The brass in the organization apparently think this is top secret information and are treating it as such. However, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy must not have gotten that memo.
McCarthy let the cat out of the bag on Thursday, saying players will report for training camp on Monday, July 25 and their first practice will be the following day.
The Packers are starting camp early this year because of the Hall of Fame game. The Packers will play in that game — their fifth preseason contest — on August 7. You and they can thank Brett Favre’s Hall of Fame induction for that blessing.
Typically, the Packers open camp over the final weekend of the month.
“Starting a little early,” McCarthy said. “Starting on a Monday. The flow is not the best, frankly. When you play Sunday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, Thursday – that’s not what you’re looking for as a head coach as far as how you’d like to train the team as far as the periods of time between each game. It will have a little different flow to it. They’ll be more night practices this year than we’ve had in quite some time.”
To prepare for the drag of a longer camp, McCarthy sent 15 veterans home from minicamp earlier this week.
The three-day minicamp has been spent working exclusively with younger players.
That could prove beneficial down the line, both in terms of the younger guys getting more reps and the vets getting some additional time off.