Although suited up, defensive end Vonnie Holliday was a relative non-participant in practice Sunday due to insurance technicalities.
"For whatever reason his agents, they don't have his insurance papers in place yet . . . so I'm not going to put him out here and risk injury to him with what's at stake this season for him and what he's in search of," GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman said. "He did some conditioning things inside, he was out here working some drills, but I didn't want to put him in a compromising position at this point."
Holliday was a late arrival into Packers camp this week, joining the team Saturday morning despite expressing frustrations over his contract situation. The team's first-round pick in 1998, Holliday is coming up on the final year of his contract, but would like to sign an extension prior to the season.
"I appreciate him being in camp," Sherman said. "I'm excited about this season for him, he's going to have a good year for us."
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One morning after he'd praised the intensity of his team's first full-squad training camp practice of the year, Sherman was less than pleased the effort Sunday morning.
"I've seen better practices," he said afterward. "I wish some of the guys that are fighting for jobs would fight for jobs, I'm talking about guys trying to make out team. But some guys did some outstanding things out there, some guys didn't. A typical third practice of the preseason, but we don't want to be typical.
Sherman's frustration seemed tied to the team's younger players.
"I think some guys think that this is college and they're on scholarship," he said. "There are no scholarships. To be part of that 53(-man roster) is special and to be part of the Packers 53 is even more special, in my mind.
"So I think they have to understand that they're very fortunate to be able to be in this camp. There are a lot of people on the other side of the fence who would like to have this opportunity and I hope they appreciate the opportunity they are getting. If they don't take full advantage of it, they won't be here."
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In town to prepare his Packers training camp report, ESPN's John Clayton observed practice Sunday at Clarke Hinkle Field. Clayton and fellow ESPN football analyst Len Pasquarelli are combining to cover all 32 NFL training camps.
Clayton's Packers report is scheduled to be posted on ESPN.com, Monday, July 29. Green Bay marked his fifth stop on a 15-camp tour. He has already written reports on the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.
