Five Things from the Packers’ first public OTA

Posted on May 22, 2018

By MARQUES EVERSOLL

“It’s only OTAs … It doesn’t matter … Wait until they put the pads on.”

I get it. All of it. It’s really, really early.

That being said, here’s a handful of things that stood out Tuesday at the Packers’ first public organized team activity of the 2018 season.

1. Patrick Graham is loud.

Graham was hired by Mike McCarthy to be the defensive run game coordinator after spending most of his coaching career with the New England Patriots and last season with the New York Giants.

On a couple separate occasions, a loud voice could be heard from across Ray Nitschke Field at Tuesday’s practice. That voice — and those NSFW words — belonged to Patrick Graham.

“There was a lot of yelling,” Aaron Rodgers said after practice.

2. Jimmy Graham was busy.

The other Graham — I couldn’t help it — was the most active pass catcher Tuesday.

Davante Adams didn’t practice, so Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison were running with the first-team offense, but Graham was clearly the most targeted guy on the day. It was almost as if Mike McCarthy got together with his coaches, and decided to “drive the new Corvette” in front of the hundreds of fans in the stands at the practice field.

3. Vince Biegel looked good.

Pass rushing without pads? I know.

Still, Biegel beat several different offensive tackles like a drum and showed a quick first step. He may have caused a hold on David Bakhtiari, starting a brief “conversation” between the two. If the quarterbacks weren’t wearing red jerseys, Biegel would have had a few sacks.

4. Jamaal Williams led the line of running backs.

This was a minor surprise for me.

It always seems like the Packers let the veteran players be in the first in line and/or run with the starters until the young guys “earn their stripes.” Take it for what it’s worth, but Williams was the man in front of the line when the running backs were going through position drills. Williams went first, Aaron Jones went second, then Ty Montgomery was third.

Maybe it’s nothing, or maybe it’s something. By the end of last season, Williams was the guy. So, maybe it makes sense.

5. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Tramon Williams were absent.

The only non-injured players to miss the first public organized team activity. Probably not a big deal, but it’s a fact.

Honorable Mention: Some familiar faces were back with The Pack.

Ted Thompson was back at practice, as was the case often during his time as general manager. Nick Barnett, Jarrett Bush and Brandon Jackson are beginning an internship with the team.

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