Green Bay Packers: Training camp schedule, insights

Green Bay Packers football is officially under way.

Finally.

A tradition that began back in 1946 when Curly Lambeau kicked off training camp for his Packers, this year marks the ninth year that camp will be held at Nitschke Field in the shadows of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

With the bitter taste of that overwhelming defeat in the NFC Championship Game last January to the  Atlanta Falcons dissipating, the Packers soar into the 2017 once again as favorites to not only win the NFC North Division championship, but to go deep into the NFL Playoffs.

Many feel the Packers will win the Super Bowl this year … as has been the case for each year the past decade or more.

The players reported to training camp yesterday – even newly-acquired tight end Martellus Bennett, who spent Tuesday night sleeping in front of his locker at Lambeau Field. Yesterday, the Packers eased into camp with meetings and physicals.

But today is the day when the Packers hit the field bright and early – 8:15 a.m. – for their first practice at Nitschke Field. Morning practices will be held today through next Tuesday morning; there’s no practice Wednesday, Aug. 2, after which the team will transition into evening practices that will start at 6:15 p.m.

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These practices are open to the public, unless weather conditions force the Packers inside to practice in the Don Hutson Center.

The annual Packers Family Night, presented by Bellin Health, will be held once again starting at 6:25 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 5, followed by two mid-day practices on Aug. 7 and 8 and the Packers first preseason game Thursday, Aug. 10, against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Other preseason games will be held Saturday, Aug. 19, on the road against the Washington Redskins; Saturday Aug. 26, against the Denver Broncos; and their finale at home against the Los Angeles Rams Thursday, Aug. 31.

In all, there will be 15 open practices for Packers fans to catch, in addition to Family Night and the four preseason games.

Green Bay heads into this training camp with a total of 42 rookies, 22 players in their second or third year, 10 players in their fourth through sixth season, 10 players who have six to nine years experience and six players with 10-plus years in the NFL.

Eighty-one of the 90 players in camp are 28 years old or younger, while 63 percent (57 players) are 24 or younger.

The draft picks include cornerback Kevin King, safety Josh Jones, defensive tackle Montravius Adams, linebacker Vince Biegel, running back Jamaal Williams, wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey, running back Aaron Jones, guard Kofi Amichia, running back Devante Mays, and wide receiver Malachi Dupre.

In addition to the drafted players, Packers GM Ted Thompson also brought in a bevy of undrafted free agents to fill out the 90-man roster.

Over the course of the next month, these players will be competing for a spot on the 53-man roster, vying for a chance to play in the National Football League league’s smallest city.

So, if you’re ready for some football, today kicks off what appears to be another entertaining season for the Green Bay Packers.

Next: Who makes the Packers 53-man roster?

The following is the day-by-day training camp schedule for the Green Bay Packers: