Training Camp - 07/29

[Ghost_Lombardi]

All reports on Saturday stated that Jordan Love had his best practice of training camp so far. According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, Love went 16-of-22 on the day and performed well in a two-minute drill to end practice.

https://twitter.com/bigpackers4x/status ... ining-camp

Rookie kicker Anders Carlson, who has been impressive this offseason and even earlier in training camp, had a rough go of it today. The sixth-round pick went one of six today, which is bad no matter the context. With that being said, Carlson was apparently kicking through some wind and at least one of those kicks had a messy snap-hold operation.

Van Ness finally got to work with the first-team defense on Saturday, getting a few looks opposite of Preston Smith. Prior to today, those were snaps that mostly went to Justin Hollins and Kingsley Enagbare, as Rashan Gary (PUP, knee) continues to recover from his season-ending injury.

According to Pack-A-Day Podcast’s Andy Herman, rookie third-round pick Tucker Kraft got the “starting” nod with the first-team offense today, along with fellow rookie Luke Musgrave. This is notable as Kraft worked with the second-team offense on Friday while Musgrave, Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis all worked with the 1s.

Last season, cornerback Keisean Nixon made jokes about wanting to get work on the offensive side of the ball. On Day 4 of training camp, Nixon took a step to make that a reality when he worked down on the offense’s side of the field for a period.

[Pckfn23]

[Pckfn23]

[Pckfn23]

Sorry, reverse order.

[Pckfn23]

[BSA]

.
I think the RT competition is unofficially over. Zach Tom is the likely starter for 2023/4 season- he certainly earned it
And if you think about it - this alignment makes the most sense. With Bak on modified practice schedule all year- they need to put somebody at LT to cover his snaps in practice and TC. And Nijman is a better LT than RT at this stage in his development. So Yosh will be the swing tackle AND handle LT snaps when Bak is resting; Zach Tom will be the starter at RT going into the season.

They need somebody to step up at OC2 and take that spot away from Hanson. Hoping the new/improved Sean Rhyan can be that guy.
Zach Tom has taken some snaps as 3rd string OC, but moving him from RT -> OC if Myers busts a chinstrap is less than ideal

On defense, I'm encouraged by the play of Tarvarius Moore - he's quite the athlete and has years of NFL experience - including playing for DeMeco Ryans on a top shelf SF defense. Safety depth chart is shaping up to be Savage (5), Ford (7), Moore (5), Owens (5) and Leavitt (5).
( years in NFL) .

One of the most important traits at Safety is experience and all of the top guys above have 5 + years in the NFL - and that's often when the light comes on. Plenty of athleticism, if they can assimilate the mental part - GB should be alright on the back end. You can probably sneak 7th round Safety Anthony Johnson Jr onto PS.

If Innes Gaines earns a spot on 53 it will be as a slot CB/S combo guy. Packers currently have Nixon penciled in as starter, 2nd string slot CB is open to competition. SJC is a possibility, but he's just really small and that's become a much more physical position. Maybe Johnson Jr makes a run at that back-up slot spot - he was a corner in college before moving to Safety.

Pads go on Monday...

[Cdragon]

.
I think the RT competition is unofficially over. Zach Tom is the likely starter for 2023/4 season- he certainly earned it
And if you think about it - this alignment makes the most sense. With Bak on modified practice schedule all year- they need to put somebody at LT to cover his snaps in practice and TC. And Nijman is a better LT than RT at this stage in his development. So Yosh will be the swing tackle AND handle LT snaps when Bak is resting; Zach Tom will be the starter at RT going into the season.

They need somebody to step up at OC2 and take that spot away from Hanson. Hoping the new/improved Sean Rhyan can be that guy.
Zach Tom has taken some snaps as 3rd string OC, but moving him from RT -> OC if Myers busts a chinstrap is less than ideal

On defense, I'm encouraged by the play of Tarvarius Moore - he's quite the athlete and has years of NFL experience - including playing for DeMeco Ryans on a top shelf SF defense. Safety depth chart is shaping up to be Savage (5), Ford (7), Moore (5), Owens (5) and Leavitt (5).
( years in NFL) .

One of the most important traits at Safety is experience and all of the top guys above have 5 + years in the NFL - and that's often when the light comes on. Plenty of athleticism, if they can assimilate the mental part - GB should be alright on the back end. You can probably sneak 7th round Safety Anthony Johnson Jr onto PS.

If Innes Gaines earns a spot on 53 it will be as a slot CB/S combo guy. Packers currently have Nixon penciled in as starter, 2nd string slot CB is open to competition. SJC is a possibility, but he's just really small and that's become a much more physical position. Maybe Johnson Jr makes a run at that back-up slot spot - he was a corner in college before moving to Safety.

Pads go on Monday...

Unless Anthony Johnson Jr's Mom is a GM for somebody there is no problem keeping a 7th rounder who is not going to be the focus anytime during camp. If we want him he'll be there.

[YoHoChecko]

On defense, I'm encouraged by the play of Tarvarius Moore - he's quite the athlete and has years of NFL experience - including playing for DeMeco Ryans on a top shelf SF defense. Safety depth chart is shaping up to be Savage (5), Ford (7), Moore (5), Owens (5) and Leavitt (5).
( years in NFL) .

One of the most important traits at Safety is experience and all of the top guys above have 5 + years in the NFL - and that's often when the light comes on. Plenty of athleticism, if they can assimilate the mental part - GB should be alright on the back end. You can probably sneak 7th round Safety Anthony Johnson Jr onto PS.

If Innes Gaines earns a spot on 53 it will be as a slot CB/S combo guy. Packers currently have Nixon penciled in as starter, 2nd string slot CB is open to competition. SJC is a possibility, but he's just really small and that's become a much more physical position. Maybe Johnson Jr makes a run at that back-up slot spot - he was a corner in college before moving to Safety.

I'm having a really hard time figuring out who stays in the secondary in terms of S and nickel, for sure--especially with STs in there.

I think you're right that Gaines is a key competitor for nickel2 and ST.

Even when I think PS makes sense, Gutey has had a habit of hanging onto draft picks and not risking them to waivers, and I very much doubt Anthony Johnson will be the exception there. He's a ST/S/nickel option with long-term upside.

And so then we have Moore, Leavitt, and Owens competing for at most 2 slots--if not just 1 behind Savage and Ford.

I'd like to think Leavitt is the odd man out because he's the worst defensive option, but he's also a STs captain and Bisaccia favorite.

It's going to be a very tricky cut. Hopefully, we wind up with at least 3 safeties who can actually succeed on defense in 2023 and 2 nickel guys (Nixon and someone). I know we have to value STs, but I feel like all of them can contribute there well enough that the battle should be fought on defense.

[Scott4Pack]

I’m beyond thrilled that they gave Nixon some snaps catching passes. It doesn’t show that they are serious about it - yet. But he’s a guy who is just electric with the ball in his hands. He needs offensive snaps.

[BSA]

I know we have to value STs, but I feel like all of them can contribute there well enough that the battle should be fought on defense.

Fair enough.
The Packers need (4) Safeties on defense to get through a season and Bisaccia has a fondness for defenders over offense on his We-fense.
He just prefers their mentality. So its possible they go heavy at that position on cutdown day.

Barry likes to move his safeties around and have some semblance of interchangeability to mess with QB pre and post snap

That being said - I'd list them this way currently:

FS : Savage - Moore
SS : Ford - Owens
ST: Leavitt

MLF was giving praise to Leavitt as taking a real leadership role in the Safety room, so I think he's safely on the 53.

Its really not a bad room - and they don't have to babysit Jaire and Rasul .
That should give them the flexibility to bring one Safety into the box and help shut down the run game if they want.

[Cdragon]

I’m beyond thrilled that they gave Nixon some snaps catching passes. It doesn’t show that they are serious about it - yet. But he’s a guy who is just electric with the ball in his hands. He needs offensive snaps.

Even as just a decoy somebody with some skill has to stay on him.

[BSA]

/
More on Moore:

Tarvarius Moore was the 49ers' third-round pick in 2018 and was a favorite of senior analyst Steve Palazzolo. The former Golden Eagle was deemed by PFF as one of the draft class' hidden gems that year, possessing freaky 4.32s speed and an imposing 6' 2″ frame. During his final season in college — where 522 of his 831 defensive snaps came either in the box or at free safety — he earned an elite run-defense grade of 90.2 that ranked first among the 123 draft-eligible safeties and an 82.9 coverage grade that ranked tied for 18th.

[lupedafiasco]

I’m beyond thrilled that they gave Nixon some snaps catching passes. It doesn’t show that they are serious about it - yet. But he’s a guy who is just electric with the ball in his hands. He needs offensive snaps.

Even as just a decoy somebody with some skill has to stay on him.

I don’t agree. He is a great playmaker but the release and route running nuances of a WR aren’t going to be there. You will have to get creative about getting him open in space which often telegraphs where the ball is going in todays game IMO and it doesn’t work on better defenses. I think it will be fine for a random game against low level competition to add something to other DCs preparation but I don’t see this being a thing once in the playoffs or in big games.

[TheSkeptic]

I’m beyond thrilled that they gave Nixon some snaps catching passes. It doesn’t show that they are serious about it - yet. But he’s a guy who is just electric with the ball in his hands. He needs offensive snaps.

Even as just a decoy somebody with some skill has to stay on him.

I don’t agree. He is a great playmaker but the release and route running nuances of a WR aren’t going to be there. You will have to get creative about getting him open in space which often telegraphs where the ball is going in todays game IMO and it doesn’t work on better defenses. I think it will be fine for a random game against low level competition to add something to other DCs preparation but I don’t see this being a thing once in the playoffs or in big games.

Playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????????

What is wrong with using him as the receiver in a WR screen? Or putting him in the backfield on 3rd down expecting an outlet pass or a draw? End arounds? None of these are especially creative but all of them depend on getting a defensive player to miss, which Nixon is good at. And yes, as a decoy.

[lupedafiasco]

Even as just a decoy somebody with some skill has to stay on him.

I don’t agree. He is a great playmaker but the release and route running nuances of a WR aren’t going to be there. You will have to get creative about getting him open in space which often telegraphs where the ball is going in todays game IMO and it doesn’t work on better defenses. I think it will be fine for a random game against low level competition to add something to other DCs preparation but I don’t see this being a thing once in the playoffs or in big games.

Playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????????

What is wrong with using him as the receiver in a WR screen? Or putting him in the backfield on 3rd down expecting an outlet pass or a draw? End arounds? None of these are especially creative but all of them depend on getting a defensive player to miss, which Nixon is good at. And yes, as a decoy.

This is similar to how I feel about when people wanted the pony package. Every time we put 2 RBs on the field at the same time it makes the offense worse because Dillon doesn’t lead block as well a TE/FB, he doesn’t run routes as well as a WR/TE, and he isn’t as good a runner as Jones.

Putting Nixon on the field at any position makes the offense worse IMO. By putting him in the backfield means you’re taking Jones out of that position. Putting him at WR means you’re taking a WR off the field.

[YoHoChecko]

I think using Nixon the way we used Tyler Ervin is perfectly useful; the guy got like 20 offensive snaps as a jet motion guy. It doesn't take much away. It just demands a little attention and might get a big play if something hits right. No one is talking about making Nixon run a route tree or having anything like a fulltime position

[lupedafiasco]

I think using Nixon the way we used Tyler Ervin is perfectly useful; the guy got like 20 offensive snaps as a jet motion guy. It doesn't take much away. It just demands a little attention and might get a big play if something hits right. No one is talking about making Nixon run a route tree or having anything like a fulltime position

Exactly my point though. If no one is asking him to run a route tree it telegraphs what he is doing to the defense before they even line up. With Ervin at least he could be in the backfield.

Why would you not just have Jayden Reed do that role who is an actual receiver with playmaking ability?

[Yoop]

I think using Nixon the way we used Tyler Ervin is perfectly useful; the guy got like 20 offensive snaps as a jet motion guy. It doesn't take much away. It just demands a little attention and might get a big play if something hits right. No one is talking about making Nixon run a route tree or having anything like a fulltime position

Goodson imo will do what Ervin did for us, Nixon being capable of it add's a secret weapon for the tough games and playoff surprises when ya need to get a play on the field a defense doesn't expect.

I read that Goodson has been used that way already in TC and the OTA's

imo there is no such thing as having to many gadget players

[Scott4Pack]

I don’t agree. He is a great playmaker but the release and route running nuances of a WR aren’t going to be there. You will have to get creative about getting him open in space which often telegraphs where the ball is going in todays game IMO and it doesn’t work on better defenses. I think it will be fine for a random game against low level competition to add something to other DCs preparation but I don’t see this being a thing once in the playoffs or in big games.

Playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????????

What is wrong with using him as the receiver in a WR screen? Or putting him in the backfield on 3rd down expecting an outlet pass or a draw? End arounds? None of these are especially creative but all of them depend on getting a defensive player to miss, which Nixon is good at. And yes, as a decoy.

This is similar to how I feel about when people wanted the pony package. Every time we put 2 RBs on the field at the same time it makes the offense worse because Dillon doesn’t lead block as well a TE/FB, he doesn’t run routes as well as a WR/TE, and he isn’t as good a runner as Jones.

Putting Nixon on the field at any position makes the offense worse IMO. By putting him in the backfield means you’re taking Jones out of that position. Putting him at WR means you’re taking a WR off the field.

I wouldn’t assume that Nixon is worse. He’s a very hard worker with a never give up and aggressive mentality. If he has a realistic chance to touch the ball, he is going to school up on how to do it well.

At the least, he could offer depth. Never know when we could have a couple of WRs down for a couple of games.

[BSA]

I wouldn’t assume that Nixon is worse. He’s a very hard worker with a never give up and aggressive mentality.
At the least, he could offer depth. Never know when we could have a couple of WRs down for a couple of games.

MLFs offense lost Lazard and Big Dog and both were integral to success of run game. GB doesn't have a Lazard-sized brute in the WR crew right now, both of the "bigger" WRs are out with concussion/back injury. So MLF needs a more stout slot guy to open up some of the running game - and by doing that, it opens things up for Nixon in the passing game (the same way it did for Lazard.)

Nixon is a talented athlete and when lined up in the slot, he has a 2-way go vs the defense and that will be a part of how he gets open quickly. Nuances are important, but they're more important outside - where the CB can use the boundary to squeeze the WR.

Putting Nixon on offense occasionally keeps him happy, adds a playmaker, forces the defense to study/practice against his plays and brings a little more beef to the slot WR position. He's a 5 yr vet who knows how the defender thinks and how defensive rules work- I have little doubt he can make a positive contribution to the Packers offense.