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Packers preseason schedule cut in half

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NFL Training Camp start dates haven’t changed, but the number of preseason games on the schedule has.

The NFL will trim two preseason games off of its schedule, as first reported by ProFootballTalk.com.  A ESPN report said the first and fourth games of the preseason schedule will be eliminated, allowing teams more practice time for their players after missing offseason OTA’s and minicamps.

The Green Bay Packers were scheduled to open the exhibition season at home on August 15th against the Arizona Cardinals and were set to wrap up the preseason on September 3 at Kansas City against the Chiefs.  Those games are now off the schedule.

The Packers two remaining games will be a home game, August 22 against the Cleveland Browns, followed by a trip to New York to face the Giants one week later on August 29.

Teams are schedule to report to training camp July 28 and won’t play their first preseason games until sometime between Aug. 20-24.

Packers won’t use St. Norbert College this summer

For the first time since 1958, Green Bay Packers players will not be staying at St. Norbert College during training camp, in accordance with NFL safety guidelines.

Packers sign top two draft picks (UPDATE)

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A.J. Dillon

The Green Bay Packers have now signed their top two picks from the 2020 NFL Draft.

Quarterback Jordan Love, who was the 26th selection in the first round, reportedly gets a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth more than $12.3 million.  It’s the first time the 26th overall pick has received a fully guaranteed deal under the current rookie contract system.

Second-round pick A.J. Dillon also signed his rookie deal with the team and posed for a picture, which he shared on his twitter account.

The former Boston College star ran for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and finished his collegiate career with 4,382 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Dillon joins veterans Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams as well as second year back Dexter Williams in the Packers backfield.  Jones scored 19 touchdowns for the Packers last season.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he hoped to have rookies come to camp a week before the veterans to get an early start after COVID-19 forced players to only meet virtually, missing out on OTA’s and minicamps.

Packers-Giants preseason kickoff time moved

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The kickoff time for the Green Bay Packers third preseason game at New York against the Giants has been moved from a 7 p.m. CT start to 5 p.m. CT.

The Packers 2020 preseason schedule is as follows:

Sat. Aug.  15   ARIZONA CARDINALS                     12 p.m.
Sat. Aug.  22   CLEVELAND BROWNS                       3 p.m.
Sat. Aug.  29   at New York Giants                            5 p.m.
Thu. Sept.  3   at Kansas City Chiefs                          7 p.m.

HOME GAMES IN CAPS

Jordy Nelson headed to Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

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Jordy Nelson

Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in October.  Nelson is one of 10 athletes set to be enshrined on Oct. 4.

The Manhattan, Kansas, native and Kansas State alumnus is also set to be inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.  That was scheduled to take place on June 5, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nelson spent 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with the Packers and helped them win Super Bowl XLV back in 2010.  He finished his career in Oakland with the Raiders for one season.

Nelson caught 613 passes for 8,587 yards and 72 touchdowns during his NFL career.

Nelson was a consensus All-American selection at Kansas State and still holds school records for single-game receptions with 15 and receiving yards with 214.  He also tops Kansas State in single season receiving yards with 1,606 and single-season yards per game (133.8).

Nelson went on to be selected by the Packers in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

NFL players not expected until start of training camps

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2019 Packers joint practice with the Houston Texans

Some NFL teams were holding out hope of conducting minicamps this month, but it appears that players will not return to team facilities until training camps open.

Most teams have already reopened their facilities on a limited basis for essential employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, but healthy players are not allowed to return yet.

On Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to teams, informing them they must hold training camps at their main practice facilities because of the virus.  That doesn’t affect the Green Bay Packers, but ten of the league’s teams practiced away from their main practice facilities last year.

The memo also said teams will not be allowed to hold joint training camp practices with other teams.  That’s something the Packers did with the Houston Texans last year and were planning to do the same with the Cleveland Browns this year, but those plans are now on hold.

The issue is fairness.  The NFL feels if all 32 teams can’t hold on-field minicamp workouts, then there will be none.  Official start dates for training camps haven’t been announced either, but none of the teams are expected to start until all 32 teams can do so.

 

Packers announce the signing of a third draft pick

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Packers GM Brian Gutekunst at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Three down and six more to go for the Green Bay Packers.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst announced the signing of sixth round draft pick, guard Simon Stepaniak out of Indiana.  Stepaniak was the third of three sixth round draft picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

 

Packers restructure Lane Taylor’s contract

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Lane Taylor

Green Bay Packers guard Lane Taylor has agreed to redo the final year of his contract, saving about $3 million in cap space for the team.

As was first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Taylor’s base salary for 2020 will drop from $3.8 million to $1.5 million.  Taylor can recoup another $1.5 million if certain incentives are met.

The Packers now have more than $13.89 million in cap space.

Taylor won the Packers starting left guard job last season and started the first two games before suffering a biceps injury during practice in week three, which ended his season.

The team’s second round draft pick, Elgton Jenkins took over and played so well that he landed a spot on the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team.

Packers sign a second late round pick

The Green Bay Packers a second seventh round draft pick, safety Vernon Scott II out of TCU.  The team still has seven more draft selections to sign.

 

Packers sign 7th round pick, Garvin to deal today

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The Green Bay Packers signed rookie outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin to a contract today.  Garvin was the last of their nine selections in this year’s draft.

Garvin, who was the 242nd pick in the draft overall, recorded five sacks, nine tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2019 as a junior at Miami.

Garvin’s deal is for four years and is worth more than $3.3 million.

At age 20, Garvin is loaded with  upside, but his stock fell during the draft after he ran a 4.82 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine.

 

Packers finalize preseason schedule

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The Green Bay Packers finalized their 2020 preseason schedule and both home games are scheduled for afternoon kickoffs.

For the fourth straight season, the Packers will open the preseason at home, facing the Arizona Cardinals in a noon kick at Lambeau Field.  It’s the first time since 2015 (at Pittsburgh)  that the Packers will play a preseason day game and the first during the day at Lambeau Field since 2006.

The Packers remain home in week two of the preseason, hosting the Cleveland Browns at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 22.  It’ll be the 26th preseason meeting with the Browns, tied for the second-most preseason games against a single opponent.

The Packers will hit the road for the final two preseason games, at the New York Giants on Saturday, August 29 (7 p.m.) and at the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 3 (7 p.m.).

Packers may need to dip into reserve fund in 2020

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Packers President Mark Murphy

The Green Bay Packers don’t have the luxury of being able to count on a deep pocketed owner, so several years ago, they established a reserve fund, putting money away for a rainy day.  That rainy day could come this year.

In a letter to shareholders this week, Packers president Mark Murphy said he’s optimistic the NFL season will not only start on time, but will do so with fans in the stands.  But Murphy also knows there could be issues moving forward because of the coronavirus pandemic, so the Packers are planning for a number of contingencies.

The Packers have $385 million in their reserve fund, but may have to dip into that fund if needed.  That fund was established specifically to be able to cover expenses for at least one year, in case league and local revenue would disappear.

Without fans in the stands, the Packers would face giving refunds and lose out on in-stadium concessions as well as Pro Shop sales among others.