Clements 'sure' Aaron Rodgers will face 49ers

GREEN BAY - The most closely guarded secret in Green Bay might be how much quarterback Aaron Rodgers will play in Friday night’s preseason game at San Francisco, but assistant Tom Clements let one tidbit slip Monday.

“We haven’t discussed what the exact play time will be,” Clements said, “but I’m sure he’ll play.”

The first clue came Monday. Unlike the past two weeks, Rodgers took first-team reps in practice. He had run the Packers’ scout team before exhibitions against the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.

The reviews from Rodgers in practice have been stellar. Running the scout team last week, he torched the Packers’ starting defense, the same way he has torched defenses across the NFL. Yet Rodgers hasn’t taken a game snap.

That likely will change this week.

“The preseason is obviously different than practice,” Clements said. “Things move fast, faster. Once the season starts, they move even faster. You get to the playoffs, and they move even faster. Regardless, I think of how long you’ve been around, you need a little bit of work before the season starts. Aaron has been very sharp in practice.

“I anticipate that he’ll be sharp. But really, you have to be moving around quicker than you do in practice. It tests your stamina a little bit more. You have to get used to that. You have to get used to – get re-acclimated to the speed of the game. Because as I said, it’s different than practice.’’