GREEN BAY – The Packers conducted a long practice in full gear on a warm but pleasant Wednesday at Nitschke Field.
Here are five things we learned:
- Christian Watson has survived an injury scare.
On the final play of practice, as the No. 1 offense attempted to score in the two-minute drill, Watson and rookie safety Evan Williams leapt up in the back of the end zone to intercept Jordan Love’s speedy pass.
Williams got the ball in front of Watson and made an impressive interception, but after both players went down, Watson remained on the ground for several minutes and was examined by the athletic trainer.
He eventually left on his own, although he was visibly unwell, but said everything was fine.
“I think we just landed a little bit awkwardly,” Watson said. “I don’t know if it was his knee or his boot, but something somehow hit my knee. It hurt a lot worse at the time. I’m just thankful and of course I prayed that it wasn’t too bad, and it wasn’t.”
He described it as a bruise and said he doesn’t think he’ll have to miss practice or Saturday’s season opener in Cleveland, but that could depend on how severe the injury is going forward.
As for Williams’ game, the fourth-round pick has contributed his share to camp, and this one definitely ranks high among them, especially because of the athleticism he’s shown.
“I was able to catch it,” Williams said. “I have a pretty good vert. I was always able to catch the ball at the top. I think that’s one of my strengths.”
- Javon Bullard takes on some additional duties.
Bullard, the rookie fellow with whom Williams competes for the starting safety position, has gotten additional work as the slot corner in the No. 2 defense.
Bullard played both the slot and safety in college at Georgia, so his versatility is nothing new and was certainly a reason the Packers drafted him in the second round. If Bullard proves adept at handling the slot at this level, it would give new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley more options with defensive sub-packages, such as the Dime with six defensive backs.
The one-on-one drills earlier in practice suggested Bullard would get some slot snaps. Typically, one-on-one matchups pit safeties against tight ends, but Bullard’s drills on Wednesday were against receiver Samori Toure.
- The Packers’ first-round draft pick will be announced in about a week.
Jordan Morgan, who seemed to have cemented his spot as the No. 1 right guard on the offensive line, injured his shoulder on Tuesday and will be out about a week, head coach Matt LaFleur said. LaFleur added that the injury doesn’t appear to be anything long-term and he doesn’t feel Week 1 is in jeopardy for Morgan.
His absence will see third-year pro Sean Rhyan return to the starting lineup at right guard after Morgan took on the lion’s share of first-team action in the battle for that spot.
Rhyan feels like he’s a better player now than he was at the end of last season when he was consistently used as a right guard in games. And the extra work this training camp as a center has helped him understand the offensive scheme much better.
While no one wishes an injury on a teammate, the reality is that Morgan’s length of time out provides Rhyan with an opportunity to showcase his progress.
“Now I don’t have to be perfect, but I have to be pretty damn close,” he said, adding that his goal for the first game of the season in Cleveland is to show “that I’m a pretty good right guard.”
- There is a new kicker in town and he immediately got to work.
For the third time since the offseason program began, a third kicker is in contention with Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph. The latest addition is Alex Hale, an undrafted rookie from Oklahoma State who is originally from Australia.
Hale grew up playing football and only moved to the United States after graduating from high school. He decided to play the sport in college, and the first time he wore pads and a helmet was at his first practice as a walk-on at Oklahoma State.
“There’s nothing better than college football or professional football in the United States,” Hale said of his motivation. “The fan base is crazy. It’s an incredible sport to be a part of.”
Hale, who was named to the All-Big 12 second team last year, practiced for the Packers on Tuesday, signed later that day and kicked field goals during live kicking periods on Wednesday. He hit 5 of 6 in his first practice for the Packers, with his final kick missing right from 45 yards.
- There were some changes to the injury list.
In addition to Morgan’s absence, wide receiver Jayden Reed also missed practice due to a calf injury.
Meanwhile, defensive end Kingsley Enagbare was back from a hamstring injury after missing Family Night and Tuesday’s practice, and linebacker Quay Walker returned after sitting out the team’s final few hours on Tuesday. No injury was specified, and LaFleur said the rest came down to managing Walker’s workload wisely.
