5 things learned at Packers training camp – Aug. 14 (2024)

GREEN BAY – The Packers were in full pads at Ray Nitschke Field for Wednesday's final public practice prior to this weekend's joint practice and preseason game in Denver.

Here are five things we learned:

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end played in all 19 games as a rookie (including playoffs) despite the fact he was playing catch-up with the playbook throughout last season.

Claimed off waivers from Minnesota at the end of training camp, Sims was immediately thrown into the fire with fellow Packers rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft.

While Sims sustained himself on a weekly diet of installations last year, he's been able to digest Green Bay's playbook at a more comfortable pace this offseason and it's showing in the plays he's making in practice.

In back-to-back days, Sims made the biggest play of the No. 2 two-minute drill. He caught a 29-yard pass down the seam from Michael Pratt on Tuesday before beating press-man to come free for a 23-yard completion from Sean Clifford Wednesday.

"I gave a jab and fought back inside with a chop and truthfully I just went back out to my seam landmark, found the near-high safety and found Sean," Sims said. "We're at a time in camp now where getting on the same page with the quarterbacks is super, super important (and) being able to have them trust me down the seam – that's a dangerous ball to throw sometimes. Being able to have their trust, it makes me feel good."

Sims was a productive receiving tight end at Baylor. He owns the school record for most career touchdown receptions by a tight end (12) while hauling in the second-most catches (78) at his position.

In Green Bay, Sims was used primarily as an in-line blocker in the offense's two-tight end packages as a rookie and finished with four catches for 21 yards and a goal-line touchdown.

Sims hopes his better understanding of the playbook can help him fit even more comfortably into Green Bay's scheme.

"It is cool being able to be here for that because I've almost put a puzzle together backwards as far as being here last fall," Sims said. "Now I'm here kind of putting this thing back together again. It's really kind of neat. There's a lot of 'A-ha' moments like, 'Oh that makes so much sense now because I just learned it right.'"

Whether it was his handshakes with teammates and coaches or bursts of laughter during individual drills, the second-year cornerback was easy to spot at Nitschke Field.

Valentine missed the past two weeks after the Packers chose to be cautious with the 22-year-old cornerback, as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury.

Valentine has yet to be cleared for team periods – and it remains to be seen whether he will be for Friday's joint practice in Denver – but it still was fun to be back on the field regardless.

"It felt good to be back out there, even though it was just indy," Valentine said. "(I was) out for two weeks, so it gets kind of lonesome just watching practice. Like a kid, when you get in trouble, you just watch from the window."

Prior to the injury, Valentine was locked in a competitive battle with fourth-year veteran Eric Stokes to start at perimeter cornerback.

"When I get back on the grass, whenever that will be, it's always going to be competitive," Valentine said. "The competitive aspect doesn't leave just because you get hurt. Even in the film room, it's still competitive. It's just a competitive culture that we have around here. So, it never left."

With Jordan Love expected to sit out against the Broncos, Head Coach Matt LaFleur said the plan is for Clifford to see the field first against the Broncos on Sunday night.

LaFleur didn't dismiss possibility of the two alternating series in Denver, though it's not "typically" something the Packers have done.

Both quarterbacks were efficient in Cleveland, with Clifford throwing for 111 yards and leading three scoring drives while Pratt completed 5-of-7 for 46 yards during the final two quarters.

Both took turns closing practice this week during the final two-minute period with the No. 2 offense.

"It's super-healthy. That's the thing," said Clifford of the competition. "I'm honored to compete with Mike just because I respect him so much as a quarterback. When you come in and you have an opportunity to get better every single day and you know that if you take a day off, he's not, it raises the level of the competition in the room. Ultimately, we're all here to put the best product on the field for the Packers."

Like past years, LaFleur passed the offensive play-calling sheet to Stenavich last week against the Browns and will do so again in Denver.

LaFleur said it's possible offensive pass-game coordinator Jason Vrable could call plays, as well. It's an approach LaFleur has adopted after Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay allowed him to call plays in the preseason during his one year as the Rams' offensive coordinator in 2017.

"It's great experience," LaFleur said. "That's something that when I worked with Sean, he afforded me that opportunity. He was really the play-caller. It's good experience for those guys, and it also kind of allows (me) to keep a 30,000-foot view, if you will, on everything that's going on."

In addition to conducting just one joint practice with the Broncos, the Packers also won't run individual pass-catching periods against Denver.

The offensive and defensive lines will still do one-on-ones, though.

"A lot of times that's where it starts to get escalated, and a lot of trash talk," LaFleur said. "Also, on the special teams periods as well, you've got to be careful and mindful … a lot of times the fliers, especially when they're going against a vise, it can kind of get chippy in that regard."