Category: Latest Packers News

Jordan Love: Relationship with Aaron Rodgers is like Master and Padawan

Jordan Love understands “Star Wars” lore and his place in the hierarchy of quarterbacking expertise.

Jordan Love understands “Star Wars” lore and his place in the hierarchy of quarterbacking expertise.

In “Star Wars,” a Force-sensitive individual is identified as a Padawan and trained under a Jedi Master. In Green Bay, the roles are clear: Love is the Padawan and Aaron Rodgers is the Master.

“It’s kind of like the Master and the Padawan kind of thing,”  Love said Thursday when asked about his relationship with Rodgers. “Just trying to learn as much as I can from him.”

In many ways, Love is in the perfect quarterback apprenticeship. Not only is he coached by a former quarterback and on a annually successful team committed to a deliberate approach to his development, but he gets to learn behind one of the NFL’s all-time greats, providing a rare opportunity for a talented young passer to sit and grow in an ideal situation for maximum growth as a player and leader.

”The biggest thing for me is just being able to watch him,” Love said. “You get that knowledge from a Hall of Famer, in my second year, it’s valuable.”

Love said he’s trying to mimic just about everything Rodgers does, from tempo to footwork and everything in between, which is exactly what Rodgers has said he once did behind Brett Favre.

That Master-Padawan relationship was far more icy than this one. Rodgers said he “loves and respects” Love, while Love said the two have a “great” relationship.

Favre famously exited Green Bay during the summer of 2008 and eventually made his way over to the Dark Side, where he tortured Rodgers and the Packers for one season as the Vikings quarterback before later watching his apprentice hoist the Lombardi Trophy as a true Jedi Master in February of 2011.

It’s unclear how this apprenticeship will play out over the next few years. Rodgers already has an uncertain future past 2021. And by next year, Love should be ready to play. The training process should be complete.

The Packers will hope their latest quarterback Padawan can follow in the footsteps of those before him and become the NFL’s next Jedi Master.

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Packers claiming OLB Chauncey Rivers off waivers from Ravens

The Grean Bay Packers are adding depth at outside linebacker after losing Randy Ramsey to a significant injury.

The Grean Bay Packers are adding depth at outside linebacker after losing Randy Ramsey to a significant injury.

According to the league’s transaction wire, the Packers claimed outside linebacker Chauncey Rivers off of waivers from the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.

Rivers, an undrafted free agent from Miss. State, will need to pass a physical before being added to the 90-man roster.

The Ravens waived Rivers (6-2, 262) on Wednesday.

Outside linebacker depth became a need for the Packers after Ramsey, a candidate to be the fourth edge rusher on the roster, went down this week with an ankle injury.

Rivers went undrafted in 2020. As a senior, he delivered eight tackles for losses and five sacks on his way to being named second-team All-SEC.

Rivers lacks both size and athleticism at edge rusher, creating a notably low RAS.

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Packers release Joe Fortunato, leaving only one long snapper on roster

Packers LS Hunter Bradley has survived one round of competition at training camp.

Hunter Bradley has survived one round of competition at long snapper for the Green Bay Packers.

The team released Joe Fortunato on Thursday, leaving only Bradley on the 90-man roster at long snapper.

Fortunato signed with the Packers in March. He was to provide competition for Bradley, a draft pick in 2018 who was inconsistent at times last season.

It’s unclear if Bradley has won the job outright or if the Packers will add more competition during the summer.

According to the league’s transaction wire, the Packers are claiming outside linebacker Chauncey Rivers, who will take Fortunato’s spot on the roster if he passes his physical.

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Packers are treating Family Night like a preseason game

The Packers want a preseason-type environment during Family Night on Saturday at Lambeau Field.

The COVID-19 pandemic robbed Green Bay Packers fans of last year’s Family Night scrimmage. However, Family Night is a go in 2021.

On a night when fans of all ages can fill Lambeau Field, the Packers will hold an organized practice for all to witness. Family Night is scheduled to return Saturday, August 7th, and Packers faithful can expect an earnest approach from players and coaches. Head coach Matt LaFleur stated Thursday that Green Bay will treat Saturday’s practice like a preseason game.

“That’s how we’re going to treat it,” LaFleur said during his press conference. “Especially at the end of that night in terms of getting some live action.”

The Packers will do some 11-on-11 work that may include hitting. Of course, the team may take precautionary measures to ensure no one gets hurt.

Lambeau Field has the potential to be at full capacity after a season in which the seats were practically empty for all but two playoff games. As LaFleur pointed out, playing in front of an NFL crowd can be a great experience for rookies.

“I think it’s going to be great, especially for our young players that maybe have not had an opportunity to play in front of big crowds,” he said. “It’s almost like their first preseason game.”

This Saturday, it will be interesting to see which rookies perform under the bright lights and which players are capable of making plays on a bigger stage. Practice is one thing, but doing it in a game environment is completely different. 2021’s Family Night is going to offer a game-like atmosphere for Green Bay’s players.

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Strong summer from Devin Funchess could be win-win for Packers

Why a strong summer from veteran WR Devin Funchess could be a win-win for the Packers.

The Green Bay Packers might be five players deep in terms of roster locks at the wide receiver position, complicating the path ahead for Devin Funchess, who is returning to the field after missing the better part of two seasons. But a strong summer from the veteran receiver could still be a win-win situation for the Packers.

First, let’s run down the situation at receiver to start training camp:

– Davante Adams, arguably the best receiver in football, is a lock.

– Marquez Valdes-Scantling, one of the best deep threats in football, is a lock.

– Allen Lazard, one of the best run-blocking receivers in football, is a lock.

– Randall Cobb, one of the most productive slot receivers in football over the last 10 years, is a lock.

– Amari Rodgers, a third-round pick who should contribute on offense and special teams as a rookie, is a lock.

Where does Funchess fit in here?

A few scenarios could play out over the next few weeks.

Funchess, who has played in one game over the last two seasons, could struggle upon returning to the playing field and become an easy cut. He’s still only 27 years old, but two years off is a long time in football time. There’s no guarantee he can still play. The Packers have a deep and competitive roster. They don’t need to waste a spot waiting for Funchess to get back into the groove.

But there’s also a chance he can still play, and he’s going to get every opportunity to prove it this summer. Preseason games will be especially important. There’s a chance he could dominate a bunch of young defensive backs during the three exhibition games. Not many second-round picks with 62 games of NFL experience will be playing in the second halves of these games. Funchess could.

So, if Funchess looks great during the rest of camp and the preseason, the Packers could:

– keep him, and find ways of getting his skill set on the field as a complementary player.

– trade him to an interested team, and potentially get a draft pick back in return.

The first scenario isn’t totally out of the question. The Packers could keep as many as seven receivers, with Funchess as the sixth, and the seventh adding special teams value. It’s not a great way to compose a roster, but it’s possible. The key here would be keeping Funchess involved somehow. At this point in his career, he’ll want to play. And the Packers wouldn’t keep a veteran like him without a plan for getting him on the field. Doing so might be tough with five others ahead of him, but it might be nice to have a veteran like Funchess who can play all three receiver spots and provide valuable insurance at a key position. Once again, it’s all about finding a specific role.

The second scenario might be the best-case scenario. If Funchess looks like a player but the Packers can’t find enough snaps for him, some team might be willing to give up a late-round or conditional draft pick to get him during final cuts. The Packers dealt a sixth-round pick for Randall Cobb to start camp, so getting a late Day 3 pick back for Funchess could all but eliminate that cost. There’s no guarantee here, but teams do trade for veteran players around cutdown time every year. The preseason is the perfect audition opportunity for Funchess.

Either way, a strong summer from Funchess is good for the Packers. They’ll either have another veteran receiver (on a cheap salary) to keep on the roster, bolstering what looks like a strong and experienced position group, or they’ll (potentially) have an opportunity to get something back for a player they don’t need.

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Packers QB Jordan Love ‘super excited’ to play in the preseason opener

It’s been almost 19 months since Packers QB Jordan Love played in a real football game.

Jordan Love hasn’t played in a real football game since the Senior Bowl in January of 2020.

It’s fair to say the Green Bay Packers quarterback is excited for the team’s preseason opener on Aug. 14.

“I’m super excited for it,” Love said. “The last time I’ve played in a game was the Senior Bowl coming out of college. A little over a year and a half ago, I think. Super excited. This is the moment I’ve been preparing for, even since last year not having the preseason. It’s almost like I’ve almost been training a year for this first preseason game. I’m super excited to get out there and get back to playing ball.”

Love, a first-round pick of the Packers in 2020, didn’t get a preseason as a rookie and was inactive as the No. 3 quarterback for all 18 games. The preseason opener against the Houston Texans next Saturday will be the first time he’s suited up for a game since Jan. 25 of 2020, a span of 567 days or almost 19 months.

Love will get thrown directly into the fire over the next few weeks.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur has said several times that the team is expecting Love to handle a majority of the snaps during the three exhibition games this month. It’s a matter of a young quarterback making up for lost time after not having a preseason last year, and the Packers don’t need veteran Aaron Rodgers taking many snaps during preseason games.

The reps should be vital to his development. Participating in practice situations is one thing; taking live snaps against an opponent is a whole different animal.

Love pointed to his footwork within plays and the understanding of defenses pre-snap as the biggest steps in his development so far in his young NFL career. He will get opportunities to improve on both during the preseason, even if he’s going into his second season as the backup.

With Rodgers’ future uncertain, Love said he mentally prepared all offseason to be the starter. And he got all the reps during the offseason workout program, providing a boost to his confidence and performance coming into training camp.

“Me being able to get all those reps, that was huge,” Love said.

The future Hall of Famer in his room has been helpful, too.

“It’s kind of like The Master and The Padawan kind of thing. Trying to learn as much as I can from him,” Love said. “Me and Aaron’s relationship is really good.”

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Packers QB Jordan Love ‘super excited’ to play in the preseason opener

It’s been almost 19 months since Packers QB Jordan Love played in a real football game.

Jordan Love hasn’t played in a real football game since the Senior Bowl in January of 2020.

It’s fair to say the Green Bay Packers quarterback is excited for the team’s preseason opener on Aug. 14.

“I’m super excited for it,” Love said. “The last time I’ve played in a game was the Senior Bowl coming out of college. A little over a year and a half ago, I think. Super excited. This is the moment I’ve been preparing for, even since last year not having the preseason. It’s almost like I’ve almost been training a year for this first preseason game. I’m super excited to get out there and get back to playing ball.”

Love, a first-round pick of the Packers in 2020, didn’t get a preseason as a rookie and was inactive as the No. 3 quarterback for all 18 games. The preseason opener against the Houston Texans next Saturday will be the first time he’s suited up for a game since Jan. 25 of 2020, a span of 567 days or almost 19 months.

Love will get thrown directly into the fire over the next few weeks.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur has said several times that the team is expecting Love to handle a majority of the snaps during the three exhibition games this month. It’s a matter of a young quarterback making up for lost time after not having a preseason last year, and the Packers don’t need veteran Aaron Rodgers taking many snaps during preseason games.

The reps should be vital to his development. Participating in practice situations is one thing; taking live snaps against an opponent is a whole different animal.

Love pointed to his footwork within plays and the understanding of defenses pre-snap as the biggest steps in his development so far in his young NFL career. He will get opportunities to improve on both during the preseason, even if he’s going into his second season as the backup.

With Rodgers’ future uncertain, Love said he mentally prepared all offseason to be the starter. And he got all the reps during the offseason workout program, providing a boost to his confidence and performance coming into training camp.

“Me being able to get all those reps, that was huge,” Love said.

The future Hall of Famer in his room has been helpful, too.

“It’s kind of like The Master and The Padawan kind of thing. Trying to learn as much as I can from him,” Love said. “Me and Aaron’s relationship is really good.”

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WR Juwann Winfree doing ‘a lot of great things’ at Packers training camp

WR Juwann Winfree, a standout from the offseason workout program, is stacking success to start Green Bay Packers training camp. 

A standout from the offseason workout program is stacking success to start Green Bay Packers training camp.

Nearly every day, receiver Juwann Winfree has made a noteworthy play or two – and his coach is noticing the offseason carryover.

“I think Juwann’s done a lot of great things,” coach Matt LaFleur said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com. “I think he’s kind of picked up where he left off in the offseason program and OTAs. Obviously being with us throughout the course of the season last year definitely laid a good foundation for him so he understands what the expectations are.”

Winfree, a sixth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2019, spent 16 weeks on the Packers’ practice squad last season. He came back after a year in Green Bay and impressed throughout the offseason workout program, making catch after catch as a top option with many of the top receivers not participating.

It’s one thing to make plays during the spring. It’s another to turn those successes into something more at training camp, where roster spots are ultimately won and lost.

While MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed the offseason workout program, he can see a difference in the young receiver at camp.

“Juwann has had a really nice offseason. He looks, body-wise, differently,” Rodgers said Wednesday.

Winfree is engaged in a fierce position battle at receiver. The top five at the position might be locks, but there’s room for a sixth or seventh receiver on the roster, especially if a player like Winfree keeps standing out during camp.

As always, preseason games will be vital to the evaluation of the young receivers. The Packers have Family Night on Saturday, exactly one week before the preseason kicks off with a visit from the Houston Texans. Winfree must keep impressing over the next three or four weeks.

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Watch: Aaron Rodgers drops it into the net from 50 yards out at Packers practice

Continuing an annual summer tradition, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hit nothing but net on a 50-yard throw at training camp practice on Thursday.

It’s an annual training camp tradition: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hitting nothing but net from long range.

The NFL’s MVP was showing off his deep accuracy again at Thursday’s practice.

Rodgers, the master of the Hail Mary, unleashed a rainbow of a throw that came down right in the net situated at least 50 yards away.

Here are several videos featuring different angles of Rodgers sinking it from deep at practice:

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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers kept Jordan Love in the loop during turbulent offseason

His own experiences behind Brett Favre helped shaped the way Aaron Rodgers treated Jordan Love this offseason.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers remembers his first few offseasons sitting behind future Hall of Famer Brett Favre. Vividly. And so when uncertainty over his own football future dominated the offseason this summer, the NFL’s MVP made sure to keep Jordan Love in the loop, an offering he knows he would have appreciated 13 years ago.

Rodgers said he reached out to Love several times during the turbulent offseason.

“I didn’t hold things from him. I let him know where I was at mentally and what I was thinking about, and hopefully he appreciated that, Rodgers said. “I just felt that’s what I would want in that situation, just to hear from the guy.”

Rodgers understands in great detail what it’s like to go through an offseason with such uncertainty at quarterback – and taking all the reps as the No. 1 quarterback like Love, only to have the veteran starter eventually return and reclaim the starting job. It can be a cruel process for a young player itching to play.

“Thankfully I went through that, and I can understand a little bit about what he’s going through, so I just try to keep that in mind the entire time,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers sat out the entire offseason workout program. He reached agreement with the Packers to return on a restructured deal.

With Rodgers back for 2021, Love is back on the bench as the backup. For now.

Rodgers said he has a lot of “love and respect” for Love, the team’s first-round pick in 2020 and Rodgers’ potential future replacement.

As it was for Rodgers, the extra offseason reps for Love will likely be valuable for his long-term development. And the Packers are planning to play Love for much of the preseason.

If there’s any animosity between Rodgers and Love, the veteran hasn’t expressed it through words or actions. He has the experience in Love’s shoes. And he’s making sure Love feels differently in this situation than he once felt behind Favre.