RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesJordan Love and the Green Bay Packers starters could play when they face Pittsburgh in their first preseason game Thursday.
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The Green Bay Packers held their 10th practice of training camp Monday on a gorgeous, 78-degree morning. The practice lasted 2 hours, 5 minutes, the longest of camp.
The Packers will hold an open practice Tuesday, then head to Pittsburgh for their first preseason game on Thursday.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly — compiled from multiple reports — from practice No. 10.
THE GOOD
LET ‘EM PLAY: It certainly sounds like LaFleur will have his starters play during this preseason.
LaFleur cited data saying if players get at least 30 snaps during the preseason, they’re three times less likely to be injured during the regular season.
“Sometimes you gotta you gotta push the envelope,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur has had years where he’s played his starters during the preseason, and others where he’s protected them throughout.
This is undoubtedly a big year for LaFleur, who came under intense scrutiny after his team finished 2025 on a five-game losing streak and collapsed in a Wild Card loss to Chicago. The Packers open at Minnesota on Sept. 13, and probably can't afford a slow start.
Therefore, it seems likely his frontliners will get a reasonable amount of work during the three preseason games.
“I think just my experiences here is that when we've played in the preseason, we've been better earlier in the season,” LaFleur said. “And … I mean, you open up with a division opponent on the road. That's a tough task in itself. So, I think we've got to keep that in mind.”
LOCKED AND LOADED?: It sure feels like rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse will be a Week 1 starter in Minnesota.
First off, Cisse has had a strong camp working with the No. 1 defense throughout.
“I'm still learning, but sometimes you just need to learn to slow down and just enjoy the moment,” Cisse said. “The ability thing is going to be there, but there's a lot of things I need to polish up on.”
Second, the Packers rotated Keisean Nixon and Benjamin St-Juste at the other starting corner position throughout practice Monday.
While things can obviously change in the next month, Cisse seems like a good bet to man one cornerback spot, while Nixon or St-Juste will be the other.
“We got a lot of confidence in all those guys,” LaFleur said. “And we'll just let it all play out.”
BO KNOWS: Wideouts Matthew Golden (toe) and Jayden Reed (foot) didn’t practice for the second day in a row.
On Sunday, Savion Williams took advantage of the extra opportunities. On Monday, it was Bo Melton.
Melton hauled in a 60-yard go ball from Jordan Love over cornerback Keisean Nixon early in practice. Later, Melton had a 49-yard touchdown on a trick play that the defense bit on.
“I just try and take every advantage, regardless of the circumstance,” Melton said. “I like to make plays. The more plays you make the more the ball finds you. So I just think of it as if my opportunity comes, I make the plays, I'm going to get more. And that's just the biggest thing.”
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur replaced Mike McCarthy in Green Bay in 2019. The two lived just a mile from each other as McCarthy’s family remained in Green Bay.
McCarthy was the head coach in Dallas from 2020-2024 and is now Pittsburgh’s head man. With the Packers and Steelers set to meet Thursday, LaFleur was asked about his relationship with McCarthy.
“Yeah, certainly at the owners' meetings,” LaFleur said of their interactions. “And I've gotten to know him a little bit just when he when he came back here, you know, a few times. And I've got I'll say this I've got so much respect for him.
“First of all, how he’s always treated me, and secondly, just by what he's accomplished here. And it's pretty cool that when he got the Pittsburgh job, I'm like Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean, that's pretty special. So Mike's a guy that I've got a ton of respect for.”
WELCOME BACK: Linebackers Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin both returned to practice after sitting out Sunday.
Cooper missed with a foot injury, while Franklin was at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Aug. 8 and had a late travel night back to Green Bay.
GOOD TO SEE: Green Bay No. 2 quarterback Tyrod Taylor — who has the unenviable task of replacing Malik Willis — had a strong practice.
Among the highlights were a 20-yard completion to Will Sheppard and a big gainer over the middle to J. Michael Sturdivant.
“I’m just going out there and playing ball,” Taylor said. “Obviously, training camp and OTAs, those are times where you continue to gain as much knowledge, get more comfortable. Day in and day out, coaches are putting us in situations that require us to not only think fast but be efficient.
“Those are the challenges each and every day is to go out and execute at a high level. I think that’s been the main the goal and I think I’m doing a good job of it and I’m going to continue to keep improving.”
THIS AND THAT: St. Juste blew up an outside run to MarShawn Lloyd. … Safety Evan Williams had a sack of Jordan Love in team drills. … Rookie Chris McClellan had a sack of No. 2 quarterback Tyrod Taylor. … Christian Watson beat rookie corner Brandon Cisse for what would have a 60-yard touchdown on a crossing route. … Donovan Jennings received first team reps at right guard, a position that’s currently wide open. … Rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton forced Jordan Love to throw a pass away. … Linebacker Isaiah McDuffie had a sack of No. 3 quarterback Kyle McCord.
THE BAD
NO BULL: Third-year safety Javon Bullard has had a strong camp and could be poised for a breakout season. On Monday, though, Bullard was in a walking boot with a foot injury and missed practice.
“Bull is, he's a dog, man,” LaFleur said before practice. “You talk abo...
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