GREEN BAY – The Packers will again be welcoming another NFL team to Green Bay for joint practices this summer.
Green Bay are scheduled to practice against the New Orleans Saints prior to their preseason game at Lambeau Field on Friday, Aug. 19. Head Coach Matt LaFleur made the announcement prior to practice on Tuesday.
This will be the third time the Packers have practiced against another team during LaFleur's four seasons as head coach. They hosted Houston during training camp in 2019 and the New York Jets last summer.
The only time the Packers didn't hold a joint practice against another team was in 2020, when the NFL prohibited joint practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think it just affords you the opportunity for your guys to go out there and compete against something different," said LaFleur on Tuesday. "There's a lot of unknown in terms of whether you're scripting the practices or not. You don't get accustomed to going against the same looks each and every day.
"So, it just brings, you know, a different level of competition I would say. And what it really does for us is it affords us the ability to feel like we got good work with our veterans and not have to play them in the game. And that's part of the reason I like those so much."
With the NFL's shift to a 17-game regular season, the Saints will be the only preseason opponent the Packers will face at Lambeau Field this year.