Notes From Day 3 of Mini Camp
Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 11:43 pm
Today's minicamp finale was the shortest practice of the weekend, lasting a little more than 90 minutes.
-- Offensive and defensive linemen caught punts from a machine as part of a ball security drill. Guard Junius Coston was the only player to muff his chance, though defensive tackle Corey Williams fumbled while running the gauntlet.
-- Receiver Robert Ferguson dunked a ball over the crossbar in the north end zone while teammates went through passing drills. Coach Mike McCarthy said earlier this week that Ferguson, recovering from a mid-foot sprain, should participate in organized team activities.
-- Fullback Corey White, an undrafted rookie from UAB who turned heads all weekend with his speed, took most of his reps today at halfback.
-- With starting cornerbacks Charles Woodson (excused absence) and Al Harris (back) out for the second consecutive practice, Will Blackmon and Patrick Dendy again practiced with the first-team defense. Frank Walker and Jarrett Bush got time at nickelback.
-- Guard Jason Spitz sat out again. McCarthy had said Spitz tweaked his back during the first minicamp practice Friday but said today that Spitz is nursing a calf injury.
-- Tight end Donald Lee took all the first repetitions with the starting offense, and Tory Humphrey also was ahead of veteran Bubba Franks at times.
-- A large group of running backs and receivers rotated in with the first-team offense during team periods. Vernand Morency continued to take all first reps, with rookie Brandon Jackson absent for the third straight day.
-- Rookie James Jones had an ugly drop during the first team period. After breaking free from coverage, his body became twisted, and Ingle Martin's pass bounced hard off his hands as Jones fell to the ground.
-- Martin connected with second-year receiver Shaun Bodiford on the play of the day. Bodiford outran Blackmon down the right sideline, and Martin hit him in stride inside the 10-yard line.
-- Reserve safety Charlie Peprah got an interception off a Dendy deflection during the first team period. Rookie quarterback Paul Thompson nearly threw another interception on his next pass, but Walker couldn't hold on. Walker also dropped a Brett Favre pass -- three throws after A.J. Hawk picked off Favre in the end zone -- during a 7-on-7 red zone period.
-- Hawk made an athletic play for his interception, stepping underneath Ruvell Martin and snatching the underthrown ball with both hands.
-- The competition between kickers Dave Rayner and Mason Crosby won't heat up until training camp, but they got their first and only chance of the weekend in a team period today. Working with the coverage units, each kicked off four times. Rayner's first kick was longer than Crosby's, but the rookie equaled or outdistanced the incumbent the next three times.
-- Not even Mike Stock puts, ahem, stock into his special teamers when they're wearing shorts. But for whatever it is worth, the first group on kick coverage consisted of: Jarrett Bush, Ruvell Martin, Atari Bigby, Jason Hunter, Tracy White, Walker, Aaron Rouse, Korey Hall, Michael Montgomery and Bodiford.
-- Ingle Martin was stripped as he tried to throw in a crowd during the final team period. Guard Daryn Colledge caught the ball on the fly and ran downfield, where he promptly fumbled into the hands of Cullen Jenkins.
-- Rookie tight end Clark Harris dropped a Jerry Babb pass at the goal line during the final team period.
-- Bush batted down a fade intended for Jones on the day's final play.
-- Finally, back by popular demand, here are some mostly meaningless passing statistics from today's team, blitz and 7-on-7 periods: Favre 3-for-5 (INT); Aaron Rodgers 3-for-5; Martin 5-for-10; Babb 2-for-6; Thompson 1-for-4 (INT). Like the rest of the weekend, Favre and Rodgers only participated in 7-on-7, and only Martin took part in all periods.
-- Offensive and defensive linemen caught punts from a machine as part of a ball security drill. Guard Junius Coston was the only player to muff his chance, though defensive tackle Corey Williams fumbled while running the gauntlet.
-- Receiver Robert Ferguson dunked a ball over the crossbar in the north end zone while teammates went through passing drills. Coach Mike McCarthy said earlier this week that Ferguson, recovering from a mid-foot sprain, should participate in organized team activities.
-- Fullback Corey White, an undrafted rookie from UAB who turned heads all weekend with his speed, took most of his reps today at halfback.
-- With starting cornerbacks Charles Woodson (excused absence) and Al Harris (back) out for the second consecutive practice, Will Blackmon and Patrick Dendy again practiced with the first-team defense. Frank Walker and Jarrett Bush got time at nickelback.
-- Guard Jason Spitz sat out again. McCarthy had said Spitz tweaked his back during the first minicamp practice Friday but said today that Spitz is nursing a calf injury.
-- Tight end Donald Lee took all the first repetitions with the starting offense, and Tory Humphrey also was ahead of veteran Bubba Franks at times.
-- A large group of running backs and receivers rotated in with the first-team offense during team periods. Vernand Morency continued to take all first reps, with rookie Brandon Jackson absent for the third straight day.
-- Rookie James Jones had an ugly drop during the first team period. After breaking free from coverage, his body became twisted, and Ingle Martin's pass bounced hard off his hands as Jones fell to the ground.
-- Martin connected with second-year receiver Shaun Bodiford on the play of the day. Bodiford outran Blackmon down the right sideline, and Martin hit him in stride inside the 10-yard line.
-- Reserve safety Charlie Peprah got an interception off a Dendy deflection during the first team period. Rookie quarterback Paul Thompson nearly threw another interception on his next pass, but Walker couldn't hold on. Walker also dropped a Brett Favre pass -- three throws after A.J. Hawk picked off Favre in the end zone -- during a 7-on-7 red zone period.
-- Hawk made an athletic play for his interception, stepping underneath Ruvell Martin and snatching the underthrown ball with both hands.
-- The competition between kickers Dave Rayner and Mason Crosby won't heat up until training camp, but they got their first and only chance of the weekend in a team period today. Working with the coverage units, each kicked off four times. Rayner's first kick was longer than Crosby's, but the rookie equaled or outdistanced the incumbent the next three times.
-- Not even Mike Stock puts, ahem, stock into his special teamers when they're wearing shorts. But for whatever it is worth, the first group on kick coverage consisted of: Jarrett Bush, Ruvell Martin, Atari Bigby, Jason Hunter, Tracy White, Walker, Aaron Rouse, Korey Hall, Michael Montgomery and Bodiford.
-- Ingle Martin was stripped as he tried to throw in a crowd during the final team period. Guard Daryn Colledge caught the ball on the fly and ran downfield, where he promptly fumbled into the hands of Cullen Jenkins.
-- Rookie tight end Clark Harris dropped a Jerry Babb pass at the goal line during the final team period.
-- Bush batted down a fade intended for Jones on the day's final play.
-- Finally, back by popular demand, here are some mostly meaningless passing statistics from today's team, blitz and 7-on-7 periods: Favre 3-for-5 (INT); Aaron Rodgers 3-for-5; Martin 5-for-10; Babb 2-for-6; Thompson 1-for-4 (INT). Like the rest of the weekend, Favre and Rodgers only participated in 7-on-7, and only Martin took part in all periods.