GREEN BAY, Wis. – There are a few silver lining regarding what keeps Green Bay Packers out of linebacker Za’Darius Smith in practice.
Actually, it’s not bad. And two, it’s meant first-team reps for Rashan Gary.
Last year, the first round absolutely picked up a starters-against-starters red-zone drill. In a span of five plays, Gary influenced four of them. At first, he hit tight end Jace Sternberger to ‘grab’ Aaron Jones back. On the second, he defeated All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and forced an imperfect pass from Aaron Rodgers. On the third, he got pressure again, which forced an off-balance throw that was broken up by Josh Jackson. On the fourth, he was quite a toss to Jamaal Williams.
“I think Rashan had some good moments,” coach Matt LaFleur said after practice. ‘He definitely has the physical ability. For him it will just be a matter again, I feel like a broken record that says this, but just consistency, because he has that ability. I think he’s more comfortable in year 2 of what we’re asking him to do, and I think our defense staff has done a nice job of trying to get him in position to have more disruptive plays. You never want to look, to your point, a man like Z, but it’s an opportunity to evaluate someone in that position. ”
Injury Report
Missed exercise: CB Jaire Alexander (unknown), S OLB Za’Darius Smith (foot / ankle), RT Rick Wagner (unknown), TE Marcedes Lewis (unknown), DT Montravius Adams (toe).
Outcomes: None.
COVID: None.
PUP: LB Curtis Bolton (knee), OLB Greg Roberts, OT Yosh Nijman (elbow).
NFI: RB Patrick Taylor (foot), G Simon Stepaniak (knee).
Return: Adrian Amos (personally).
Games of the day
There were no splash games during a two-minute drill with starters-against-starters ending the main part of the practice. After all, the station erected by Rodgers was like living food by mosquitoes, as the late Vin Scully once said.
The drive began on the 25-yard line with 1:15 on the clock, one time-out and Rodgers and Co. in need of a field goal to win.
At third-and-7, Rodgers beat tight end Robert Tonyan for a 12-to-40 win against rookie safety Vernon Scott. After Rodgers clocked the ball with 44 seconds to go, he found Williams for wins of 6 and 8 yards. The latter came on a bottom flip, as he avoided pressure to convert a third-and-4. Rodgers called his lone timeout with 33 seconds to go to the 46th of the defense.
From there, Rodgers completed an outing to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for 6 yards, then Tonyan hit over the middle for 6 more before clocking the ball with 17 seconds to go. Rodgers connected with Jake Kumerow on the sideline for 5 yards, but he was driven inside. Rodgers and the offense got a lot of time on the line for one last clock of the ball with 3 seconds to go. That set up Mason Crosby’s 47-yard field goal.
“That’s what he does,” LaFleur said. ‘He is full of command over it at all times. Especially in those two-minute situations that you need to get into, you need to have all the confidence in the world. He has done it a bundle and that is the standard he has set. I thought he did a great job, not only just taking what the defense gave him there, but managing the whole situation. Managing the clock, the scene ringing again and again, just grateful to have a man like you. ‘
Left of the day
– But Mercedes Lewis, entering his 15th season in the NFL, could have played an even bigger role in a group of unproven tight ends. “I feel like I was pretty close this past year,” Lewis said of potentially 40 to 50 snaps per game. ‘Whatever the team needs, I’m for it. Of course, my role as the pass-catch man has diminished over the course of my career, which is good, that happens, and I’m fine with that. If my number is called, I’ll catch that and do what I’m dealing with the ball. And if the ball needs to run, come to my side (s) and I’ll take care of the man in front of me. I’m proud to be a complete end and I’m just blessed to continue my dream. ”
– Speaking of tight ends, Jace Sternberger said he had COVID-19. Well, he’s making up for lost time. “The biggest battle is not necessarily performing the plays or doing that, it’s how you handle it mentally off the field.”
– And speaking of COVID, a lab in New Jersey clashed several tests around the league. A “few” of those were members of the Packers, LaFleur said. However, the practice went through like schedule.
The next day
The Packers will practice Monday at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ray Nitschke Field and 10:10 a.m. Tuesday at Lambeau Field to complete a stretch of four practices in four days.
Last Word of the Day
After Crosby’s field goal, LaFleur sent the veterans to the showers and had a young player scrimmage with live approach.
“I thought it was good to just see that some of these young guys had to get on with each other and become physical and approachable and try to miss men,” LaFleur said. ‘So, I thought it was a good competition. Must come back and look at the tape. We absolutely want to expose these guys to some life situations, until until you get into those situations you are not really sure how guys will react. ”
Here’s another line from LaFleur about the live session.
