What are the top headlines from Green Bay Packers training camp so far?
The Season Sans Aaron Rodgers has officially commenced. The Green Bay Packers started training camp last week on July 26, and there's already lots to glean from several practices worth of player performances.
Apparently, new QB1 Jordan Love got a text from Aaron Rodgers before camp telling Love to just be himself. "Don't try to be Aaron."
Well, a few throws into Monday's practice session, Love showed exactly what kind of quarterback he could be.
This year's training camp also features exciting roster battles in the special teams unit, where two feisty gadget players are battling it out for the punt returner job. Finally, the Packers were graced with a special guest appearance from someone who might consider donning No. 18 for the day.
Here are the three biggest storylines from Packers training camp.
Packers training camp: Jayden Reed in line to win punt returner job
While Daniel Carlson's younger brother practices his kicking form, there's a much more riveting special teams battle going on at the punt returner position.
Keisean Nixon shined as the Packer's returner last year, taking over for Amari Rodgers and quickly becoming the team's most dynamic special teams weapon. In 2022, he averaged 28.8 yards per kick return, including one touchdown, and 12.7 yards per punt return.
Nixon earned a first-team All-Pro nod as a kick returner but will likely cede punt-returning duties to second-round pick Jayden Reed. Nixon expressed nothing but optimism for Reed's expanded role in 2023 and was happy to take the rookie under his wing, telling The Athletic (subscription required):
"I told [Reed] as soon as he got here, before I even talked to him, I told him I'd be on his ass every day. He's got to get me better and I'm going to get him better. With the return stuff, I'll teach him little techniques and stuff like that, stuff that I learned on the fly last year. He'll be a good player."
Reed returned punts back when he played at Michigan State; in his junior season, he averaged 21.6 yards per punt return and scored two touchdowns.
The Packers are at least hoping Reed will fare better than Amari Rodgers, who accounted for a shameful amount of butter-fingered plays last season. Reed and Nixon tag-teaming returner duties could give Green Bay a huge boost in the special teams department this year.
Packers training camp: Jordan Love throws dot to Christian Watson (Video)
11, 10, 9… Liftoff.
Last year, Aaron Rodgers made then-rookie Christian Watson look good. This time around, it's Love making the big-boy throws to Watson, proving that the 10-9 connection is very, very real.
In the clip below, Love drops a beautiful dime to Watson down the right sideline on a 3rd-and-5 during a practice drill. Confident and poised, Love steps up in the pocket and fires a deep ball forty yards downfield to Watson, who catches it despite solid coverage from Innis Gaines. Watson then runs untouched into the end zone for the touchdown.
Yes. A thousand times yes. More of that, please.
Love is also expected to generate scintillating chemistry with 2022 fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs, who also made some impressive plays in the first week of Packers training camp.
Under Aaron Rodgers, Watson and Doubs combined for 1,036 receiving yards and ten touchdowns in their rookie season. In Love's first year as QB1, there's rising hope that the Packers' offense can maintain its production from 2022 (ranked in the middle of the pack with 21.8 points and 353.1 yards per game). Maybe Love can even do an aging Rodgers one better.
Packers training camp: Peyton Manning makes a special appearance…but why?
During Monday's training camp session, Broncos legend Peyton Manning made a special guest star appearance. Manning was spotted on the field talking with head coach Matt LaFleur.
It didn't look like Manning talked to any of the players or helped coach Love; rather, rumor has it that Manning wanted to discuss a potential project with LaFleur.
Some thought Manning may have been trying to recruit Love to participate in his Netflix show, "Quarterback", following multiple rejections from high-profile signal-callers like Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Dak Prescott. Begging for scraps, Manning may have settled for an up-and-coming buck like Love, but as of now that speculation has been sufficiently quashed.
Had Manning actually approached Love to come on the show, chances are Love would have declined. Akin to Aaron Rodgers' distaste for "Hard Knocks", Love should be staying away from high-profile media projects and focusing on improving in his third year in Green Bay.
But since Manning was there anyway, it wouldn't hurt Love to grab a drink with the legend and pick his brain for useful tips and advice. Aaron Rodgers was no Brett Favre, yet a little outside counsel may do Love some good this season.
