The Green Bay Packers held their fifth training camp practice on Monday and put the pads on for the first time.
The Packers’ most physical practice of the summer lasted 1 hour, 45 minutes with temperatures in the mid 70s.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly from practice No. 5.
THE GOOD
BIG DAY FOR TAYLOR: No. 2 quarterback Tyrod Taylor had a quiet first week of camp, throwing a bad interception to Benjamin St-Juste on Day 3 and largely settling for checkdowns.
Taylor celebrated his 37th birthday on Monday, though, with his best day of camp. Taylor hit Will Shepherd with a 60-yard bomb and floated a gorgeous ball to Bo Melton for 30 yards on a fade route.
“I think any time you get a chance to push the ball down the field, it’s a lot of fun,” Taylor said. “But it’s also about finding completions. Obviously, you want to push it down the field, but in training camp, it’s about going through your reads. I believe that you got to address the decision, not always look towards the results.
“Obviously, fans want to see big plays, but in this training camp phase, it’s about being brilliant at the basics of not necessarily getting bored with taking a three-yard completion or four-yard completion. It’s about consistently being able to go through the reads and get the ball to the right person, and taking advantage of those down the field throws when there’s opportunity to push them and stuff.”
The Packers lost the NFL’s top backup quarterback when Malik Willis signed a free agent deal with Miami in March. Taylor, who’s 30-31-1 as a starter during his 16-year career, believes he can still help a team win games.
“I’m just going out there and playing ball,” Taylor said. “Obviously, training camp and OTAs, those are times where you continue to gain as much knowledge, get more comfortable. Day in and day out, coaches are putting us in situations that require us to not only think fast but be efficient. Those are the challenges each and every day is to go out and execute at a high level. I think that’s been the main the goal and I think I’m doing a good job of it and I’m going to continue to keep improving.”
GOLDEN BOY: Second-year wideout Matthew Golden was terrific last summer, then had a quiet regular season with 29 receptions and no touchdowns.
He’s been even better this training camp and was extremely productive again Monday. Golden caught three balls working the middle on the field and had another big gainer after catching a pass in the flat.
“I feel like I’m dangerous inside and out,” Golden said. “I feel confident with what I could do outside, and you know, obviously, just being comfortable with my hands, man. I feel like I could grab the ball anywhere Jordan places it, and you know, that’s something that I’ve always been big on is making contested catches, and you know I feel like I got that I got that pretty good. So I feel confident inside and out.”
Golden, Green Bay’s first round draft pick in 2025, arrived with a solid knowledge of the route tree. He said he’s even more comfortable running the full route tree now, which has allowed him to make plays all over the field.
“I know I’m doing everything the right way,” Golden said. “I’m understanding the schemes and you know just what the defense is throwing at us right now in practice. And I think that just go back to the communication me and Jordan have on the sideline and you know before we go out there on the field, is just talking and communicating and just seeing things on the same page.”
JAGER BOMB: Packers fifth round draft pick Jager Burton practiced for the first time after suffering an opening day hamstring injury.
Burton, who has the versatility to play all three interior positions, worked primarily at left guard with the No. 2 offensive line.
Burton said if there was a game last week, he would have played. At this time of the year, though, the Packers and Burton weren’t taking any chances.
“Just kind of like a weird deal,” Burton said of his injury. “I slid out and tried to catch myself and just kind of felt it. So, yeah, just kind of like an unlucky thing.”
Burton had an impressive spring and could certainly be a factor this season. While Green Bay’s starters along the offensive line appear set, Burton wants to show he can contribute if and when he’s needed.
“I just want to make our room as good as it can be,” Burton said. “If that’s me playing, if that’s me pushing guys … at the end of the day, they brought me here to help them win football games or whatever role that is. So that’s what I want to do. That’s all I care about is winning games and making the Packers the best team possible. So whatever they need me to do to do that, I’ll do.”
ANOTHER GEAR: Green Bay third-year running back MarShawn Lloyd, who’s played in just one game his first two seasons due to injury, showed off his quickness and burst with a handful of impressive runs.
Lloyd had some large lanes to run through, and took full advantage.
“Really good running lanes,” Lloyd said. “Our O-line has been doing a great job. They’ve done a great job of one play at time and doing their job. It’s been pretty good.”
REAL FOOTBALL: The Packers practiced in pads for the first time this camp, and head coach Matt LaFleur emphasized safety with his team.
“I mean, it’s always team first, and you got to protect each other,” LaFleur said. “But obviously, this is our first opportunity to come together in pads and just went over the rules of engagement in terms of how we thud and what that looks like.”
THIS AND THAT: Xavier McKinney intercepted an overthrown Jordan Love pass intended for Jayden Reed. … Christian Watson whipped Keisean Nixon on an inside slant and raced for what would have been at least a 30-yard gain. … Skyy Moore worked as the No. 1 punt returner. … With cornerback Carrington Valentine out (leg), rookie Brandon Cisse lined up in his spot with the No. 1 defense. Cisse would have had a sack of Jordan Love on a corner blitz. … Rookie defensive lineman Anthony Campbell continued his impressive streak of knocking down a pass every day, batting down a ball from No. 4 quarterback Kyron Drones. … Tackle Brant Banks (hamstring) returned to practice.
THE UGLY
SMACK DOWN: It’s been a rough start to camp for rookie kicker Trey Smack.
Smack, the Packers’ sixth round draft pick from Florida, was 5-of-8 on field goals Monday and is now 8-of-13 overall.
Smack was wide right from 33 yards, hit the left upright from 52, and missed badly to the right from 55.
Smack also made kicks from 33, 40, 43, 48 and 51.
“I hit the ball well today,” Smack said. “I thought I hit the ball well. Those mis-hits, those are just mis-hits that happen. But if you hit the ball, they usually go in.”
Green Bay has tried Anders Carlson, Brayden Narveson, Brandon McManus and Lucas Harvisik at kicker since the start of 2023. Smack knows he’s under a microscope in the fishbowl that is Green Bay, and has deleted all social media except Instagram.
“Yeah, social media’s gone for me,” Smack said. “Yeah, I don’t have social media. You know, I just kind of go about like one day at a time, not really worry about (what) anybody else thinks. It’s just kind of my job, you know. That’s what I signed up for.”