GREEN BAY — If there was any doubt about the Green Bay Packers' decision to experiment with defensive end Mike Neal as an outside linebacker, Neal reminded anyone and everyone at Ray Nitschke Field Wednesday just what he can do when he's healthy.

Neal was virtually unblockable during a fundamentals period in which the running backs tried to block outside linebackers amid tackling dummies to simulate blitzes. And Neal also showed up in the 1-on-1 pass rush/pass blocking drills against the offensive linemen, generating pressure on two of his four rushes there.

"Mike Neal, I think really today was probably the first time we saw what we were hoping he's about," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "(We saw) his ability to be a difference maker as far as ability to put him in one-on-one situations and for him to win, and to win consistently. I think Mike had his best practice today of training camp."

Neal missed the first two weeks of camp with a strained abdominal muscle suffered while training on his own before he reported to Green Bay. After registering 4.5 sacks last season as a defensive end, Neal dropped almost 20 pounds to get down to 275 and play outside linebacker. McCarthy insists Neal remains a defensive lineman and is just moonlighting as an outside linebacker, but it could turn out to be exactly where the fourth-year player needs to be.

"I think it just best suits me," Neal said of his hybrid role. "I don't think I'm a bad run player as a defensive end, but I think using my athleticism is probably the biggest thing, so it just puts me in a better role to be able to use my athleticism. I think the learning part of it is what they wanted me to learn so I can put myself in those positions."

Neal was scratched from the Packers' preseason opener against Arizona but is anxious to play Saturday night at St. Louis.

"I'm eager to see the game speed of it," Neal said. "It's a lot different than practice, so I try to practice faster than the normal tempo is."

Jason Wilde  wrote: