Finally, It’s Real Football as Packers Put on the Pads

Finally, football season is here.

After four shorts-and-helmets practices to start training camp, the Green Bay Packers will put on the pads for the first time on a sweltering Monday on Ray Nitschke Field.

“I think we’re about to learn about all these guys,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice. “Today’s going to be great. First day of pads, it’s going to be hot so, hopefully, we get to see these guys strain a little bit.”

With a feels-like temperature of 90 at the start of practice and set to reach 100 later in the day, the heat has been cranked up to 11 for the first day of real football since the Packers lost their wild-card playoff game at Philadelphia in January.

With the pads, the level of competition also will be cranked to 11. After some overzealous play by new cornerback Nate Hobbs the first few days, LaFleur is looking for his players to strike a delicate balance.

“The same message as it is every day. Compete to be your best and take care of each other,” he said. “We had a long talk about and video showing the rules of engagement – things that were good from a year ago and things that weren’t great. But, bottom line is we need everybody to stay up off their feet. We’re not going to the ground today, so that’s the expectation that I have for our guys. I love the competitive spirit out there but I want them to take each other, as well.”

This will be a critical time for the entire team, but especially some of the young players trying to prove their worth and fight their way onto the roster. That’s where the balance can be tricky.

“I’ve just been itching, itching to put on pads because I feel like jerseys, you’re not really doing too much,” rookie defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse said. “You can grab a guy, yeah, but I want to actually feel like, boom, that’s my thing. You know what I mean?”

Second-year linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper intercepted Jordan Love on Sunday. That was great; now, make some plays in pads.

“He’s done a nice job,” LaFleur said. “I think he’s definitely taken a step in the right direction. Now, we’re out of underwear and in full pads, so you got to do it now. I think you get a better evaluation, a better sense of how these guys are going to perform when you’re actually playing football or you’re thudding up, you’re fitting blocks, you got to get off blocks, all of that.”

The pads, obviously, are a critical component for the linemen and linebackers, and most of LaFleur’s critiques at those positions have come with that caveat. On last year’s first-round pick, offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, for instance:

“We’ll find out once we get pads on. That’s the thing. I know you guys like to make decisions quickly, but we don’t have pads on. So I think we’ll, we’ll see that when we get pads on.”

Linebacker Isaiah Simmons, the talented former top-10 pick who was signed in free agency, is off to an impressive start.

“I can’t wait to see him in pads,” running back Josh Jacobs said.

Simmons can’t wait to put them on.

“I feel like I’m kind of at a disadvantage when we’re out of pads,” he said. “I’d much rather do all this in pads, just with things I’m asked to do, set the edge and things like that. A lot of that stuff is harder to do out of pads than in pads. I’m looking forward to getting back in pads and being able to show what I can do in pads.”

This is part of a huge week for the Packers. Monday’s practice is the second of three in a row. After an off-day on Wednesday, the team will practice again on Thursday and Friday leading into Saturday’s Family Night.

“I thought we had them on today,” Hobbs said after Sunday’s practice. “My mind was right. I was a little hurt when they said we didn't have them on, but I think it's just a mentality. Pads tomorrow, we’re going to see who’s who.”

Elgton Jenkins Off PUP

The Packers have activated their new starting center, Elgton Jenkins, from the physically unable to perform list. He missed the first four practices with a back injury.

“He’ll be limited,” LaFleur said. “I think he’s just doing individual and then we’ll build him up.”