GREEN BAY – After an off day, the Packers returned to Ray Nitschke Field on a hot and muggy Tuesday for another padded practice, with shoulder pads only.
Here are five things we learned:
- Romeo Doubs and Jaire Alexander have been matched up in one-on-ones, and both players enjoy the battle.
Tuesday's one-on-one period was in the red zone, and there were just a couple of Doubs vs. Alexander reps, but they were competitive as all get-out.
The highlight saw Doubs reaching up on a corner fade and snagging Jordan Love's pinpoint throw over top of Alexander, and then getting his feet down for the score.
"I always want to go against Doubs," Alexander said. "The dude's freaking really good. He came in his rookie year not catching a single pass on me. Now we're going up for 50-50 balls. Dude is really good.
"He's a real pro. You can see his attention to detail is on point."
Doubs would be the last one to brag about getting a touchdown against Alexander, so he was keeping it low key. But it was a standout play in what's been an impressive start to training camp, during which Head Coach Matt LaFleur has complimented Doubs on the crispness of his route-running and how smooth and sharp he looks out there.
In the 11-on-11 work, Doubs isn't matched up against Alexander as often as he is in the one-on-ones, and he takes every rep seriously regardless. But he does relish the opportunity.
"I look forward to it every day," Doubs said. "I look forward to going against Ja, against Stokes, CV, Keisean, because they've got a different style of play and it's really important that I understand it all so I can grow."
- Keisean Nixon isn't sweating all the uncertainty about the new kickoff rules.
The two-time All-Pro returner is learning the new setup on the fly like everyone else, and he's hoping he can get more chances to run kickoffs back without having to force the issue like he's done a few times in the past.
"I'm excited. I just want the ball," Nixon said. "I don't care how we get it, I just want the ball."
With the kickoff landing zone between the goal line and 20, Nixon expects to get his cracks at it, at least early on. But if he proves too dangerous, one alternative for the kicking team will be to boom an old-fashioned touchback and just give the Packers the ball on the 30.
As he strives for a third straight All-Pro selection, he's aware if he's as effective as he thinks he can be, that might be the opponents' counter.
"The main thing is getting Jordan Love the best field position he can get," Nixon said. "I just feel like some way, somehow, they're going to figure out how to not give me the ball. That's just what comes with being the guy."
- Two draft picks practiced in camp for the first time.
For rookie fifth-round pick Kitan Oladapo, Tuesday marked the first practice of his NFL career. The Oregon State safety had injured his toe at the scouting combine and wound up having surgery a week before the draft.
The recovery process kept him out of all on-field work during rookie minicamp and OTAs, so his debut was his first actual football practice since the Senior Bowl.
"It feels great. I'm blessed, feel very grateful," he said. "Still need to go out there and finish a full practice, but it was great to see guys (saying), 'Oh, is that (number) 2-7 out there?', and finally just not be out here on a scooter or in a boot."
He was doing individual drills only and will eventually work his way into 11-on-11. He's spent plenty of time in the playbook but admitted he needs the live reps to learn the defense as well as the other safety draft picks, Javon Bullard and Evan Williams.
"Legs are a little heavy, but I just have to get back in shape," he said. "You can only do so many bikes and sprints. Anytime you're going to go out there for the first time at practice, you're going to be tired."
Rookie third-round running back MarShawn Lloyd shared that sentiment as he practiced for the first time since straining a hip flexor just after the rookies reported to camp two weeks ago.
"Felt like I was good when we're not in the shoulder pads and running regular, but once you put on the helmet and shoulder pads, it's a whole different story," Lloyd said. "But yeah, super excited to be out there."
He has to work his way back into team drills as well, and he's eager to do so.
"I'm good with the plays," he said. "I've been still studying, still watching the walk-throughs and everything."
- Backup QB Sean Clifford had probably his best day of the summer thus far.
One early storyline to camp has been Clifford's high number of interceptions, but he played cleaner, more productive football in the red-zone work. During one stretch, he hit three straight TD passes to three different receivers – Grant DuBose, Bo Melton and Julian Hicks – the last one on a scramble to his right while firing toward the boundary.
Love was a little more up and down this time, hitting Jayden Reed for a TD off a scramble, and Doubs for a score over Eric Stokes. But Xavier McKinney dropped what should've been an interception off Love in the end zone, and Stokes then got one at the end of practice on a pass intended for Christian Watson, one snap after tight end Luke Musgrave dropped a wide-open TD.
- And then there were two …
Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph are the kickers left in camp to battle it out after James Turner was released.
Joseph had the better day Tuesday with the ball coming off his foot really strong, and he went 6-for-6 in kicks ranging from 33 to 54 yards. The 54-yarder was nearly as high as the top of the goal post when it cleared the crossbar.
Carlson was 5-for-6, missing wide right from 41, and he now has one more miss in camp than Joseph.
