The Green Bay Packers are off on Saturday after going through three consecutive practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to open training camp. Matt LaFleur’s team won’t put on pads until Monday, and it’s often unwise to draw sweeping conclusions off three days of unpadded practice, especially to start training camp. But this reality doesn’t mean we can’t learn anything important about the 2025 Packers.
Here are the most important things to know from the first three practices:
Injuries along OL
Elgton Jenkins hasn’t practiced due to a pre-existing back injury, and Aaron Banks exited the second practice of camp with a back injury. The two injuries created opportunities to mix and match along the first-team offensive line. Sean Rhyan and Jacob Monk are getting opportunities at both center and right guard, Jordan Morgan has played both guard spots and left tackle, and Travis Glover got chances to play left guard. These reps are great for cross-training players and giving young players more opportunities, but the Packers are also missing out on chances to create cohesion up front — an important factor for an offensive line expecting to have a new left guard and center and possibly a new left tackle or right guard in the starting lineup in 2025. The Packers will hope Banks’ injury is minor and Jenkins can return at some point soon. Injuries to important players is one of the few things that actually matter at training camp.
Secondary snaps
It’s early, and things can change quickly, but it appears the Packers have a preferred secondary in the base nickel defense to start training camp. Evan Williams is the top option at safety next to Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard is playing down in the slot and Nate Hobbs is operating opposite Keisean Nixon at perimeter corner. Carrington Valentine picked off a pair of passes during the first three practices, but he appears to be the odd man out of the starting nickel lineup early on. This is a fluid situation, obviously, and more big plays from Valentine could mean Hobbs moves to the slot and Bullard is the odd man out. Expect more mixing and matching in the secondary.
No worries at kicker
Last summer, every day of training camp was an up and down adventure in the kicking game. This year, veteran Brandon McManus has produced a perfect start — 15 for 15 on kicks, including seven makes of at least 45 yards. A consistent, reliable kicking game is one of those things that you don’t fully appreciate until its gone. The Packers have a valuable asset in McManus, who was nearly perfect during the regular season last year and is showing this summer why it was such an easy decision to re-sign him to a three-year deal.
Isaiah Simmons has a chance
The eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft has impressed in helmets and shorts during the first three days. With Quay Walker on the mend, Simmons has been given plenty of opportunities to play with the first-team defense at strong side linebacker, and he hasn’t disappointed. It’s early, and putting on pads will provide a new challenge. But the Packers are giving Simmons a chance to focus on just one position at linebacker, and there’s a chance he could provide something meaningful in a specific subpackage role. Also, it’s clear he’s the preferred backup option at linebacker, so if nothing else, Simmons looks like a good bet to make the 53 at this point in camp.
Rookie class
The Packers selected only eight players in the 2025 draft, and three are dealing with injuries to start camp. Fifth-round pick Collin Oliver has a hamstring injury and will miss a few weeks, seventh-round pick John Williams has a back injury and may miss significant time, and third-round pick Savion Williams suffered a concussion in the team’s second practice and must now pass through the league’s protocol before returning to the field. Missing on-field reps during training camp creates a tough physical and mental hurdle for first-year players. One rookie who isn’t missing reps is first-round pick Matthew Golden, who looks the part early. He’s getting plenty of looks and touches with the first-team offense.
Bo Melton is a cornerback
What began as a minicamp experiment is now a full-on position change for Bo Melton. He’s no longer wearing a traditional wide receiver number, and the Packers list him as a cornerback on the official roster. It’s going to take the entirety of training camp to see if Melton can pull off the position change and give the Packers something useful at cornerback, but early returns suggest he’s not in over his head. Melton has past experience at corner and the movement ability to play the position, but he’s still learning a new position and an NFL defense on the fly. With a loaded depth chart at receiver, the Packers are getting creative in an attempt to find a spot for Melton on the 53-man roster.
Other big news
— Christian Watson (knee) began training camp on the PUP list, as expected. The Packers say he won’t practice during camp.
— The Packers revealed a new throwback uniform set. The look is inspired by the 1923 team, and features navy uniforms, gold numbers and stripes and an airbrushed, faux leather helmet, the first of its kind at the NFL level.
Engineered for legends in the making pic.twitter.com/eIOqNSGWTi
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 24, 2025
— Right tackle Zach Tom signed a four-year, $88 million extension with the Packers. It featured a record-breaking signing bonus and keeps Tom under contract in Green Bay through 2029.
— A new era begins. On Friday, Ed Policy assumed the role of Packers president and CEO from Mark Murphy, who hit the mandatory retirement age of 70 this month.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Most important things to know from first three practices of Packers training camp