# Pads, PUP Returns, and Roster Sorting: Inside the Early Weeks of Packers Training Camp

**By Hank Morrow**  \nPublished August 6, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> As Green Bay hits its first mandatory off-day of training camp, the return of tight end Tucker Kraft and intense secondary battles set the stage for the arrival of full pads.

Football season has officially seized Titletown. Following conditioning tests and the opening three practices at Ray Nitschke Field, the Green Bay Packers hit their mandated Saturday respite under head coach Matt LaFleur before ramping up toward their first padded session on Monday, August 3. With the annual shareholders meeting drawing thousands to Lambeau Field and the administrative footprint locking in history with the newly minted Presidents Boardroom, the football operation itself is moving past installation and into sharp competitive focus.

The biggest structural development of the opening week came on Friday, July 31, when tight end Tucker Kraft was activated off the physically unable to perform list. Sidelined for nearly nine months since suffering a torn ACL in his right knee during a Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers on November 2, Kraft wasted no time reestablishing his emotional footprint. Before taking part in individual blocking drills with tight ends coach John Dunn—though still restricted from full 11-on-11 route-running—Kraft energized the crowd by sprinting a lap around Ray Nitschke Field.

Before his injury, Kraft was tracking toward elite production, hauling in 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns across seven-plus games, highlighted by a career-best 143-yard, two-score performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His gradual reintegration gives Green Bay a six-week runway before the regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

While Kraft builds back, the offensive perimeter is experiencing both high-end stability and fierce bottom-of-the-roster churn. Quarterback Jordan Love has drawn praise for his pocket balance and command of the no-huddle operation. Wide receiver Christian Watson, also returning from a previous ACL recovery that cost him early 2025 time, has shown crisp execution in red-zone drills, highlighted by a 9-yard touchdown catch on an out route and a diving 3-yard slant against cornerback Carrington Valentine.

Yet behind the established trio of Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed, questions linger regarding productive depth. As Golden continues to flash elite body control—highlighted by a leaping 18-yard catch between Xavier McKinney and Zaire Franklin and a 20-yard sideline fade over Keisean Nixon—the secondary group of wideouts like Bo Melton, Savion Williams, and Skyy Moore are fighting to solidify roles. The roster math prompted a quick pivot this week: following the release of Brendan Rice with a waived/injured designation due to a hamstring strain, the Packers added UFL champion Louisville Kings receiver Kaden Prather, who arrived on Wednesday and practiced by Friday.

Special teams also saw adjustments when long snapper Matt Orzech was sidelined with a calf injury. The club brought in Cal Adomitis, who brings three seasons of experience with the Cincinnati Bengals and a nine-game stint with the Philadelphia Eagles. Adomitis made clear he views his signing as a permanent competition rather than a temporary placeholder.

Defensively, the secondary has injected notable competition into camp. Cornerback Keisean Nixon has bounced back from a hamstring scare to log active pass breakups, while recent free-agent acquisition Benjamin St-Juste announced his presence by jumping an out route against backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor for a pick-six.

The overarching roster narrative, however, remains the pass rush and the prolonged absence of Micah Parsons, who opened camp on the PUP list with a knee injury. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has relied heavily on frequent blitz packages during early 1-minute drills to manufacture pressure. Analysts and team observers note that while blitzing can disrupt young signal-callers, Green Bay faces a gauntlet of seasoned quarterbacks to open the schedule—including Kyler Murray, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, Baker Mayfield, Caleb Williams, Dak Prescott, and Jared Goff over the first seven weeks. Finding consistent edge pressure opposite Lukas Van Ness without over-relying on scheme-driven blitzes remains the team's most defining August hurdle.

With players resting on Saturday, LaFleur and his coaching staff spent the day scripting upcoming practices in shells before strapping on full pads for the first time on Monday. The transition from shorts to contact will provide the first true evaluation metric for left tackle Jordan Morgan protecting Love's blind side, and will clarify whether the summer's energetic battles translate into trench dominance when the preseason slate opens in Pittsburgh on August 13.

## Sources

- [packers.com](https://www.packers.com/news/football-is-back-aug-1-2026) — original
- [jsonline.com](https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2026/07/31/green-bay-packers-training-camp-live-updates-today--live/91116299007/) — original
- [si.com](https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/six-biggest-takeaways-from-first-three-days-of-packers-training-camp) — original
- [Jason Wilde](https://www.news8000.com/sports/green-bay-packers/the-high-5-five-things-that-caught-our-attention-at-packers-training-camp-july-31/article_95f21352-5092-50c6-9d36-f8eae94cefe0.html) — original
- [greenbaypressgazette.com](https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/fans/2026/08/01/packers-training-camp-resumes-aug-2-plan-to-be-in-full-pads-aug-3/91122916007/) — original
- [WLUK](https://fox11online.com/sports/packers-and-nfl/railbirds-return-for-another-year-of-green-bay-packers-football-gridiron-lambeau-field-training-camp) — original