  

/mediarant/whine (it should get better as camp moves along)

Ted, the coordinators, and other coaches are having press conferences today. Will post summaries should they become available.

Here's Ted:

Thompson: "We're starting a new year and we're playing for a championship"

By Ryan Wood

Green Bay — The following is a summary of general manager Ted Thompson's first press conference of training camp:

On value of versatile linebackers like Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers: Well, you should never say my name and those two names in the same sentence. It’s part of the evolution of the game, I think. It’s part of the evolution of defense. Because offenses do certain things, and then defenses have to react to that. In some cases, it’s hard to get all you want, because it’s difficult to find a player who has the athletic characteristics to justify that.

On hybrid safety movement in the NFL: That’s a perfect example. There are teams that have done some of that in the past. A lot of times it depends on your personnel. Sometimes, writing about it and talking about it and things, it’s really an effort just like nickel and dime, you want to put as many of your best players on the field at the same time.

On whether Packers have personnel to join hybrid safety movement: Sure.

On whether team is in position to win Super Bowl: My thinking is always the same. We’re starting a new year, and we’re playing for a championship, and we’re trying to win this championship. That’s the way it was last year and the year before and the year before. Whether they verbalize it or not, I think everybody wants to win. You can say what I say, you can maybe think you jinx yourself, but this is a good football team. I think they know where they are in the grand scheme of things. They’ve been in the playoffs and competed at a high level, and I don’t think it’s a misstatement to say we want to win the whole thing.

On Favre trade: He [Ron Wolf] wanted me to watch him. So he left me in a dark room, and I watched some of him. He asked, ‘What do you think?’ I said, ‘Well, what do you think?’ He said, ‘I’m thinking about trading a No. 1 for him.’ I said, ‘I think you ought to do that.’ I hadn’t been around Ron very long, but I’ve been around him long enough to know he wanted an answer that was tilted in a certain direction.

On Favre entering Hall of Fame while being on good terms with Packers: I think it’s important for the organization and the player to be in a good place. For me, it’s a selfish thing. Like I’ve said before, we never had a crossed word, and still haven’t. But circumstances put us all in situations that we were uncomfortable with, and I think that happens in life. I think life throws you curveballs.

On difficulty of finding a QB: We have always said this, we’ve been remarkably fortunate with this franchise to have the two that we’ve got.

On whether Thompson will attend Favre ceremony: We’re hoping to. People are working night and day to try to pull off the logistics of all of it. We certainly are hoping to make it, and we think we will. By hook or by crook, that’s the plan.

On close playoff losses: I’ve been reading that in the press recently. I think you always go through a checklist of things, how do we do on this, how do we do on that. But I hasn’t been a grand design of what we have to do to push this over. Bum Phillips, when we came back from Pittsburgh and lost another AFC championship game, all the people in Houston came to the Astrodome to welcome us back. This is after losing an AFC championship game. They had a stage, so Bum goes up and talks to the people. I think his thing is, last year we knocked on the door. This year, we beat on the door. Next year, we’re going to knock that SOB in. Bless his heart, we didn’t do that. I think the next year, Cleveland won that conference. I think you try to get ready every year to try to win. We’re playing in the NFL and make no mistake into thinking this is an easy deal. This is a tough deal.

On whether luck plays role in close playoff losses: I think there’s good fortune to be had, making a 50-footer in the championship in the US Open. You have to be pretty good to be in the US Open and have the change to make that putt, but you made a 50 footer. Even if you’re a good putter, I think that would be considered somewhat lucky.

Tit, I have seen them use the get low steel frame thing. 

The rain wasn't bad yesterday. It only lasted maybe 30/45 minutes at the beginning of practice. It ended and didn't rain the rest of the time. One thing I've noticed is that the team is doing more stuff, including 11 on 11, on the opposite end from the Resch Center. Sideline guests and media aren't allowed that far down, so I bet they're missing more stuff. They used to switch sides every day, but they've exclusively been on the north side of Nitschke field so far. 

More from today's press availabilities:

Key comments from Packers’ assistant coaches

Posted by Mike Spofford on July 29, 2016 – 11:45 am

GREEN BAY — A number of the Packers’ assistant coaches took questions on Friday in the Lambeau Field media auditorium. Here’s a rundown of several key comments from each coach who spoke:

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers
(on introducing Kevin Greene next week for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame)

“It’s been 12 years, a lot of time where he was disappointed. I couldn’t’ be happier for him. Kevin to me represents all the things you want in a Hall of Famer — great work ethic, passion and love for the game, great consistency. He played 15 years in this league and 10 of them he had 10 plus sacks. He brought that energy and enthusiasm into the locker room every Sunday, and when he came here, he brought that to coaching.”

“As a head coach you always worried if you have the right things to say before a game, but I never had to worry about that because Kevin would have that locker room so wired up before we took the field.”

(on Blake Martinez)

“A very mature young man. He’s obviously bright. He’s been all business. All four of our draft picks on defense have been all business. Those guys have come in from Day 1, and I don’t see any screwing around in the meeting room. I like their approach. They’ve done all the things right to this point in time.”

Offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett
(on Jordy Nelson’s recovery)

“The type of work ethic he’s displayed over his whole career, I see him putting everything eh has into it. That’s the way he goes about his business. You talk about being a true pro, that’s Jordy Nelson. When he steps back on the practice field, he’ll be ready to play.”

(on Eddie Lacy)

“I love way he’s working. He’s doing the little things. I see him finishing, carrying out his runs all the way to the end zone. He brings a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm, and we’re excited where Eddie’s starting right now.”

Special teams coordinator Ron Zook
(on how the reps for punters Tim Masthay and Peter Mortell will be split up in the preseason games)

“I’m not sure. Mike hasn’t talked to me about how he wants to do that. Obviously they’re going to both kick in game situations. Tim’s been in a lot of games, so we need to see Peter punt in front of people. Sunday night, with a full house (for Family Night), it’s not a game, but those kinds of situations are good to see how they handle the pressure.”

(on punt returns after a step back statistically in 2015)

“It’s really become a big emphasis for us in the offseason and in camp, as was kickoff return for us last year. We haven’t changed a lot of scheme, but we’ve really fine-tuned the techniques and put a lot more time on it. It’s a phase we have told them we have to get a lot better at.”

Associate head coach/offense Tom Clements
(on backup QB Brett Hundley)

“We like to get our quarterbacks to be masters of the system, and he’s not there yet, but he’s working toward that. He wants to do well. He’s watching Aaron, asks Aaron questions about how he reads certain things, his footwork on certain things. He wants to learn.”

(on TE Jared Cook)

“He came here, he was wanting to be a Packer and wanting to play with Aaron. Unfortunately he had the injury. He was doing very well before he got the injury, and he’s learning his position, learning the system, and it will be nice to get him back out there. He’s got great talent and he should be helpful to us.”

Offensive line coach James Campen
(on the adjustments for draft picks Jason Spriggs and Kyle Murphy)

“Just handling the speed of the game. It’s a lot different. The get-offs are a lot different. Both these young men, along with Josh James, another rookie, they’re in a lucky situation where they have some very, very good and talented edge rushers they get to practice against.”

Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt
(on whether Hundley is challenging himself to make tougher throws)

“I would hope he would not try to do more than he can do. He’s not challenging himself to make throws he shouldn’t be making. He’s making good decisions. Some of the good throws he makes are part of the progression and his growth as a player. I’m excited to see him in the preseason, if he can continue the success he had last year.”

(on the communication in the meeting rooms)

“If you see something, say something. That’s our approach this year. We all want to get on the same page right away.”

Wide receivers coach Luke Getsy
(on Trevor Davis’ early impression)

“Since the day he got here, does a great job of attacking everything, he works really hard in the classroom, it matters a lot to him, he wants to do good not just for himself but for this football team, he wants to learn as much as he can from Aaron and from me, he’s a sponge right now, and it’s paying off for him.”

(on Davante Adams)

“He’s come back with a fire behind him … There’s a fire lit inside of him, and he’s ready to rock and roll, but he has to grow every single day.”

Tight ends coach Brian Angelichio
(on if Richard Rodgers losing weight will affect his blocking)

“I don’t know if there’s a weight where you say if a guy weighs this, he’s a good blocker. To me it’s about quickness, explosion, snap count. They come in all different sizes.”

Running backs coach Ben Sirmans
(on if he’s seeing the Eddie Lacy he wants to see)

“Just looking at yesterday, with us being in pads, he had a couple of runs where we see him press the hole, get right on top of the offensive linemen, and then take off with a burst. He did that on a screen pass the other day, too.”

“The biggest thing I notice, starting off in the classroom, he answers all the questions I throw at him. When a guy has a lot of pride in his craft, usually he’s going to give you everything he has. I think he’s a lot smarter than people think in terms of his football IQ. It’s pretty high.”

Posted in Packers.com Blog

Grave Digger posted:

I've noticed him more than Bradford. Probably a PS guy. 

 

Shocked a PS guy is making more noise then super developer Bradford.  Cut this turd loose.

PIcking up right where he left off...unfortunately. 

Packersnews.com

THUMBS DOWN

It’s a crowded field at wide receiver with 12 players jousting for what was five roster berths in eight of the last nine years. Looking to bounce back from an awful season,Davante Adams is off to a spotty start. At 6-1 and 215, Adams is a big receiver. But size is a detriment if a player can’t separate from defenders. That’s what was happening to Adams on three plays. In a play-action period, he dropped a crossing route with a defensive back in his back pocket. In a blitz period, Adams tried to make another contested catch with Quinten Rollins all over him. From here, it looked like a catch and lost fumble after Rollins stripped the ball out. Finally, in a normal down-and-distance period, Aaron Rodgers took a very deep drop and hurled the ball about 50 yards to Adams. Adams, however, was unable to get away from Morgan Burnett and the pass fell incomplete.

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Gunt!

BITS AND PIECES

» CB LaDariusGunter made three big plays. He broke hard on a flat pass to John Crockett, sliced in from the slot to tackle Brandon Ross for minus-3 and sackedBrett Hundley on a stealthy interior blitz.

"crowded field at wide receiver with 12 players"

"on three plays"

3 plays? That's enough. Cut him now!

If I recall, earlier this week the word was: "Once again, like last year, so far Davante Adams looks very good."

Is that comment from Davante looking in the mirror?

But size is a detriment if a player can’t separate from defenders. That’s what was happening to Adams on three plays.

Color me un-worried.

I think we'll find most WR's in the NFL can't separate from our DB's.

Hungry5 posted:

If I recall, earlier this week the word was: "Once again, like last year, so far Davante Adams looks very good."

Oh you mean in shorts, catching balls thrown from a step ladder?

Yup...he lit that part up. Looked very good as you say. 

Janis on the other hand...almost single handedly carried our offense, in a playoff game, against the best NFL defense.

It's pretty easy to see whom has upside...and who is now practicing the same way he played with a downward trend to play making.

DB's have figured out DuhVante...and he's got no game to fight it with.

Janis is still all upside...he'll keep getting better at execution and you can't teach his speed and athleticism.

This really isn't that hard...pretty straight forward analysis right now.

It's kind of been beaten to death but worth repeating. Rollins ball skills and technique at corner are pretty remarkable for a guy that hasn't played a lot of football since high school. 

oldschool posted:

Oh you mean in shorts, catching balls thrown from a step ladder?

Yup...he lit that part up. Looked very good as you say. 

Janis on the other hand...almost single handedly carried our offense, in a playoff game, against the best NFL defense.

 

It's pretty easy to see whom has upside...and who is now practicing the same way he played with a downward trend to play making.

DB's have figured out DuhVante...and he's got no game to fight it with.

Janis is still all upside...he'll keep getting better at execution and you can't teach his speed and athleticism.

This really isn't that hard...pretty straight forward analysis right now.

Problem is the upside stops a mediocre ST contributor.  

"Single handedly carried the offense"

That's my favorite.  Wait, I lied.  "Conspiracy!" is my favorite.