Five things learned during the Packers’ offseason program

Cheesehead

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Mar 19, 2019
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Predictably, LaFleur was extremely hands-on with players, throwing to receivers and roaming the secondary during passing drills, prior to tearing his Achilles tendon in a basketball game with the coaching staff late in the offseason program.


Even after the injury, LaFleur still worked closely with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, tight end Jimmy Graham, and the rest of the roster thanks to a modified golf cart that allowed him to roam the field.


There are still areas of the offense LaFleur wants to tighten up, but the blueprint is in place for the offense to challenge all three levels of the defense.


2. Depth behind Davante


If there were lingering questions as to why the Packers chose to look internally to fill Randall Cobb’s void in the lineup, the young receiving corps has provided some answers.


Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, Equanimeous St. Brown, Jake Kumerow and J’Mon Moore all had their moments in the battle for the No. 2 and 3 receiver jobs behind two-time Pro Bowler Davante Adams this spring.


Coming off 38 catches for 581 yards as a rookie, Valdes-Scantling held serve with Adams and the first-team offense. Rodgers praised Valdes-Scantling during OTAs for his maturation, adding he believes the second-year receiver has what it takes to be an every-down player in the Packers’ offense.


With LaFleur preaching versatility and variance among his receivers, Allison appears to have taken well to a transition to the slot position.


The fourth-year receiver won the No. 3 job last summer with relative ease and appeared to be on his way to a breakout season before a core muscle injury limited him to five games. Allison has caught 55 passes for 758 yards (13.8 yards per catch) and four TDs through his first 30 regular-season games (eight starts).


3. Rookies coming as advertised


From a pure athletic standpoint, Rashan Gary and Darnell Savage have lived up to the billing of first-round picks through their first two months in a Packers uniform.


Gary, the 6-foot-4, 277-pound pass rusher, posted impressive numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine, which helped crystalize the Packers’ decision to take him with the 12th overall pick. While the pads have yet to go on, Gary showed a natural explosiveness rushing off the edge indicative of his 4.58 time in the 40.


“(He’s a) big, athletic individual who’s got a great first step,” said three-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, who had a few opportunities to block against Gary this spring. “I can see why he got drafted in the position that he did.”
 
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