The blitz: Minicamp practice No. 1
Cleaning out the notebook from today's minicamp practice at Clarke Hinkle Field ...
* It was another no-"live"-contact workout, with players in shorts and helmets.
* Absent: CB Charles Woodson (personal/charity function), CB Will Blackmon (got married), T Breno Giacomini (ankle). Jog-through only: S Atari Bigby (ankle), LB Nick Barnett (knee). Out: C Scott Wells (shoulder), DE Alfred Malone (wrist), T Chad Clifton (knees/shoulders), DE Cullen Jenkins (ankle), WR Jamarko Simmons (back), TE Carson Butler (leg), S Anthony Smith (groin).
* S Nick Collins' arrival brought the defense as close to full strength as it's been the entire offseason -- at least for the jog-through. The No. 1 base defense during that period was: LE B.J. Raji, NT Ryan Pickett, RE Johnny Jolly (for Jenkins), LOLB Aaron Kampman, MILB Nick Barnett, BILB A.J. Hawk, ROLB Jeremy Thompson, CB Al Harris, CB Tramon Williams (for Woodson), LS Atari Bigby, RS Nick Collins. Brandon Chillar and Aaron Rouse replaced Barnett and Bigby, respectively, during team (11-on-11) drills. The No. 2 defense in base was: LE Justin Harrell, NT Anthony Toribio, RE Michael Montgomery, LOLB Brady Poppinga, ILB Danny Lansanah, ILB Desmond Bishop, ROLB Clay Matthews, CB Pat Lee, CB Joe Porter, S Charlie Peprah and S Jarrett Bush.
* The offensive lines stayed the same as they were throughout OTAs. That means it was LT Tony Moll, LG Daryn Colledge, C Jason Spitz, RG Josh Sitton and RT Allen Barbre with the 1s; LT Jamon Meredith, LG Nevin McCaskill, C Duke Preston, RG Evan Dietrich-Smith and RT T.J. Lang with the 2s. Jermichael Finley continues to work ahead of Tory Humphrey as the No. 2 tight end, and Korey Hall continues to take No. 1 fullback reps.
* Safe to say Bigby is getting antsy. At one point when the 2s were on the field during the jog-through, Bigby was doing handstands.
* WR Jake Allen made the catch of the day on a pass from starting QB Aaron Rodgers during the blitz period. The defense rushed five, and Rodgers threw a play-action dart on a comeback route to Allen, who laid out to make the grab at the right sideline. Colledge jogged downfield to congratulate the practice-squad holdover from Division III Mississippi College.
* Later in the same period, Williams made the defensive play of the day, breaking up a deep slant for WR Brett Swain. It was one of only two incompletions against the blitz for Rodgers, who finished 4-for-6 in the period. No. 3 QB Brian Brohm, who split reps with No. 2 Matt Flynn, struggled in the period, taking two apparent sacks and badly overthrowing TE Evan Moore while rolling right against pressure.
* After completing his inside work with the rehab group, Barnett watched the rest of practice from the sideline with ice on the back of his right knee. He appears to be moving well in shorts, though contact work in pads is a different animal.
* In one of the most extended team punt periods reporters have seen this offseason, Jeremy Kapinos and Durant Brooks each punted eight times against a rush. Brooks started strong -- with the wind, his first three punts traveled 55, 58 and 51 yards, respectively -- but Kapinos' get-off and hang times were superior, and he finished with spiraling bombs of 63 and 60 yards. Brooks' gross average was 51.5 yards, Kapinos' 50.5; both averages suffered from taking a few snaps from Preston, who snapped high more often than not.
* With Blackmon gone, WR Jordy Nelson, Swain and Collins all fielded punts. The No. 1 punt team, sans flyers, included Bishop, TE/LB Spencer Havner, Chillar, TE Jermichael Finley, OLB Brad Jones, Hall, Poppinga and LS Brett Goode. Kapinos punted first, as he has throughout the offseason.
* Nelson had the best play of the 7-on-7 passing period, hauling in a touch pass from Rodgers with one hand at the left sideline. Rodgers (6-for-6) and Flynn (4-for-4) both were perfect in 7-on-7, which generally favors the offense. Brohm was 1-for-2; his incompletion was off the hands of LB/TE Spencer Havner, who is working exclusively at tight end in minicamp. Havner was closely defended on the play.
* There was one obvious coverage breakdown by the No. 2 defense during the red-zone period, when TE Devin Frischknecht came wide open in the left flat for a catch. It didn't sit well with coaches, to say the least.
* The offense was up and down in the red zone. Rodgers and Swain narrowly missed hooking up on a back-shoulder pass just inside the goal line. Later, Rodgers hit an in-breaking WR Ruvell Martin, who spun back toward the right sideline and outraced Peprah to the goal line for a 12-yard TD. Rodgers' next pass was a slant for WR Greg Jennings, but Kampman got a hand on the ball to break it up. Brohm ended his day with a TD run up the middle off a designed hurry-up QB draw from the 5.
* It's impossible to get a gauge on the run game in this sort of camp, but RB DeShawn Wynn looked good cutting back for a gain in the red zone.
* Final passing stats in team periods: Rodgers 8-for-12, Flynn 4-for-4 and Brohm 2-for-4. No interceptions.
* An unofficial headcount registered 133 fans on a muggy, partly cloudy day at Clarke Hinkle Field. Families of the Packers' draft picks -- including Clay Matthews' father, Clay Matthews Jr. -- also were on hand.
* Practice was over in a tidy 1 hour, 38 minutes.
-- Tom Pelissero, tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com