The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Packers’ 12th Training Camp Practice

THE GOOD

KRAFT RETURNS: Welcome back.

Just 9 ½ months — 287 days to be exact — after tearing his right ACL against Carolina, Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft took part on 11-on-11 drills at practice Sunday.

“I think you could be in for a treat today,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said before practice.

It was certainly a treat for Green Bay.

Kraft’s first catch in team drills came when he beat Edgerrin Cooper on a stop route for eight yards, and the crowd went wild. Later Kraft caught out routes for 12 and nine yards, then he hauled in a 12-yard touchdown grab after winning on a slant route.

“I'm just getting back on the horse,” Kraft said. “Hopefully I can — now that I've gotten back to team reps as I continue to accumulate reps — I hope I can continue to rise my game as well, take myself to new heights rather than just return to pre injury.”

Kraft was in the middle of an All-Pro season in 2025 when he tore his right ACL against Carolina on Nov. 2.

Kraft had been doing just individual drills in practice the first 2 ½ weeks of training camp, but graduated to team drills Sunday.

“They're going to take into account my rep range probably until halfway through the season,” Kraft said. “Then they're just going to pat me on the (butt) and send me out there, send me to the wolves.

“How this offense is, I'm going to get as comfortable as I can playing those reps in those games that I was playing previously, those games when I was 50-60 reps, 85 reps against the Cowboys in overtime. It's just the more you can do, all the hats I can wear on the offense, I want to bring everything to the table.”

Kraft started all eight of the games he played in 2025 and posted 32 receptions, 489 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He was the only tight end in the league with 30-plus receptions, 475-plus receiving yards, six-plus receiving touchdowns and an average of 15-plus yards per catch through Week 9. He also became just the fifth tight end since the 1970 merger to hit those marks in the first eight games of a season, joining Kellen Winslow (1980), Antonio Gates (2010), Jimmy Graham (2013) and Rob Gronkowski (2015).

After Kraft went down, though, the offense wasn’t close to the same. Green Bay averaged 27.6 points the first seven games when Kraft went the distance. The Packers then averaged 19.8 points per game the final 10 games after Kraft was injured.

A recent ESPN poll that surveyed NFL executives, coaches and scouts ranked Kraft as the No. 6 tight end in football. That might not be high enough.

“Certainly, the impact that he has on our football team, not only as a player but as a leader, is very important to us,” Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst recently said of Kraft.

After Week 9 last season, Kraft led all NFL tight ends in yards per reception, yards after the catch (344), yards after the catch per game (43.0), yards after the catch per reception (10.8 avg.), was tied for No. 1 in explosive receptions (12) and ranked No. 2 in explosive-reception percentage (37.5) through Week 9.

Kraft ranked No. 3 in the NFL among tight ends in receiving yards and No. 2 in receiving yards per game (61.1) through Week 9. He was also tied for No. 2 among tight ends in receiving touchdowns and posted a touchdown reception in five games, which tied for the NFL lead among tight ends through Week 9.

Kraft joined Paul Coffman (1983) as the only Green Bay tight ends since the 1970 merger to have two games in a season with 120-plus receiving yards. And his passer rating of 148.6 when targeted ranked No. 2 in the NFL at the time of his injury.

“I think we’re a different team when I’m out on the field and I think that’s obvious,” Kraft said. “I think everyone in this organization, every fan knows that, without sounding arrogant. I think there’s a different feel to the offense when I’m out there.”

There certainly was on Sunday.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL: Three days after shining in the Packers’ preseason opener, rookie kicker Trey Smack went 4-for-4. Smack connected from 43, 38, 33 and 28 yards during somewhat windy conditions.

In Green Bay’s 28-9 loss to Pittsburgh in its preseason opener, Smack went 3-for-3 making kicks from 58, 38 and 37 yards. Smack also made another 58-yarder that the Packers took off the board following a Pittsburgh penalty.

Smack is now 27-for-35 on all kicks, and his success rate of 77.5% is his highest of the summer.

“I mean there's no question he's got the talent,” LaFleur said of Smack. “And it's just I think in particular the kicking position, it's the consistency at which you do it.”

HEAD TURNING ROOKIE: Packers rookie corner Brandon Cisse was picked on early in practice Sunday, allowing a 40-yard reception to Bo Melton.

He came back later, though, undercut a Matthew Golden route and intercepted quarterback Jordan Love.

“Oh yeah, you know he’s gonna come after you,” Cisse said of Love. “You know obviously, spectacular talent. Anytime you get to go against somebody like that, it makes you a lot better.”

CORNER BATTLES: Green Bay seems set to go with rookie Brandon Cisse at one corner. Keisean Nixon, the Packers’ top corner last year, is battling with free agent signee Benjamin St-Juste for the other starting spot.

On Sunday, Nixon worked with the No. 1 defense, while St-Juste was with the No. 2s. Nixon batted down a pass on a cornerback blitz, but also was hit with a 40-yard pass interference penalty when he tackled Matthew Golden.

“I guess I’m being punished right now,” said Nixon, a 17-game starter in 2025. “I guess, I don't know. I don't really worry about what I'm running in camp, ones or twos, I just keep my process and just compete — for real.”

When asked what he’s being punished for, Nixon said: “I don't know. That's between the coaches. I don't know. I just come here and have the same process and get better every day, and just stack days. I can't really worry about what they throw at me. Whatever they throw at me, though, I'm going to attack with a challenge. So I'm here for it, no matter what it is.”

On Sunday, LaFleur said: “We need corners that are willing and capable tacklers.”

Last season, St. Juste had a missed tackle rate of just 3.2%. Nixon’s missed tackle rate in 2025 was 4.9%, but it was 9.9% in 2024 and 14.6% on 2023.

Carrington Valentine, a starting corner last year who missed time this camp with a hamstring injury, had an unsightly missed tackle rate of 21.3% last year.

“We have a corner competition,” said Bobby Babich, Green Bay’s secondary/passing game coordinator. “That’s what we have. We’re going to continue to move pieces around, all those types of things.

“We’re not worried about when your reps come, we’re worried about what you do on your reps,” Babich said. “That’s the only thing that matters and putting together the best resume you can. Competition brings the best out in any sport and generally what you see is the best version of that football with the more competition you have. That’s it.”

ON GUARD: Green Bay has yet to decide on its starting guards for its Week 1 game at Minnesota.

On Sunday, rookie Jager Burton was at left guard with the No. 1 offense and Jacob Monk was at right guard. Green Bay gave Aaron Banks a four-year, $77 million deal in March, 2025, but LaFleur said Friday that Banks — who’s battled a knee injury throughout camp — wasn't a sure bet to win a starting job.

“I think Jager has done a really good job,” LaFleur said of Burton. “I think not only him but Monk, and so, you know he hasn’t been out there, so it's hard to say.”

MIXING IT UP: There’s nothing like a training camp scuffle, and Green Bay had its first of the summer when linebacker Zaire Franklin and running back Chris Brooks mixed it up.

Later, rookie defensive tackle Chris McClellan took running back Pierre Strong to the ground, and offensive lineman Travis Glover objected. Glover then shoved McClellan, and the defensive lineman hit Glover in the facemask.

Both sidelines cleared before things calmed down.

BOUNCING BACK: Defensive back Jaylin Simpson had a terrific day with an interception and nearly a second INT after struggling against Pittsburgh in the preseason opener.

“I took it hard on myself because I felt like leading up to that game I was doing very well,” Simspin said. "I was making plays in practice. I was very confident and I went out there and I didn't play to the standard that I wanted to play, and I felt like I let my coaches down and my teammates down, even though it's a preseason game.

“But I know for me personally, we don’t get a lot of chances, we don’t get a lot of shots. So, I felt like I didn’t do my best at the shot that I had. So it did feel like maybe it was a failed test but, ultimately, it’s not a failed test. You just learn from it. I got two more opportunities (in preseason games). That's what I'm looking forward to.”

ON THE MEND: Packers that returned to practice were guard Aaron Banks (knee), defensive tackle Anthony Campbell and cornerback Domani Jackson (core).

THIS AND THAT: Nickel cornerback Javon Bullard was out of his walking boot. … Wideout Bo Melton made a nice adjustment and hauled in a deep ball from Love when he got behind Cisse. Green Bay’s defense was off sides, so Love took advantage of the free play. … The Packers displayed their ‘Jumbo’ package, where Anthony Belton wad the sixth offensive lineman.

THE BAD

NOT HIM: With Green Bay star edge rusher Micah Parsons expected to miss the first four to six games (ACL), all eyes will be on 2023 first round draft pick Lukas Van Ness to shine.

Van Ness missed practice Sunday, though, with a shoulder injury.

Van Ness said he took a helmet to the back of his shoulder last week, then re-aggravated the injury Saturday when he was hit in the same spot while Green Bay practiced in shells. Van Ness said there was nothing concerning with the tests and he hopes to be practicing soon.

“Just kind of, you know, the nature of our position specifically is taking a lot of blows to the shoulders,” Van Ness said. "And I had kind of just caught a helmet wrong early in practice (last week), and caught it again (Saturday).

“So it’s kind of the hard part of wearing those shells. You don’t get the traditional coverage you get in the pads. So caught it again (Saturday) and just kind of reaggravated it, so nothing long term. Just being smart.”

FROM THE INFIRMARY: Here’s how the Packers’ injury list looked Tuesday.

Not practicing: Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness (shoulder) and offensive lineman Darian Kinnard (ankle) were new to the group not practicing. Others included safety Javon Bullard (foot), edge Dani Dennis-Sutton (illness) and running back Josh Jacobs (groin).

Reserve lists: edge rusher Micah Parsons (knee), tight end Luke Musgrave (neck), long snapper Matt Orzech (calf) and defensive tackle Jordon Reilly (Achilles).

THIS AND THAT: Left tackle Jordan Morgan dropped out of practice for a bit, but later returned. … Anthony Belton, the projected right guard when camp began, again took all his reps at tackle.

THE UGLY

TURNING IT OVER: Jordan Love had a pair of bad interceptions and Tyrod Taylor had a third as Green Bay’s quarterbacks had a rough day in the turnover department.

Love made a bad read, then underthrew Matthew Golden on an out route. Rookie corner Brandon Cisse undercut the route and intercepted Love.

Later nickel back Kitan Oladapo — who’s playing with the No. 1 defense for the injured Javon Bullard — intercepted Love.

Earlier in practice, Taylor took a deep shot for wideout Kaden Prather on a go route down the right sideline. Cornerback Jaylin Simpson stayed with Prather stride for stride, then beat the cornerback to the ball.

Taylor also fumbled a snap from Donovan Jennings.