Personally, I think the Packers are so concerned about injuries they practice soft and it shows up in their readiness against teams which don't.

I'm assuming that if Love is well enough to play, he'll be capable of taking a snap under center.

T7Steve: The report I saw said he banged his left hand on the helmet of a Jet player on his last play in the game.

It’s only preseason but is there any coaching going on?

I’m less worried about his left thumb and more concerned with Love’s footwork affecting his mechanics and therefore his accuracy. Overall, the product we saw Saturday night will have little resemblance to the one in the opener. For those gravely disappointed, take heart: Policy is watching the same stuff you are.

Not sure what level you coached but yes that is good for youth and maybe up to the college level but these are professionals. A coach should not have to tell them to catch the ball. That is what they get paid to do. If they cannot catch the ball they are released.

I am leaning toward the WR decision is getting easier. Right now I believe Hardman and Doubs will be released. We all know why Hardman will probably be released as for Doubs it is a combination of injuries and drops.

There are no coincidences. The drops infected the Packer WR room last year. Ryan Mahaffey was a Packers Assistant OL coach for two years...and was promoted to WR coach last year.

The drops continue. So does Mahaffey. More status quo.

Coaching matters and can make positive changes in play behavior very quickly. So Hafley has done it for the D in general...and so far Covington seems to be getting results on the DL specifically.

I read somewhere that some Packer receivers have used juggling drills with tennis balls to help them catch better. Anyone know who and if they said it helped? In juggling in my youth, I'd vouch that it helps with hand-eye coordination, improved focus and concentration, peripheral vision, dexterity and ambidexterity and rhythm and timing -- all of which can only help with catching balls. I would think it would also break up the routine of simply using the jugs machine too. When juggling, you don't have time to 'think ahead' (as in start running before catching the ball first) which is perhaps the biggest reason receivers drop balls they should catch. There you go -- this and $3 will buy me an ice cream cone on this hot day...

I am starting to wonder if the drops is a product of practice and how we run our defense. We now know that players get punished for making hits during practice (Hobbs for example), so does this mean our WRs never have to worry about hits when catching the ball during practice? If so, doesn't this provide an unreal situation vs a game?

Next, we saw during the Jets preseason game that our WR coverage vs the Jets is completely different. It felt like the Jets WRs had a yard or two separation whereas our WRs had no space. So if we take this into practice, not only are our WRs not being hit, but may have a yard or two cushion compared to actual games. Isn't it possible that this difference from real game situations result in concentration issues and drops when they have no separation and need to think about the hit is about to happen as well?

Just a theory, but thinking that the way we practice could be causing some of our drop issues.

"With Colby Wooden looking so good, could they keep six DTs?"

Are you including edge rushers in that? If they keep more, it will be for ones that can do both, don't you think? If you put DT/edge together how many do they field in the 53? Combined there's a better chance, I think.

Wooden supposedly has had a "quiet" camp so far but played really well in the Jets game. I would like to see him get more assertive in practice too. The Packers may have a good problem at DT which is not something Packers have been able to say for a long time.

Both Hardman and Heath had drops as pass catchers, but Heath appeared to block well in the run game and Hardman less so. Hardman's calling card when he signed with the Packers was his kick and punt return prowess and he bombed at that against the Jets. I think Hardman did a lot more damage to his chances than Heath did.

The other factor working against Hardman (reported on ACP) is that as a vested vet, his contract ($1MM) is fully guaranteed on day one of the regular season. Heath is still on his rookie contract and has no such protection. When Watson returns, if will be highly likely that the sixth WR gets cut and it will be a cheaper to cut Heath than Hardman. Hardman needs to outperform Heath on the field because the cap issues favor Heath.

I wouldn't be surprised if it is only 3 TEs and 9 OL. Sims is falling behind Fitzpatrick at TE and (you are absolutely correct) there isn't a tenth OL worth keeping. Not even sure if the 8th and 9th OL worth keeping are currently on the roster.

It’s nice to see Morgan settling. He’s always had quick feet. However, is he credibly Walker good at this point? This is all that matters to me. If he’s not, is he better at G than Rhyan? Choices have consequences. If Morgan is not better than Walker then don’t compromise this year. If he’s better than Rhyan, don’t exacerbate that by restricting his chance to prove that (and also letting Rhyan focus on being the back up C).

I think the in camp decision to try to make Donovan Jennings a C on the fly had probably hindered his chance to concentrate on showing if he can just play G, as another example. It may have been a necessary short term gamble, but these decisions have ripples. Was it ever truly realistic for this year? If not it’s a negative.

We are now hitting the brief window when the young and less heralded get a chance to show us why they should get snaps/ make the roster/the PS. Enagbare seems to be making a strong statement, as may Wooden be. However, even at 300 pounds—still very light for a NT, are we really seriously expecting him to hold up in the run game in season? Is that realistic—history tells us that would be a standout achievement? If not, how does the overall makeup of the room need to change if he does make the team/earn a role?

A lot of players who can’t really get it done in season look great against only slightly less good opposition. Evaluators need to be realistic about interpretation of what we are seeing. That’s where good teams set themselves apart and poor ones set themselves up for disappointment. History is littered with often perennial camp and preseason standouts that never replicated it in season. The stars of a fictional reserve league.

Coaches often prefer players that do things reliably over those who just make a difference. Unfortunately, in a league like this, most often that suppresses overall talent and holds back youth. Too much of that and a team slides towards just not quite being able to do things.

Delay playing a guy who is good, just unpolished and you may cap the lows but also cal the highs. Look at Cooper last year as an extreme example: It’s a critical balance. Look at Hopper perhaps this (very early but as an example). Is Brooks really going to give you enough to justify not having Wilson behind Jacobs or a healthy Lloyd (even Johnson) off the field? Maybe, but maybe he just means we don’t look foolish or enables us to avoid other hard choices, such as whether we need a third offensive TE or just a darn good inline and lead blocker on game day.

I’m looking forward to the next couple of games. The football overall may well not be elevating, but we are going to see who wants it and who can elevate. Those are both our depth and sometimes our future. Both are important.

It’s only preseason, but is there any coaching going on MLF!)?

It’s only preseason, but is there any coaching going on MLF!)?

Rodgers arguably was partly responsible for devaluing the preseason in GB. For a decade he very openly thought it not worth his time or that of those he would be actually playing with, whether they were new to the line up or not. He clashed with MM and even early LaFleur on that, typically winning.

Blah blah.

Its only pre-season- But LaFleur better show up in his 7th year and learn how to win playoff games. He's had the players that the GM brought in. Time to show he's a great coach.

The only All-Pros in the lineup are the guys he hired as free agents in 2024, McKinney and Jacobs. 1st & 2nd round, Alabama guys. Cooper, inexplicably falling down to him in rd two, gives them a chance on another game-changing guy with complementary physical and mental skillsets. If he stays on his feet, he has a chance to be All-Pro.

Pre season is vanilla and one expects rust. There are no tactical, no scouting, no wrinkles. What one hopes for if starters are playing is sound technique, evidence of playing as units/timing with the QB and assignment reliability. Those underpin the regular season underneath the tactics and wrinkles. They are the foundation on which success is built.

Without them then inconsistency and underperformance comes. If they aren’t in place for veterans now, were they last year and when will they be as planning soon moved to opponents and the more tactical aspects of the game. If the veterans don’t have cohesion, how does a rookie or emerging player have a chance to succeed, particularly away from the skill positions?

I look at the Jets. They may well not be a good team this year, particularly on offense. They weren’t last year and now have a whole new coaching philosophy. However, I did see a team that has the basics in place on which to build for the season to the extent that their talent allows. That is not only the critical foundation for eventual growth but all one can ask of a coaching staff and players. Contrast that with how we looked, particularly on the offensive side.

The OL depth was a pretty serious concern for many of us this off-season, but it's starting to look like 1-7 are in decent shape. Walker is back and practicing, which gives them 4 playable tackles. They need at least one more IOL to step up. Donovan Jennings got some favorable snaps, but after him? If Monk proves to pretty much be a C-only guy, I think they'll cut him loose in favor of someone like Lecitus Smith who can play across the interior. I'm starting to think Williams is destined to stay on the PUP.

I agree: I think BG will be watching the waiver wire pretty closely.

Thumbs are the least of the worries. I used to "hope" someone would make a comment if they were going to thumb down, but it doesn't happen. I thumb up everything I've read (except Stockholder who I don't thumb either way) so I can come back and scroll thru quickly to see what's new. Maybe that's what someone does with the thumbs down?

Yeah. It is a gauntlet...and we will get an early read on the OL during September.

This OL is huge, averaging with Walker, Banks, Jenks, Rhyan and Tom...6' 5" and 317 lbs.

My concern is with how they are being coached. A move of MaHaffey back to OL coach and appoint Senior Assistant Luke Getsy to WR coach might make sense. It won't happen though...too much impact to the status quo.

That's why Al titled it, "It's Preseason But""

I get how you feel about preseason game preparation and on field performances as meaningless exercises. Fine.

Listening to post game pressers from LaFleur, Hafley, Bicassia, (didn't listen to Stenovich's Q&A), I can assure you they do not share your value of preseason games.

All three said they were surprised, embarrassed and disappointed how the team executed on O, STs and D. Hopeful their self scouts will provide improvement answers and a far better team effort on Saturday.

I'm sticking with a fake showing and gamesmanship. The Packers are throwing off the league by showing ineptness. Giving teams like the Lions a false sense of security.

Please ignore those tears you see running down my face. Fake.

Why do you seem to think that Hafley's statement was so superior to LaFleur's? Why do you even think they are comparable when they were asked different questions? What Hafley said was actually the same thing that LaFleur often says, and the fans lambaste him for it. But now that Hafley says it, it's cool somehow.

I think the way coaches answer these questions actually means very little.

ALL that matters is that the O and D lines improve. The D-line looks like it can take a step. The O-line has yet to prove itself.

Nothing else will matters if these aren't addressed/solved in my opinion.

“ is crazy how we went from Morgan being a bust from many people to are we going to trade Walker”

That’s the crazy over reaction of fans that have no patience for player development, and think anyone who they don’t like that day should be traded. They have these guys on cheap rookie contracts and lord knows they need the depth. (see playoffs) They are not trading Walker or Doubs or anybody else fans have been wanting to trade. Fans are great as fans. Just not great as armchair GMs. Seems to be some common sense missing.

King has been up and down. Some good plays, some times he gets toasted.

Hadden probably has been good more consistently than the others, but he has been injured so the sample size is a little smaller and he is not threatening the top 3, that is for sure.

Robinson and Ballentine have made some good plays. Robinson made the tackle near the goal line to save a touchdown after Melton plumb missed the open field tackle.

LVN had a broken thumb most of last season. Hard to work on your craft when they use their hands so much. And he couldn’t really use his.

I don't disagree.

And if the Big O line becomes a cohesive, dominating bunch, watch out. Because I believe our DL is likely raise some eyebrows.