Packers Workout Notebook, August 7: Family Home Evening Edition

Between rain and lightning, the weather made itself felt at Lambeau Field tonight for the Packers’ Family Night event, which still posted an attendance of 34,835 for practice, by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Practice was delayed due to lightning issues, but fans quickly returned to the stands. In total, family home evening was cut short about an hour earlier due to heavy rain, with no fireworks to end the show, but lasted well beyond the hour-long window that the coach- Chief Matt LaFleur learned that the Packers would have hit the field once they hit the field.

• During the interview leading up to family home evening, General Manager Brian Gutekunst said the following about Davante Adams’ contract situation, as the two sides try to find common ground: “These things take time … these things are never easy, never In short, it usually takes time, but considering how important this player is to our football team, it is important that we keep him here.
• Gutekunst also said: “It’s tough and it’s going to get harder as we continue … life will be different for both of you,” when discussing vaccinated and unvaccinated players on the roster.

• OLB Chauncey Rivers and DL Josh Avery, two players signed by the team last week, participated in the training with second and third team defenses. Avery had some brilliant plays, earning credit from the broadcast team, although the practice wasn’t structured to showcase defensive online play.

• Players absent from training were Equanimeous St. Brown receivers, Juwann Winfree and Chris Blair, tight end Josiah Deguara, nose tackle Kenny Clark and linebackers Kamal Martin and Randy Ramsey.

• With left tackle David Bakhtiari still out, Elgton Jenkins kicked the left guard outside. At left guard, Jon Runyan, Jr. and Ben Braden fought for the job, while Royce Newman and Dennis Kelly turn more than most non-starters. In the middle, Jake Hanson was with the second team, his way to the roster of 53 players.
• Former Detroit Lions seventh-round pick Isaac Nauta saw more playing time than expected in a light day for 37-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis.
• During special teams, when the punters, punt returners, and punt protection / blocking teams were all working relatively independently of each other, receivers Amari Rodgers and Randall Cobb have took the majority of the snaps back, according to the show.
• If I had to name a player of the match it would be substitute cornerback Kabion Ento who has had multiple pass deflections in different periods. Ento, a potential special teams contributor and converted wide receiver, is battling for a spot on the roster with Jaire Alexander, injured Kevin King, first round Eric Stokes, slotback Chandon Sullivan and Josh Jackson ahead of him on the table. depth at the moment. Hopefully the preseason goes as well for him as tonight’s training.

• Proof of a defensive evolution! The Packers’ first-team defense actually held Aaron Rodgers in a two-minute score-or-loss situation, pulling their defensive backs back… unlike the NFC Championship game.

• The practice was more designed for shorter, more efficient plays than passes designed to showcase their quarterback room. Still, sophomore quarterback Jordan Love, who has been the subject of numerous comments, tweets and posts since April 2020, had a great throw in a double cover that had virtually no margin for error. Overall the offense was very straightforward, probably willful, but Love didn’t seem out of place to face professional players.

• The best defensive play of the day comes to us from safety Darnell Savage, who caught a ball that was triggered by a juggle from Davante Adams.

• After practice, Rodgers threw his ball into the stands at a father and son … neither will be invited to join the team anytime soon.

• During the post-workout presser, wide receiver Devin Funchess appeared to utter a racist term and perform a racist gesture. At this time, neither Funchess nor the Packers have made a public comment on the situation.