Packers News: No joint training camp practices this summer

There will be no joint practices for the Packers this summer.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Green Bay Packers won’t be hosting joint practices with the Cleveland Browns at training camp.

Holding joint practices was a change made by head coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst last summer when they hosted the Houston Texans ahead of their preseason game at Lambeau Field.

But due to the coronavirus pandemic, no joint practices will be held this year.

Packers were set to host Browns for joint practices

It was reported in February that the Packers were set to host the Browns for joint practices at training camp. The Browns will visit Lambeau Field in the second week of the preseason, and the practices likely would’ve taken place ahead of that game.

However, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that no joint practices will be permitted this year. This decision was made to “mitigate exposure risks” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s an unsurprising move and a smart one. While there are benefits of sharing a practice with another NFL team, it’s not necessary to prepare for the new season. Not hosting a joint practice could help reduce the spread of the virus as it limits the exposure between players on the field.

No dates have yet been set for the Packers’ training camp, although the full preseason and regular season schedules have been announced. For now, the NFL is planning for the season to go ahead on time as planned. It remains to be seen whether games will be played without fans in attendance, or even whether they’ll have to delay the start of the season. These are decisions the NFL will need to make over the coming weeks or months.

Hopefully, training camp will begin on time and go ahead as usual. But the Packers won’t be hosting the Browns for joint practices.