NFL training camp is in full swing. On Saturday night, the Packers had their annual “Family Night” at Lambeau Field, which is basically a cross between a full practice and inter-squad scrimmage. It’s a great time for children and adults. Fireworks follow the event.
Aaron Rodgers looked sharp all night, hitting Malachi Dupree to DeAngelo Yancey to Randall Cobb right in the numbers. This might very well be the longest “look” we will get of Rodgers until week one of the regular season, as nobody is expecting him to play much during the preseason. He will not play the first preseason game on Thursday against the Eagles, we know that’s for sure. Speaking of those two rookie receivers, Yancey and Dupree, they both looked very good Saturday night. Dupree ran very good routes and Yancey caught several key third and fourth down conversion passes during live drills. Backup quarterback Brett Hundley looked solid as well. Late in simulated live play, he threw a touchdown pass during the two minute drill to tight end Aaron Peck, who is not expected to make this team. So it was nice to see Peck get in perhaps the lone Lambeau Leap of his career.
Joe Callahan Struggles on Family Night
Third-string quarterback Joe Callahan did not look good, at all. He missed several open targets throughout live drills, and bobbled several snaps out of the shotgun. He also was way off during the drill where they throw the ball into the net. Joe Callahan’s roster spot is far from guaranteed, so stay tuned. No, it is not a competition between Callahan and undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Taysom Hill from BYU, Hill will be cut at some point this month. It’s a competition between Callahan and somebody else on the roster, say cornerback LaDarius Gunter. Kicker Mason Crosby did not look too great as well. He had several misses during kicking drills, including a very bad shank from about 45 yards away. Hopefully that is not a sign of things to come. Family night is good fun, but it’s just practice.
Green Bay will get its first test on Thursday night against the Eagles. As stated before, Rodgers will not play, and we don’t expect Hill to play either. It will be Hundley and Callahan getting every snap, much like last preseason, with Hundley probably getting 60% of them. Hundley has been in this system for two years now, and it will be time to see how good he really is in year three. If he is the “real deal,” Ted Thompson (or whoever the Packers GM is next offseason,) could fetch several high ranking draft choices for Hundley in a trade. Callahan is going to have to shake off a rough family night and get back on track if he wants to make this roster.
