The Green Bay Packers wrapped up their first week of training camp Sunday, an eventful stretch of days that saw quarterback Jordan Love and defensive tackle Kenny Clark receive enormous contract extensions.
Throughout the Packers’ busy opening week, some players shined and others stumbled.
Here’s a list of Green Bay’s winners and losers after one week of camp.
WINNERS
RASHAN GARY
After six practices, Gary has been Green Bay’s best player — on either side of the ball.
On the second practice of camp, Gary had three sacks in a four-play stretch to finish the session. On the fourth practice, Gary had sacks on back-to-back plays against tackle Kadeem Telfort.
And on a daily basis, he’s been an absolute menace for the offense.
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“Well that’s our guy. That’s our motivator, that’s our heart on this defense,” nose tackle T.J. Slaton said of Gary. “So when he comes out there with that energy we just feed off of him and every time he runs to the ball, we want to run to the ball, too.”
Gary had an up and down season in 2023, his first year back after tearing an ACL in Nov., 2022. Although Gary led the Packers with 9.0 sacks, six of those came in two games and Gary went sack-less in 13 of 19 games overall.
By the looks of it, though, Gary could be poised for a huge season.
Green Bay is transitioning to a 4-3 defense, meaning Gary is moving from outside linebacker to defensive end. And that move could do wonders for his game.
“I’ve got a little more freedom now to be me and I’m able to move outside, inside and we’re just starting with the defense,” Gary said. “I can’t wait to open it up a little bit and see what more I can do.”
After each practice, the coaches declare a “winner” and the losers have to do push-ups. With Gary leading the way, the defense is off to a 5-1 start.
JORDAN LOVE AND KENNY CLARK
These two are arguably Green Bay’s most important players, and they’re certainly being paid like it.
Clark, a defensive tackle, inked a three-year, $64 million contract just before camp began. It was the third contract that Clark — Green Bay’s first round draft pick in 2016 — signed with the team, something that’s extremely rare in today’s NFL.
“He is a model player that you kind of want to build a program around,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Clark. “Obviously he’s a great player, has been as consistent as you could ever imagine. We’re just really excited to kind of be able to extend him and let him lead that group for the foreseeable future.”
Love missed the first four practices of camp as his contract extension was being finalized. Then late Friday, he signed a four-year, $220 million deal that included a $75 million signing bonus and $155 million in guarantees.
“Very rewarding,” Love said of his new deal. “I think just so far in my career, there’s been so many question marks. Getting drafted here. Being behind Aaron (Rodgers). Not knowing what that whole situation would be like. Where I would be? When I would get my opportunity?
“It’s been humbling, you know? And just something I’ve had to work in the background … just keep working and staying true to myself and finding ways to get better and being patient, trusting the process. I think there’s been a lot of question marks and not knowing, but I think that’s the NFL. There’s a lot of unknown. Everybody is trying to be their best and get that next contract, so it’s definitely very rewarding.”
ERIC STOKES
The fourth-year corner is trying to come back from consecutive injury-plagued seasons. And early on, Stokes looks like the player that had a strong rookie year in 2021.
The highlight for Stokes came in Green Bay’s third practice, when he intercepted quarterback Sean Clifford twice. On one, he picked off a ball that wideout Dontayvion Wicks dropped. On the other, Stokes jumped a Clifford pass intended for Christian Watson and would have scored if it was a real game.
“Man, it’s good to see, especially where he came from with his injuries and all that,” defensive tackle Kenny Clark said of Stokes. “Stokes has got great energy all around the building. We all love him. Every day he’s bringing in the right energy. Even when he was hurt, you really couldn’t tell. He’s never one of those guys that’s down. High character, good overall dude and somebody that you root for.”
SECONDARY
Green Bay had a pathetic seven interceptions as a team in 2023, which ranked a dismal 31st in the NFL.
Even with quarterback Jordan Love back in the fold, though, the secondary has been a group of ballhawks.
Cornerbacks Stokes, Carrington Valentine and Kalen King all have interceptions. Safeties Anthony Johnson and Evan Williams both had interceptions on consecutive days, while fellow safeties Xavier McKinney and Javon Bullard also have interceptions.
In the third practice of camp, the Packers had five interceptions which head coach Matt LaFleur said, “is maybe a record.”
“Man, we got a lotta playmakers on this team,” McKinney said. “You got them in the back end. You got them in the second level. You got them obviously on the D-line. We’ve all done a great job of working together. You could see a lot of special talent on this defense and it really shows up. It shows up every practice that we’ve been out there, so we plan to keep that rolling.”
RASHEED WALKER
Many believed that Walker might be replaced at left tackle after the Packers used their first round draft pick on Arizona’s Jordan Morgan. To date, though, Walker has received all the left tackle reps with the No. 1 offense, meaning he’s the clear cut starter at this point.
Walker, a seventh round draft pick in 2022, shared time at left tackle with Yosh Nijman last year after David Bakhtiari suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1. By the end of the year, Walker had outplayed Nijman and won the job.
Walker allowed six sacks and had nine penalties in 851 snaps last season. But he also grew into the position and didn't allow a sack in either one of Green Bay’s playoff games.
“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do,” Walker said. “That’s it. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m supposed to do, keep taking my job serious, keep being reliable.”
LOSERS
SEAN CLIFFORD
Clifford got a chance to work with the No. 1 offense during the four practices Love missed. He then went back to No. 2 after Love signed his hefty contract extension.
Unfortunately for Clifford no matter who’s he lined up with there’s been one constant: interceptions.
Safeties Anthony Johnson and Evan Williams both picked off Clifford passes on the second practice of camp. Clifford threw two more in practices No. 3 and No. 6, and single picks in practices No. 4 and 5.
Overall, Clifford has thrown an alarming eight interceptions and has struggled throughout after he had a strong summer as a rookie in 2023.
“I’m just like, ‘Hang with me. I’m going to keep pushing, keep plugging away,’ ” Clifford said of his message to teammates. “The interceptions are frustrating for me personally, obviously. Because ultimately it falls on me. I know that. But I’m just going to keep going out and giving my best effort, positive attitude, and let it fly when I see it.”
ANDRE DILLARD
The Packers took a flier on Dillard, a 2019 first round draft pick by Philadelphia, this offseason.
Dillard allowed an NFL-high 12 sacks in 10 games last year before being benched by Tennessee. The Titans then released him on March 15.
Dillard signed a one-year, $1.125 million contract with the Packers in April that included no guaranteed money.
Dillard opened camp at right tackle with the No. 1 offense because Green Bay was functioning without preferred starter Zach Tom (pectoral). But Dillard struggled mightily at the outset of camp and was replaced by street free agent Kadeem Telfort after just two practices.
Whether Dillard can rebound in the next few weeks of camp remains to be seen.
JAMES TURNER
Turner was a long shot to win the Packers’ kicking job when camp began. Now, he has virtually no shot.
Turner has made 13-of-19 kicks to date, a dismal 68.4%. Meanwhile, Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph — the two players Turner is currently kicking against — are both 16-of-18 to begin camp (88.9%).
Turner, who was undrafted in April and signed by the Packers on May 10, needed to be virtually flawless to knock off Carlson and Joseph. That hasn’t happened, though.
