Live Packers training camp updates: Pat O’Donnell takes advantage of opportunity

The Green Bay Packers continue 2022 training camp with a practice on Saturday. Refresh this page for updates from Ray Nitschke Field.

Pat O’Donnell takes advantage of opportunity

It was a beautiful day at Packers practice Saturday with only mild winds and so it was a perfect opportunity for new punter Pat O’Donnell to show his stuff. O’Donnell did not disappoint with numerous long high points throughout the first punting drill of camp. O’Donnell ranged mostly in the 4.5 seconds hang-time area with a high of 5.1 seconds and a low of around 3.9. There was only one punt of the 10 or so that O’Donnell kicked that appeared to be mishit. He was consistent with his direction and boomed a couple of punts at least 50 yards.

The Packers did not re-sign their punter from a year ago, Corey Bojorquez and signed O’Donnell in free agency from the Chicago Bears. Randall Cobb and Amari Rogers did the bulk of the fielding of punts during the drill.

Controversy on final play of two-minute drive

There was plenty of controversy on the final play of the two-minute drive that the No. 1 offense had against the No.1 defense. From the 16-yard line with about 20 seconds left in the drill, quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to get picked off in the corner of the end zone by cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles on a throw to Randall Cobb. However, the play was brought back for an unspecified reason, possibly because Jean-Charles stepped out of bounds or out of the end zone. On the very next play on third and six at the 16, Rodgers threw a lob into the corner of the end zone that wide receiver Allen Lazard jumped up and caught over cornerback Eric Stokes for a 16-yard touchdown with four seconds left.

There was no immediate explanation on why the play was run again but the offense celebrated as though it had converted its 75-yard drive for a winning touchdown against the No. 1 defense.

Second-string quarterback Jordan Love had much less success during his two-minute drill, throwing incomplete on three straight passes to force a punt. Two of his passes were stopped at the line of scrimmage and his final pass, a nice-looking throw across the middle to wide-receiver Amari Rodgers, was well covered by cornerback Rico Gafford.

David Bakhtiari participates in rehab work

Packers All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari participated in rehab work during Saturday's training camp practice.

This is the first time this offseason Bakhtiari has been seen working during practice time that has been open to the media. The offensive lineman is currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He revealed earlier in the week that he suffered a setback during the 2021 regular season finale against the Detroit Lions. That game was also his first time back since tearing his ACL in December 2020.

Sammy Watkins returns from injury, will have a light day of practice

The Packers will host one more practice before taking their first day off in training camp. They'll then work in shells on Monday and full pads next Tuesday. So today's (Saturday) schedule will include:

"We're in our fourth install right now. We will have a competitive period; we've got a two-minute period at the end of practice, but it's just, continuing to build upon what we've already put forth the first three days and then also we'll have a 'move the ball, call it' period. So this will be the first opportunity for our guys not to necessarily have a script that they can prep for and just see how they react in that situation."

Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who participated in his first training camp practice on Friday following a hamstring injury, will have a light day on Saturday. LaFleur said the plan is to let Watkins be a part of individual work, which is about 25 minutes, then they'll "shut him down after that."

Randy Ramsey back on the field with his team  

Linebacker Randy Ramsey was back on the field with his team Friday, for the first time in a year. Ramsey, a third year outside LB, suffered two ligament tears in his ankle and a fractured fibula in the 2021 training camp. On Saturday, Coach Matt LaFleur shared Ramsey is in the running for a linebacker back-up spot.

"It's always good when you get somebody that's coming off that long, missing time. He's one of the guys that is going to be in competition. Our one and two right now, it's pretty clear cut...but as far as three through five, I think it's anybody's guess. It's gonna be how these guys develop and produce when given their opportunities."

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