The Green Bay Packers will welcome Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots to Ray Nitschke Field for a pair of joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday. The two-day event kicks off Wednesday with a practice starting at 10:30 a.m. in Green Bay.
The joint practice will provide an incredible evaluation of where Matt LaFleur’s team stands entering the second preseason week.
Packers Wire will track all the news and highlights from Wednesday’s joint practice, including LaFleur’s pre-practice press conference.
Day 1 of joint practices complete
Another opportunity to get better.
Day 1 of #PackersCamp with the Patriots ✅ @ChristianW2017 | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/yOMQx4LaFE
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 16, 2023
Big day for Love
Pats 2’s finish a 2 minute drive with a fg that clearly went in but the refs say no good. Some bizarre stuff at the end of practice.
That does it. A very civil day from both sides. An awesome day for Jordan Love.
Player of the day: Jordan Love
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) August 16, 2023
The rookie kicker might be a rollercoaster, but the first-year starting quarterback was impressive on Wednesday.
Welp...
Carlson misses again at end of No. 2 two-minute. He came up short — yes short — from 43. Looked like he just popped it up. This one was a run-on-the-field with the clock running attempt.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 16, 2023
How patient can the Packers be? Another miss. A bad miss. Is this just a valuable learning experience for Anders Carlson, or should the Packers be on the search for competition?
Win for the No. 2's
Packers No. 2 offense wins two minute on a dime down the right sideline from Sean Clifford to Malik Heath. Heath made a diving contested catch and hit the pylon. That was a beauty.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 16, 2023
Sean Clifford led the Packers to a two-minute touchdown on a throw to Malik Heath, who continues to be a darling of training camp. Matt Schneidman described the finish as a “diving contested catch.” Heath, an undrafted rookie from Ole Miss, has impressed at just about every turn.
Two minute for Patriots
#Packers defense gives up 43-yard field goal to Patriots. Their kicker splits the uprights.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 16, 2023
The Patriots get a two-minute win against the Packers’ No. 1 defense. Nick Folk, New England’s veteran kicker, made the 43-yarder.
Two-minute for Packers
Strong two minute for ones. Love had Doubs completions to Doubs and two to Watson. Carlson’s 40 yarder is no good
— Wes Hodkiewicz 🌎 (@WesHod) August 16, 2023
Jordan Love got the Packers into position for a two-minute win against the Patriots’ No. 1 defense but Anders Carlson kicked missed…wide right, from 40 yards.
More on the two-minute drive from Ryan Wood:
Jordan Love moved #Packers for 40-yard fg in 2-minute drill. He completed 5-7 passes for 47 yards. Both incompletions throw aways. A 20-yard slant to Romeo Doubs got drive started.
Doubs caught 3 passes for 34 yards. Christian Watson 2-13, including 7 on 3-4.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 16, 2023
Video of Love-to-Watson
Here’s video of Love’s big throw to Watson for a touchdown:
Love with the dot pic.twitter.com/atQIZzOYFX
— arguable opinions (@ArguableO) August 16, 2023
Play of the Day candidate
What a throw and catch from Love to Christian Watson. Perfectly executed deep corner route that, assuming Watson stayed in bounds after the catch, went for a 75-yard TD. Ball traveled about 40 yards in the air and dropped in over CB Christian Gonzalez, the 17th pick this year
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 16, 2023
Big-time throw from Jordan Love to Christian Watson, who beat the Patriots’ first-round draft pick. Huge play.
Good start for Carlson
#Packers K Anders Carlson hit all five of his kicks, a PAT and FGs of 41, 44, 49 and 51 yards. Kicking with wind.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) August 16, 2023
Good start for the rookie kicker Anders Carlson, who actually made his first kick attempt and didn’t have a miss wide right. The ups and downs of a young kicker.
More Musgrave
Packers getting creative. Pop pass to Luke Musgrave. Dude is so damn fast. Picks up about 7 from the 10.
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) August 16, 2023
When you have a tight end as fast as Luke Musgrave, you get creative getting him the ball. Per Andy Herman, the Packers used a pop pass (or a touch pass to Musgrave off a jet sweep motion) to pick up yards inside the 10-yard line. Matt LaFleur used Christian Watson in similar ways early last year.
Musgrave TD from Love
Musgrave beats Dugger down the seam and Love finds him for a TD. Nice ball to clear the coverage.
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) August 16, 2023
Luke Musgrave keeps getting open. Jordan Love hit him for a touchdown against Patriots starting defensive back Kyle Duggar during an 11-on-11 period. Aaron Nagler called it a “nice ball.”
Carrington Valentine alert
Mac Jones tried to test #Packers rookie CB Carrington Valentine deep. Threw a go ball down right side to DeVante Parker. Valentine was all over it, blanket coverage. That pass had no chance.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 16, 2023
The rookie just keeps making plays. This time, he covered up a veteran receiver on a deep ball. Facing a player like DeVante Parker will provide a great test for the seventh-round pick.
Big play from Reed
Great snag by Jayden Reed on a middle from Love over the middle on what would have been a big gain
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) August 16, 2023
Rookie Jayden Reed created a big play from Jordan Love. Over the middle? The incredible speed of Christian Watson and Luke Musgrave will help create a lot of space for Reed to operate inside.
Another injury update
Per Packers PR, Bo Melton is out with a hamstring.
— Paul Bretl (@Paul_Bretl) August 16, 2023
Packers receiver Bo Melton, who is competing for a roster spot, will miss Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. Bretl wrote about Melton here.
Moore gets run with 1s
Tarvarius Moore is deep safety with Savage. McDuffie in for Campbell, who is not practicing due to an ankle
— Wes Hodkiewicz 🌎 (@WesHod) August 16, 2023
The rotation at safety continues. Today, it’s Tarvarius Moore’s turn next to Darnell Savage. Rudy Ford, Jonathan Owens and Anthony Johnson Jr. have all received first-team reps during training camp. Moore was solid against the Bengals in the preseason opener.
New injury
#Packers ILB De’Vondre Campbell is not practicing today because of an ankle injury.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 16, 2023
A new injury: Packers veteran linebacker De’Vondre Campbell won’t practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury, per Ryan Wood. That should mean more snaps for Isaiah McDuffie next to Quay Walker during Wednesday’s joint practice.
Paul Bretl at practice
Joint practice No. 1 with New England. pic.twitter.com/0NzYMHfvd4
— Paul Bretl (@Paul_Bretl) August 16, 2023
Packers Wire contributor Paul Bretl is out at practice on Wednesday. Give him a follow on Twitter.
Zeke is in Green Bay
Zeke Elliott’s first practice as a Patriot here in Green Bay pic.twitter.com/GhR9NRhwQo
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 16, 2023
New Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott is in Green Bay. Will he practice at all this week? It’s unclear. The signing was officially announced earlier Wednesday.
Bakhtiari won't practice
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said David Bakhtiari won’t practice on Wednesday, but the current plan is for him to be on the field on Thursday, although the situation is always “fluid.”
Matt LaFleur's pre-practice press conference
— On facing Bill Belichick: “You always want to go against people you respect.” LaFleur said the Packers reached out to the Patriots about doing joint practices.
— LaFleur has been “really impressed” with seventh-round pick Grant DuBose since he returned from a back injury.
— On Carrington Valentine: Packers have to look at ways of getting him on the field but the rookie has to “keep progressing.” Says the defense will look at everything when it comes to constructing the secondary, including moving Rasul Douglas around.
— David Bakhtiari won’t practice on Wednesday. Plan is for him to practice on Thursday, but it’s fluid. Jaire Alexander might be available. Eric Stokes will remain on the PUP list.
— Ready for anything against Bill Belichick’s defense. Good test for his guys to see where they are at in a practice setting. “I have no idea what’s coming.”
— No 1-on-1s for the offensive and defensive linemen. Made it a point to emphasize no fighting during joint practices.
— On Elgton Jenkins: In a perfect world he’ll stay at left guard, but he has to be ready to play anywhere.
