Curd is the Word: Ready for Training Camp Overreactions?
Camp updates are exciting, but let's dial it back a little
By GregMeinholz
The rookies have already entered the building. And reportedly, Jordan Love is with them. However, Training Camp for the Green Bay Packers doesn't officially begin until the veterans report on Tuesday, July 22nd. And then, the first public practice will be viewed on Wednesday, July 23rd. It's a magical time of year, football is back, excitement is in the air, and so are the overreactions.
The overreactions have already started, in fact. When the list of players who will begin training camp on the PUP list was released, it was easy to find several folks who had to complain about players rehabbing injuries at this time of the year. WR Christian Watson, LB Quay Walker, DL Collin Oliver, DB Micah Robinson, and OL John Williams will start camp on the PUP. Watson, of course, is expected given his timeline of recovery from a torn ACL, but the others, not quite so much, especially Quay Walker. I get it, it's frustrating, but injuries happen all the time. Look at other teams starting camp with players on the PUP list; it's not just a Packers thing. And don't forget, the season opener is seven weeks away. Most of these players should have plenty of time to recover from their ailments before we get to the football that truly counts.
During camp, we will also likely read reports of a player dropping out of practice, and everyone will gasp and fear the worst, only for that player to head back in after a drill or two. These guys are professional football players; they're required to be in peak physical condition. Most of them worked out and conditioned in the offseason, but sometimes there's a difference between peak physical condition and peak football condition. Once they start going through drills that they may not have done since the season ended the year before, and working those muscles in different ways, especially in the summer heat, there are going to be ailments here and there.
But injuries won't be the only overreactions.
Camp Highlights Don't Make or Break
Like many of you, during every single practice, I won't be able to peel myself away from updates posted by those in attendance. Enjoying every single big catch, long run, and big defensive play. It's Packers football, back on our screens, it's exciting. We want to know how the new players look and whether or not the returning players look like they're ready to pick up where they left off, or if they've perhaps gotten better.
The minute we see Jordan Love hit Matthew Golden in the endzone for a touchdown, we're all going to jump through the ceiling. There's no avoiding it. There's something about that shiny new toy we got in April paying off, that raises the excitement for Fall football. And if Nate Hobbs makes a few big plays in practice, you know the hype is going to kick up a bit.
But it's important to remember that just because that player looks good in practice, that doesn't mean they're going to do the same thing on the field come game time. There's a long list of past players for the Packers who were training camp legends, but that's as far as it went. That play has to translate from Ray Nitschke Field to Lambeau Field.
With the highlights, however, are, of course, the low-lights. We're going to hear about drops, missed assignments, blown coverage, and poor blocking. It'll all be there. And with them is going to come the overreactions. There will be many. The cries for players to be cut, the wishes that they drafted or signed someone else, criticism left and right. But let's remember, this is practice. I like to say, iron sharpens iron. If the offense makes a big play, the defense is going to learn from it and get better, and vice versa. I'd much rather see a case of the drops or blown assignments start in training camp, with a chance to correct them before the season starts, than see them start in the fall.
Training Camp is upon us. We're aching for new football. But remember, we still have a long time before it all counts, don't get too excited or bummed out, a lot can change between now and the kickoff of the 2025 season.
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Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings.
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Comments (23)
egbertsouse
July 20, 2025 at 06:38 am
Ah, training camp! A time when every rookie will be touted as a future HOFer at some point.
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 07:39 am
IN THE HISTORY OF READINESS, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN MORE READY THAN I AM RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, TOMORROW I WILL BE EVEN MORE READY THAN TODAY. PEOPLE COME TO ME WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES SAYING, “SIR, YOUR READINESS INSPIRES ME TO BE THE MOST READY I CAN BE, BUT I CANNOT HOLD A CANDLE TO YOU AND YOUR MAJESTIC READINESS!”
Spock
July 20, 2025 at 09:47 am
Alas, TK your readiness may have peaked too soon. Can you recapture that readiness down the stretch?
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 10:09 am
Of this there is no doubt.
Bitternotsour
July 20, 2025 at 12:10 pm
being ready is a function of the readiness mindset. you appear from all available data to be dialed in for all manners of ready.
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 01:27 pm
Hells yeah bro I’ve been slamming Red Bulls since dawn!
GregC
July 20, 2025 at 09:16 am
It is especially frustrating when rookies start training camp on the injury list, because then they get behind, and often it results in a lost rookie season. It's less concerning for the veterans.
One rule of thumb for me is that in training camp it's hard to judge the offensive and defensive linemen, as well as the linebackers. Often they are not matched up against the best players, so they seem to be doing better than they really are. This happened with Lukas Van Ness to some extent last year. He dominated the backup O-linemen, but when he played against starters in the preseason games, he disappeared. The preseason games can be helpful for judging these players when they are facing quality opposition, which still happens sometimes. Running backs are interesting to watch in the preseason games too.
I think that with QBs, receivers, and defensive backs, you can tell a little more from how they do in training camp, because their jobs are less about physical force and more about how they move.
Jordan Love threw a lot of interceptions in training camp last year, and he started the season the same way. He needs to play a lot cleaner in training camp this year.
dobber
July 20, 2025 at 11:09 am
Bring on the overreactions! They make for great discussion!
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 05:49 pm
Same page, amigo!
NickPerry
July 20, 2025 at 11:38 am
I can raise my hand as one of those who have overreacted over the last several years. I've always gotten a little overly excited about the any FA's we may have signed, new draft picks, but especially those second and third year guys.
This year I want to see Jordan Love come out of the gates playing well, playing like many of us thought he would at the start of LAST season. Love NEEDS to take a step. This season I'd like to see the Packers win BECAUSE of Jordan Love. Not just WITH him. The Packers won BECAUSE of Favre and Rodgers many, many times. The thing is, we all saw it at the end of 2023. Love has it in him. We'll all know relatively early about Love.
There's many, many, more things I'll be watching closely and I'm sure overreacting to. But Love is the dude. He MUST take a step forward.
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 05:52 pm
I see no reason why he can’t. O-line competition/upgrades. Running game led by Jacobs. Golden. Kraft. Solid defense. Whoooo!
Leatherhead
July 20, 2025 at 11:41 am
The good news is.....most of the team, especially the main dogs, have been practicing and playing together for a while. Love, Jacobs, Kraft, Tom, Jenkins, Walker, Rhyan, Doubs, Reed, Wicks, Wilson, Morgan. We don't really need training camp evaluations of these guys because the coaches know them.
Same on defense: McKinney, Bullard, Williams, Nixon, Valentine, Cooper, Walker, McDuffie, Clark, Gary, VanNess, Wynn, Enagbare.....these guys have all had hundreds of practices together.
Most of our team is already set. Of the 53 man roster, probably 40 of the spots are already filled. Other than perhaps Golden, no rookie is going to come in and beat out the established starter.
The new guys....the draftees, Belton, Hobbs, and some of last year's rookies like Hopper and King and Oladapo...training camp and the exhibition season is for them. Not for the guys that have already been here for a while and will be on the field for us this year.
ricky
July 20, 2025 at 02:10 pm
Different team, but remember when Ja'Mar Chase had problems catching the ball in camp, because the college ball was a different size than the NFL ball. There were a lot of doubters, with some even calling him a bust. Then the real games began, and he did just fine.
Similar to the exhibition games (misleading called "pre-season" so they can force season ticket owners to pay more for games that mean nothing) . If the Packers go winless or win all the games, it makes no difference. What counts is if the players are showing improvement as the games progress, that the real starters get in sync with each other, and the backups and guys trying to make the team get a chance to show what they can do.
Overreactions? Of course! We've been football deprived for months, and now there will be something to talk about, analyze and discuss. Even the overreactions will be fun, because, at last, there is light at the end of the tunnel!
NJMagic
July 20, 2025 at 03:06 pm
Can we rename camp and preseason the "Jeff Janis Olympics?"
LLCHESTY
July 20, 2025 at 03:32 pm
No, because there was that one time in the Playoffs when Janis carried the Packers. Not to victory(damn dirty defense!) but carry them he did!
mnbadger
July 20, 2025 at 03:37 pm
Jared Abredaras, Bo Melton, etc's names could be added to define the specific year, like they do with the super bowl.
Every camp we have the most coveted #6 receiver that gets cut.
Everybody loses their minds, fearful that the smart teams will surely snatch them away.
2 years and a couple of practice squads later and that star is selling cars in Omaha for a family friend.
Yet I love and consume every minute of it!
GPG!
TKWorldWide
July 20, 2025 at 05:54 pm
Erik Affholter, anyone?
GregC
July 20, 2025 at 06:10 pm
The Packers kept seven WRs in 2022. Last year, they kept six, and one of the WRs they cut (Grant DuBose) got signed by another team to their 53-player roster.
They've had a glut of backup WR talent in recent years--players who are a little too good to stash on the practice squad. That's going to be the case again this year, even more than usual. They have three players competing for probably one roster spot, and all of them have been on an NFL roster for at least two years.
LLCHESTY
July 20, 2025 at 08:25 pm
Unknown WRs seem to draw the most attention with their big catches but I remember one Royce Dalton Newman looking good in the preseason games and getting PFF's highest preseason ranking for guards. Lots of stories about how they had found their next 4th round OL stud. Turned out to be the highlight of his career, although he's still in the league and miracles do happen. Maybe he'll finally find a weight set he likes.
Newman!!
Coldworld
July 21, 2025 at 08:53 am
Newman was fine (as a G) against vanilla defenses. So a perfect camp player.
Generally, the first week or two is when you can see athleticism at positions where non contact football allows the focus to be on just that, most obviously WR. It’s not until pads go on and contact begins in ernest that one can really start to see more than burst, agility, etc. Still it’s fun to see who has the athletic gifts that are, after all, the foundation of upside and who is getting opportunities and where.
barutanseijin
July 22, 2025 at 02:51 am
Newhouse.
nagawicka
July 21, 2025 at 10:03 am
JULIAN HICKS !
Packerpasty
July 22, 2025 at 10:11 am
No serious injuries thats whats important...