Nearly 500 fans lined the fences at Clarke Hinkle Field as the Packers returned for one of their final training camp practices, Monday.
With Marco Rivera out with a sprained medial collateral ligament, starting tackle Mark Tauscher took a few reps at right guard, with Kevin Barry filling Tauscher's spot at right tackle. Bill Ferrario took the majority of reps at guard however, and should get the start against Tennessee this Thursday.
"I'm just going out there to prove what I can do," Ferrario said about filling in for Rivera, "the rest is up to the coaches."
It didn't take newly-signed defensive back Scott McGarrahan long to make an impact in his first practice with the team, picking off a deep ball from Akili Smith.
The Packers signed McGarrahan to fill a depleted role at safety, following Saturday's injuries to both Darren Sharper (groin) and Jacoby Shepherd (thumb).
"He's a good special teams player," GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman said. "He also has to be able to perform as a safety and learn the defense in a very short period of time, so he has quite a challenge (ahead of him).
"It's more than just special teams. We have on our roster three specialists right now, with our punter, snapper and kicker, so you can't have (additional) specialists, they have to be able to play their positions."
The Packers got a boost at running back as Lamar Smith returned to the practice field. Smith has practiced with the team only once since suffereing a knee injury July 26, but is hoping to get into the game Thursday against the Titans.
"He looked good in practice today," Sherman said. "I know he doesn't feel 100 percent, but we are running out of time and I know he's anxious to play. I don't want to put him at risk for his future, but if he can play, we sure as heck would like to see him play."
After Saturday's game against Carolina in which he threw two interceptions, Brett Favre came out firing Monday, first hitting Donald Driver on a 25-yard corner route in the back of the end zone and later connecting with Driver on a 40-yard bomb along the right sideline.
Favre also hit with Robert Ferguson with a bullet through the hands of a leaping Al Harris along the left sideline, good for a gain of 30 yards.
In 7-on-7 drills, Erwin Swiney stepped in front of Craig Nall's intended receiver to pick off a pass along the left sideline.
Marques Anderson also intercepted Nall's 30-yard attempt to Antonio Chatman along the right sideline, and Nick Barnett scored from 15-yards out after intercepting Smith.
With Doug Pederson leading the Packers in the two-minute offense, Javon Walker made a 25-yard touchdown catch in the front corner of the end zone between Mike McKenzie and Antuan Edwards. Walker celebrated with an end zone dance that resembled an Irish jig, before meeting Ferguson for a leaping high-5.
Pederson set up the scoring drive with a 25-yard strike to Ferguson along the left sideline.
In injury news, Gilbert Brown sat out practice as a precautionary measure. With only five days in between games, the Packers may hold Brown out Thursday against the Titans in order to rest his arm.
"The concern was after the game to make sure he could handle the recovery process and so far so good," Sherman said. "It's such a short turnaround ... I'm going to just play it by ear and see how he feels, but I'm not going to put him at risk with such a short week."
In other injuries, Keith Burnell sat out with an ankle ... Najeh Davenport continues to nurse a sore hamstring ... Bobby Jackson missed with a knee.
The Packers will wrap up training camp workouts Tuesday (Aug. 26) 1 p.m. (special teams), 1:30 p.m. (full squad).
Where: Clarke Hinkle Field
Weather: 78 degrees, cloudy
Did Not Participate: Gilbert Brown (biceps), Keith Burnell (ankle), Reggie Coleman (hip), Najeh Davenport (hamstring), Tyrone Davis (knee), Jorg Heckenbach (kidneys), Bobby Jackson (knee), Chris Johnson (knee), Rob Johnson (knee), James Lee (hip), Jermaine Petty (knee), Marco Rivera (knee), Darren Sharper (groin), Jacoby Shepherd (thumb), Adam Tate (knee), Jeremy Unertl (groin).
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