Packers OTA 6/2/15

Packers OTA 6/2/15

Tipping my hat to an old friend EGF, here goes:

Another gorgeous day for practice, cool, crisp and sunny. Crowd sang Happy Birthday to Eddie Lacy to start, which was cool. Perry, Boyd, Neal, Montgomery and Vaughters look to be out. After stretching, players broke off into position groups, with OL v. DL drills highlighted.

Nice to get another up close look at both groups. Someone asked earlier about Tretter and Barclay, and I gave them both a longer look. Both seem larger, but difficult to compare, because everyone on this OL is either 2nd or 3rd year, or a truly massive rookie, like Ebbelle and Rotheram. Our OL looks really good physically, but not able to get much in shells with no pads.

As for the DL, I watched these guys ALOT today. It is difficult to get a read, because there is a ton of intensive instruction going on from coach Trgo. I have to preface DL work is a bit monotonous to watch in OTAs. Kind of like OL work. A lot of this stuff is half speed work to perfect technique. Then they will let it fly and it is over. Some players still make an impact when watching this stuff.

Khyri Thornton looks big. This is a massive wide body. He seemed to be moving well too, which was very good to see. Today was the best I have seen from Thornton these past two seasons in OTAs. Ringo is a guy who is getting a lot of attention from the coaches. He looks good. Most instruction on arm and hand use techniques, along with optional footwork techniques, which were kind of cool to watch. Quick, side hops in effect to gain position and leverage before a release to the QB or ball carrier.

Mike Daniels looks dynamite. Guion, Gaston and Pennel are mammoth. Pennel still requires work, but they are focusing on him too, and clearly see his potential. Datone looks good, as does Raji. All of these guys were really working hard through their drills. Now, this isn't pretty stuff. They are big. Hot day. Moving slow, getting hand movements, footwork, techniques down. I asked someone nearby what he thought of the DL, and he said "they're just a bunch of guys," which was fair given the lack of fire that I saw. Drills in shorts. Really have to take it for what it is.

The entire time I was watching DL drills, Eddie Lacy was behind them with a trainer working on nothing but conditioning. He did this the entire first half of practice. Thought that was interesting. He really does want to work on his speed and stamina. That is clear. Might have been a birthday gift from McCarthy, as I saw them both talking for quite a while at the half break of practice.

Got to watch QBs in their drill work as well as they were nearby, and I think many will like seeing Brett Hundley. He seemed to do very well, hitting the targets more often than not, and later showed a good grasp of the offense in working 11 on 11s and 7 on 7s. What a pick Ted made moving up to snare him in R5. Chicago ought to kick their own asses up and down for passing on this kid. He came in ready.

Fun exchange after the horn sounded signaling a break. Hundley called out to Datone Jones as all the groups were walking to the opposite side of the field, and rifled a bomb to him. Datone caught it, and fired a bomb right back to Hundley. This was fun to see, and really a recreation of a TD throw Hundley did throw to Datone Jones at UCLA two years ago.

Next was red zone drill, where James Starks made a really nice run up the middle for a score.  Davante Adams beautiful catch in the corner of the end zone for a score. Wow! Adams is looking like a total and complete stud. Just fantastic development from last year to this year. Pure confidence, and he is really dialed in with #12.

Backman nice out route to the right for another score. Weird, Backman is listed as 1" shorter and about 10 lbs lighter than Henry, but Backman just looks bigger. Our TE group is truly amazing. Richard Rodgers is bigger, and is catching everything as well as turning  upfield. Quarless looked very good, as always in practice. Personally, I love how he just goes to work. He is as solid as the day we won the Super Bowl with him. Perillo and Henry look good too. All of them made nice catches today, in bunches.

Raijon Neil also nice run up the middle for score. Blanchard made a beautiful QB draw up the middle for a score. Larry Pinkard also reached high on an out to the right for another TD. This kid is tough to ignore.

Two minute drill saw successful drive for TD with Rodgers at QB.  Adams handled Goodson most of the drive. Really handled him, for what I believe was 3 consecutive first downs. Nice pass from Rogers to Janis, of all people, in the back of the end zone on fourth down Janis looked far better today. He made some nice catches. Moving very well. This guy has amazing size and speed.

S Jean Fanor made a beautiful pick in the flat  on Hundley's first throw in the red zone drill.

I have to note here how difficult roster cuts will be at many position groups this year. I had that thought right after the red zone and two minute drills, and then numerous times throughout the day as I wandered back and forth between position groups. WR will be as tough as any. We have a ton of talent there. OL, LB, RB, TE stood out in this regard.

There was a pretty rigorous FG segment. Didn't get to see a lot, but when I did, Mason Crosby was kicking everything through the uprights. He looks very sharp with Tim Masthay holding for him most of the time. Ted Thompson was watching this all very closely. Must have to do with the rule changes on two point conversions, and possibility of changing holders with Cody Mandell competing with Masthay.

Other wide receivers of note: Number 11, Pinkard looks very, very good. He's tall, very smooth sure with in and out of his brakes. He just looks like he's got it - made a couple of nice the receptions. Blue made a nice grab. Abbrederis made a really nice catch on the sidelines. Good to see him working and performing well. I think they are keeping him out of the big stuff. But he did fine in 7 on 7 and unit drills that I saw. Also saw Coxson make a nice outstretched snare of a deep throw by Tolzien.

At LB, Peppers, Mulumba, Elliott, Rasco and Hubbard. Those are your pass rushers today, working exclusively in pass rush drills. All the other LBs were working exclusively on the inside in their own drills. Vaughters is out with Montgomery due to Stanford late finish and CBA rules.

Matthews again all day with ILB, starting alongside Barrington. Carl Bradford's fire has clearly returned. He was far and away the most inspired defender on the practice field, going all out. Ryan looks very strong. Dantzler forced a great fumble in an earlier drill.

Finally saw John Crockett. Had to really search him out, but I wanted to spend some time watching him. He looks pretty good, but oddly nondescript. I mean, he isn't a huge guy, isn't tall, isn't short. But you could tell he is hungry. Made two nice runs up the middle both for what would've been scores in unit drills.

Before I forget, CB and S drills had some nice results, outside of Blake dropping a couple throws rifled right at him at short distance. Rollins and Randall are stars here. These players look very good, incredibly fluid. Watched them both in two minute drills, with Randall starting outside and Rollins starting in the slot. Both of these guys can mirror receivers. Still, Randall couldn't stop the Rodgers-Adams connection for a 1st down. I thought Goodson struggled today.

Tay Glover-Wright made a couple of plays today. Ladarius Gunter looked like he came to play. I am liking this player quite a bit more than I thought I would. He seems really small in the hips, almost skinny. But Gunter can cover and is not afraid to get in there. Plus, he's 6-2.

Safeties worked separately. Micah Hyde worked exclusively with this group. Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett both made great plays on deep balls, intercepting them both in drills. Hyde too. Richardson is looking far improved over last year. He's a different guy, both in size and confidence. Good to see him make some plays. Banjo is a solid fighter. Still competing and making plays.

That's all I've got. If I can think of more I'll be sure to pass it along.