• Wednesday’s Training Camp Report and Pictures

  Filed under Packers Training Camp Pictures, Training Camp Report
  Jul 31

  While I was gone yesterday a lot supposedly happened (Brett Favre was supposedly bribed). I am not going to talk about that since at this point I really don’t care anymore. Brett Favre is not currently on the team so I don’t care. I am going to focus on where the team is right now since that is all we can go one right now. For those of you who didn’t see yesterday I went up to Green Bay for training camp practice. I overall enjoyed the experience but there were some things that upset me as well (more on those later). I also got to check out the Tailgate Zone so check out my review that is coming soon (either later today or tomorrow). So you are probably thinking lets just get onto the practice already. I guess I have rambled long enough so here are my observations from practice.

  • Aaron Rodgers looks sharp. When Aaron Rodgers is on the top of his game he looks like he will be a great QB. He seems to have already developed a chemistry with all of the receivers. He also seems to have command over the huddle. If you are doubting Rodgers arm strength or accuracy there is no need to since what I saw he looks great in both aspects. In one drill the QBs practiced trying to throw the football in a really small net. Rodgers actually got the ball in the net once (it drew a standing ovation from the fans) and every other pass was really close. Rodgers made some mistakes (2 INTs) but Favre has thrown plenty of INTs in training camp in the past. While other people might be worried about Rodgers taking over, after watching him I am not worried anymore.
  • Packer fans should be concerned about the other two QBs though. At this point Brohm and Flynn both need a lot of work. They both have their own unique problem. Flynn has big problems with overthrowing and underthrowing passes. Brohm has serious INT problems. Both will need to get over their problems. At this point if either of them have to start we are in serious trouble.
  • Brandon Jackson is really starting to show that we might not need Grant as much as people think we do. Jackson has looked great in both the mini camps and the OTAs. Why don’t we just say that he has improved A TON since the begining of last season. If he continues at the pace he is going, he will be a great speed back at either the #1 or #2 RB spot. His cuts are quick, his blocking has improved immensley, and his receiving has improved as well. Mark it down that Jackson will have a pretty big impact for the Packers this season.
  • Other than Brandon Jackson there isn’t a whole lot to say about the RB position. Morency simply doesn’t look that good (I think he will be cut). Wynn looks faster this season but who knows if he will be able to stay healthy. Herron is his average self (nothing spectacular but nothing great either). The unknown Kregg Lumpkin is interesting at this point. He showed great speed and made some nice plays. I doubt he will do enough to make the roster though.
  • At FB there isn’t really anything to say so I will just leave it at that.
  • At WR I don’t have much to talk about either. Driver, Jennings, and Jones all look great. You can tell that Rodgers is growing a chemistry with all of them. Ruvell Martin is also looking great and is making it hard for the Packers to cut him. The rumors about Jordy Nelson essentially catching everything in sight are true. At this point he is far from flashy but he does his job and makes few mistakes. After the top five there isn’t a whole lot to say. Brett Swain redeemed himself with a couple nice catches and Taj Smith also had a couple nice catches. At this point I would be surprised if there is a change at the WR position when the final roster is decided.
  • The TE position was actually pretty interesting. Donald Lee was Donald Lee so there isn’t much to say about him. From there it gets pretty interesting. Jermichael Finley showed really good hands but he really needs to work on his blocking and getting off the line when he is pressed. Tory Humphrey makes some good plays but those are offset by some terrible plays. Joey Haynos looks like a solid option. He doesn’t make mistakes but he doesn’t really do anything special either. The TE I was impressed with most was Evan Moore. How Evan Moore is playing right now he is going to make the roster. If a ball is thrown in Evan Moore’s direction you know he is going to catch it even if he can only do it with one hand. Evan Moore has amazing hands and all I can wonder is how in the world was this guy not drafted. I think Evan Moore is the gem of training camp this season. While I don’t know how good he is at blocking, if Evan Moore continues to impress like he has been he is going to make the roster and he is going to have an impact on the team as a deep threat and a threat in the end zone. At this point I probably would say Evan Moore is the second best TE on the roster.
  • If you don’t already know, I am far from an O-Line expert. I have always had trouble gauging O-Line play. Saying this I don’t have much to say about the O-Line play. Barbre got the start in the practices and he looked pretty good. The one thing I noticed was that he is really strong and he can get a good push on other players so he could be very good in creating holes for the running game. At this point I think Barbre is going to get the starting job.
  • On the D-Line I don’t have a whole lot to say either. Kampman was the force that he has been for the last couple of years. Jenkins did well on both the outside and inside. Jolly played well on the inside (hopefully he won’t be suspended). Jeremy Thompson pretty much showed that he was a rookie. He made a couple big plays but he also was stuffed on plenty of plays as well. Montgommery was the same way in that he tipped a pass but couldn’t get barely any pressure on the QB.
  • Overall the linebacking play was very good. You can tell that the linebackers are going to have more big plays this season. Barnett has shown that he is ready for the season since he decked Korey Hall on one play. The linebackers had several INTs and fumbles so I would be surprised if we don’t see more big plays out of the LB position.
  • There wasn’t a whole to come out of the CB position. Al Harris and Charles Woodson both look like they are in great shape and are already ready for the season. Tramon Williams was hurt so I sadly can’t tell you how well he is playing. Blackmon had two good practices with at least one pick. None of the other CBs really stood out though.
  • As far as the safety position is concerned I really have nothing to report except that Rouse didn’t finish the practice (with some minor injury).
  • Surprisingly I do have a few things to say about the special teams. I have nothing to say about the long snapping position (most people probably wouldn’t care either). Jon Ryan is looking quite sharp. He is booming punts left and right with great hangtime as well. He really needs to work on his inside the 20 though since he is way overkicking the ball in those situations. Mason Crosby struggled in the morning practice but I really wouldn’t worry about it.

  Other tidbits on the Training Camp Visit:

  • The media coverage is pretty bad. Essentially every news station in Wisconsin appeared to be there. At least they didn’t reallly bother anyone. I do think my backside was filmed though for the news as I was trying to get autographs.
  • The Tailgate Zone is actually pretty cool but it could use a little work as well (more on this later when I take a closer look at the Tailgate Zone).
  • As far as autographs go I was kind of disappointed. Less players seemed to sign and if they did they seemed to sign less autographs. This just might have been a bad day but I was still disappointed. Notable players that signed included: Greg Jennings (he did a lot more than I was expecting), James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Matt Flynn, AJ Hawk, Brian Brohm, Brandon Jackson (has always been great for autographs), Tramon WIlliams, Jon Ryan, Mason Crosby, Brandon Chillar, Will Blackmon, Justin Harrell (signed a TON), Jarrett Bush, Jeremy Thompson, Corey Hall, Daryn Colledge, Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Cullen Jenkins, and Tony Moll. I personally got Jarrett Bush, JJ Jansen, Matt Flynn, Jermichael Finley, Cullen Jenkins, Mason Crosby, Jon Ryan, and Daryn Colledge. I also got all four alumni autographs Bill Schroeder, Bryce Paup, Lynn Dickey, and Eric Torkelson (don’t worry I didn’t know who he was at first either).
  • Donald Driver needs to really stop buffing his head since it reflects the sun right into the crowd’s eyes (see the picture below).
  • As far as the support for Favre at camp is going I think he is starting to really lose support. Besides the Bring Back Brett Favre.com people I didn’t find a whole lot of support for his drive. From what I can tell most people are just as sick of the situation as I am. If I had to guess what the fans are thinking (based on who I encountered) probably 60-70% is on Thompson’s side. I don’t know why Favre thinks he has so much power since his fans are starting to turn on him pretty quickly. At this point I think he should be happy with just competing for the starting spot or sitting on the bench.

  Since I wouldn’t give you a training camp report without some pictures here they are and remember to check back since I will be going to at least one more training camp practice:
  

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  Tagged as: Packers Pictures, Packers Training Camp, Packers Training Camp Pictures, Packers Training Camp Report
  

3 Responses to “Wednesday’s Training Camp Report and Pictures”

1. Packerholic On the Scene! | Cheesehead TV said on August 1st, 2008 at 9:01 am

   [...] to Eric Mortensen for his new Packer blog ‘Packerholic‘ and his amazingly detailed post about Wednesday’s practice. Eric, it would seem, is ready to talk a little football and leave the soap opera [...]

2. 

   nunobow said on August 1st, 2008 at 12:19 pm

   Hi Eric.

   Tons of kudos to you from Denmark, Europe.

   More detailed TC observations would be hard to find imo.

   Thanks for that - and thanks for the nice photo series, which is also really nice for a danish cheesehead without possibility of observing anything “over there”.

   I just found your site today (through Cheesehead TV, thanks Aaron!) and it is now bookmarked.

   Keep up the good work!

   /nunobow

3. 

   admin said on August 1st, 2008 at 12:51 pm

   Welcome to the site. As far as training camp report I am glad that you enjoyed it. I will be having at least one more and probably two since I am planning on going to Green Bay not next week but sometime the next week.

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