The Green Bay Packers held their fourth training camp practice on Sunday, another non-padded workout that lasted 1 hour, 50 minutes in 90-degree weather with a heat index pushing triple digits.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly from practice No. 4.
THE GOOD
IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION?: Yes, it’s just Day 4 of training camp. And the pads haven’t even gone on.
But first round rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden might just be the piece that takes the Packers’ offense from good to great.
On Sunday, Golden beat cornerback Gregory Junior on a slant route and caught a touchdown from Malik Willis. Moments later, Golden beat Carrington Valentine on a crossing route and hauled in a TD from Jordan Love.
Through four practices, Golden has displayed tremendous speed, terrific hands and the ability to make people miss in open space.
“I always had the vision that whenever my opportunity came I was going to take the most of it,” Golden said. “Man, it’s been my dream to go first round since I was 6. That’s something that was always in me, always instilled in me, and I just kept that mindset. So whenever the biggest spotlight was there, I performed and did what I was supposed to do.”
TOUGH TO STOP: Packers tight end Tucker Kraft is an emerging star and showed off one skill from his impressive tool kit.
With quarterback Jordan Love under pressure, he threw a 50-50 ball for Kraft. The Packers’ 6-foot-5, 259-pound tight end boxed out 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety Evan Williams and hauled in the pass for a 12-yard touchdown.
“I can go up and get the ball,” Kraft said. “I’ve shown that time and time again. It’s just getting the opportunity to showcase that.”
In addition to being a football star at tiny Timber Lake High School in South Dakota, Kraft was also a basketball standout. As a senior, Kraft earned second-team all-state honors after averaging 14.2 points and 8.0 rebounds.
His ability to box out an opponent for a rebound is something he’s carried to the football field with jump balls.
“I wanted to play basketball more than football when I was growing up,” Kraft said. “Hooping was my first true love. But it was after my junior season I realized that football was going to be my thing.
“I realized I didn’t have the ball handling ability that a lot of guys playing at my size had. I wasn’t doing nearly as much with skills training as I should have.”
Things have worked out just fine for Kraft — and the Packers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS: Linebacker Tyron Hopper played just 18 snaps as a rookie last season. Perhaps he’s ready for more this year.
Early in practice, Hopper intercepted Love after Green Bay’s quarterback was heavily pressured. Love wanted tight end Luke Musgrave on a crossing route, but threw a pass right to Hopper.
“I think I got a guy that’s going to come down hill and hit you,” Packers linebackers coach Sean Duggan said of Hopper. “He’s a big, physical guy. He embraces contact, he enjoys the physical aspect of the game. You know, I think he’s learning too.
“I think he’s more comfortable now in year two, you know, just like all the rookies are. It’s the second time they’ve gone through an off season. So they’re kind of, they know (what) to expect. So he’s, you know, he’s come back. He’s in great shape. He’s moving around. He knows what he’s doing now. So he looks good.”
GUESS WHO’S BACK, BACK AGAIN?: Guard Aaron Banks (back), wide receiver Savion Williams (concussion) and running back Amar Johnson all returned to practice. Banks and Williams did only individual work, though.
THIS AND THAT: With Banks sitting out team and Elgton Jenkins sidelined with a back injury, the No. 1 offensive line (from left) was Rasheed Walker, Jordan Morgan, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Zach Tom. … Typically, whichever side of the ball has a better practice doesn’t have to do pushups afterwards. On Sunday, it was declared a tie and both sides did post-practice pushups in the sweltering heat.
THE BAD
DIALING IT DOWN: Packers free agent cornerback Nate Hobbs has been one of the early standouts in camp. He’s also been one of the more aggressive players, taking wideout Dontayvion Wicks to the ground during a practice on Friday.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur was asked if he needed to reign Hobbs in a bit.
“The answer is yes,” LaFleur said. “This is what I told him. I don’t think it’s malicious. I think it’s one of the things and one of the qualities that we really admired about him, is how he competes.
“It’s just, we talk about competing for the football. We just don’t want to go through a person – whoever that person is – to make a play on the ball. I don’t mind him going through the hands. We just don’t want him going through the body, because that’s how you end up with people on the ground. We’d all be sick to our stomach if somebody got hurt.”
FROM THE INFIRMARY: The following Packers did not practice due to injury: Offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins (back), linebacker Quay Walker (ankle), wideout Christian Watson (knee), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring) and offensive lineman John Williams (back)
THE UGLY
SNAP TO IT: Center Trey Hill has struggled snapping the ball during the start of camp. On Sunday, Hill sent a shotgun snap over Malik Willis’ head.