Date:
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014
Practice Time:
11:45 a.m. (Total: 2 hours, 16 minutes)
Movin' On Up:
TE Jake Stoneburner
In the absence of Brandon Bostick -- who will likely miss the rest of preseason and training camp with a lower leg injury, one of the Packers' other tight ends was going to get more opportunities with the starting offense. In Tuesday's practice, it was Jake Stoneburner who was given those chances.
On the first play of the first team drill of the day, Aaron Rodgers threw to Stoneburner on a seam route for a nice gain. It was the exact play that Bostick had caught so many passes on in the early weeks of training camp. Later, when Green Bay's No. 1 offense ran a red-zone drill against the scout-team defense, Stoneburner was in the backfield in a fullback role.
"Jake is a good route runner," tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot said. "He studies himself and he knows what he brings to the game, so he's very in tune with how to detail his routes. More than anything, it's just a matter of him getting in tune with the quarterback. The more reps we can get him, the more continuity they can develop. It's just going to be a matter of him getting opportunities and getting his hands on the ball and then we can see what he can do."
So You Had A Bad Day:
TE Ryan Taylor
On the flip side, veteran tight end Ryan Taylor failed to make a play in his chance with the offense. Taylor has stuck around with the Packers for three-plus years now because of his ability to contribute at a high level on special teams, but he needs to do something in this situation when Green Bay is lacking tight ends. But, with Bostick out, Taylor was unable to do that.
During the red-zone pass under pressure drill, Matt Flynn threw to Taylor across the middle, but the ball was dropped. Taylor clapped his hands in frustration as he walked back to the huddle.
Taylor was not with the No. 1 punt-coverage team, either. With the emergence of outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott, he was in the spot usually occupied by Taylor.
Because Taylor offers little to the offense, he could be a sleeper candidate to not make the 53-man active roster this season if the team feels it can get by on special teams without him.
Noted:
- For the first 20 minutes of every practice, the starting offense works against the scout-team defense inside the Don Hutson Center and away from the media. During that same time, the starting defense is outside on Ray Nitschke Field against the scout-team offense. Well, there were a few noteworthy changes in personnel Tuesday. Wide receiver Myles White found himself outside, which is not a move that an offensive player wants to be making. Meanwhile, Carl Bradford and Elliott were outside, which is exactly the move that two defensive players want to be making. However, that meant Nate Palmer and Adrian Hubbard were inside, which is not good for those two players.
- The quarterback trio of Rodgers, Flynn and Scott Tolzien rotated quite evenly throughout every team drill. In several cases, Rodgers would take a few snaps, then Flynn, then Tolzien. This is the second practice in a row in which Flynn went second and Tolzien went third.
- In his bid to solidify himself as the Packers' starting tight end, Richard Rodgers made a diving catch on a low throw from Aaron Rodgers.
- With the scout-team defense on cards, Rodgers just missed connections with Jordy Nelson and Jarrett Boykin in the red zone. Nelson attempted to outstretch for his but couldn't come down with it, while Boykin's went off his fingertips across the middle.
- The punt returners were Randall Cobb, Tramon Williams, Micah Hyde and Jeff Janis.
- The kick returners were DuJuan Harris and Janis.
- The No. 1 punt group was: Elliott, Nate Palmer, Hyde, Jarrett Bush, Sam Barrington, Brad Jones, Davon House, Sean Richardson and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, along with Brett Goode and Tim Masthay.
- The No. 1 kick-return group was: John Kuhn, Mike Daniels, Taylor, Davante Adams, Bush, Kevin Dorsey, Lattimore, Chris Banjo, Clinton-Dix and Barrington, with Harris returning.
- The No. 1 punt-return group was: House, Bush, Clinton-Dix, Palmer, Lattimore, Richardson, Banjo, Taylor, Barrington and Dorsey, with the four punt returners rotating.
Sidelined:
* TE Brandon Bostick (Lower leg -- Consecutive Missed Practices: 2 -- out "a couple weeks")
* RB Rajion Neal (Knee -- Consecutive Missed Practices: 5, plus one game)
* LB Joe Thomas (Knee -- Consecutive Missed Practices: 5, plus one game)
* DL Letroy Guion (Hamstring -- Consecutive Missed Practices: 15)
* WR Jared Abbrederis (Torn ACL -- Will miss 2014 season)
* OL Don Barclay (Torn ACL -- Will miss 2014 season)
* TE Colt Lyerla (Knee -- Waived/Injured; will be placed on injured reserve)
Left practice early:
* CB Casey Hayward (Hamstring -- McCarthy: "Being smart with Casey, just because of his history.")
* OL T.J. Lang (Left shoulder -- McCarthy: "I'm told T.J. banged his shoulder.")
What's Next:
* Thursday, August 21 - Training camp practice No. 16 (10:15 a.m.)
* Friday, August 22 - Preseason game No. 3; Oakland Raiders at Green Bay (7 p.m.)
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