PackerCentral

GREEN BAY, Wis. – A little unintentionally, Aaron Rodgers is getting rookie cornerback Eric Stokes ready for the season. Rodgers has thrown at Stokes early and often through the first six practices of training camp. Is that by request of the coaches, something former defensive backs coach Joe Whitt would ask of Rodgers? Because Rodgers wants to see what the rookie is made of? Or because Stokes has matched up frequently with Davante Adams?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – During Aaron Rodgers feud with the Green Bay Packers’ front office, Jordan Love was the man stuck in the awkward middle. Love took the overwhelming majority of the reps during organized team activities and the minicamp. Love had to get himself ready for the possibility that he’d be the starting quarterback in 2021. At the same time, Love knew Rodgers could decide to come back for a 14th season as Green Bay’s starter.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When there was uncertainty at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, sportsbooks were forced to set lines that straddled the line between Aaron Rodgers playing and not playing. Now, with Rodgers firmly back for the 2021 NFL season, more precise odds have been set by FanDuel.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – During training camp last summer, rookie fifth-round pick Kamal Martin emerged as a potential starter at inside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. Fast forward almost 12 months and a lot has changed. Krys Barnes, an undrafted free agent last year, has become the every-down linebacker. Plus, the team added veteran starter De’Vondre Campbell in June.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – There aren’t 32 good left tackles in the NFL, let alone a bunch of competent backups. With All-Pro David Bakhtiari as the starter, the Green Bay Packers might have the best left tackle in the NFL. With Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins’ versatility, the Packers might have a superior backup plan.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the first time at training camp, the Green Bay Packers put on shoulder pads and did some banging. The first truly competitive period of the summer was a one-on-one pass-rushing drill. The defense was ready. After five practices of having to let the offense do whatever it wanted, Preston Smith pushed back Elgton Jenkins on the first rep, Kenny Clark notched two wins against rookie center Josh Myers, Rashan Gary overpowered right tackle Billy Turner for a pair of impressive wins and Dean Lowry split a pair against right guard Lucas Patrick.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are adding some needed depth to their defensive line with the addition of Josh Avery, according to a source. Avery (6-3, 320) played at Southeast Missouri State. In two seasons, he recorded 41 total tackles, seven tackles for a loss, and 2.5 sacks in 23 games. That included 1.5 sacks and six tackles for losses as a senior.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – David Bakhtiari got Aaron Rodgers a tricked-out Aston Martin golf cart, complete with a monogrammed “12” on the front seat. Now, Bakhtiari wants a gift from his quarterback. “It’s only going to disappoint me if I don’t have a yacht come Christmas,” Bakhtiari said as part...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With Josiah Deguara and Dominique Dafney on the comeback trail, the Green Bay Packers fortified the tight end group by signing undrafted rookie Daniel Crawford. Crawford takes the place of undrafted rookie receiver Bailey Gaither, who was not present at practice on Monday and decided to...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers linebacker Krys Barnes has a lofty goal. Barnes had one of the more incredible rookie seasons last year. An undrafted free agent, he failed to make the opening roster and spent most of the first week of the regular season on the practice squad before being promoted in time to start the opener at Minnesota. He wound up playing in 13 games (missed three due to COVID-19) with 10 starts, and finished second on the team with 78 tackles.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The fifth practice of Green Bay Packers training camp featured 2-minute drills to end the day. The Aaron Rodgers-led No. 1 offense kicked a field goal for the win. Starting at its 25 with 1:15 remaining and one timeout, Rodgers connected with Davante Adams on a silky-smooth back-shoulder throw against Eric Stokes for a gain of 16. A juggling catch by Marquez Valdes-Scantling – he tipped it to himself three or four times – gained 9 to midfield. Rodgers found tight end Robby Tonyan for 6 yards and a first down to the 44 before he clocked the ball with 37 seconds remaining.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – After falling short of the Super Bowl the past two seasons, Green Bay Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis sees a roster that’s built to win it all. “Top to bottom, I feel like even just the way we’re flying around now, I feel like we’re more explosive definitely on offense,” he said Monday at training camp. “We’re more explosive earlier on in camp than it’s been in a while for me. That scheme the defense has over there, we’re going to be tough to be reckon with. I try not to curse because I get excited.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. – After going from 12 sacks in 2019 to just four sacks in 2020, the Green Bay Packers slashed away at Preston Smith’s contract. In the original contract signed as part of Green Bay’s big free-agent haul in 2019, Smith was due to earn a $6.85 million base salary, a $4 million roster bonus, and other bonus money to push the cash value to $12 million. In the revamped contract, he was given a $1 million base salary, $6.25 million signing bonus and additional bonus money to push the value to $8 million.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – A couple of veteran additions necessitated a couple of changes from our pre-training camp projection of the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed for the acquisition of former teammate Randall Cobb. Having given up a sixth-round pick and guaranteed his $1.075 million base salary, it’s safe to assume he isn’t going anywhere.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Late in Saturday’s practice, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers joked with receivers Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and former receiver James Jones, now with NFL Network. It was a Receiver Reunion, with Cobb back with the team and Jones in town to talk to Rodgers about moving forward after an offseason of drama.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Amari Rodgers was 12 when he met University of Kentucky star Randall Cobb. The two connected at Kentucky, where Rodgers’ dad, Tennessee football legend Tee Martin, was Cobb’s receivers coach in 2010. “I remember being a kid and just being able to work out with him,”...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers guard Simon Stepaniak, a 2020 draft pick who missed the last two practices of training camp for personal reasons, has decided to retire. The Packers placed Stepaniak on the reserve/retired list after Saturday’s practice. A source said his decision was based on mental,...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari crashed a Davante Aadams interview to deliver a splashy present. A pair Madden 99 Club gold Jordan cleats. “Goodness gracious. That was worth it,” a beaming Adams said of the interruption. Adams was given a 99 ranking in the iconic video...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – New Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Dennis Kelly made a friend during his tour of his new workplace at Lambeau Field on Wednesday. “When I was going around the building, just worked out that David (Bakhtiari) was coming in right during that time. ‘Brother!’”. It was...

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are opening training camp with four consecutive practices. It’s the only such stretch of the summer. With a demanding start, coach Matt LaFleur cut back on the tempo and duration of Friday’s practice. He’ll ratchet up the intensity for Saturday. A day off on Sunday leads into Monday’s first padded practice – the true start of the road to determining depth chart battles and roster decisions.