GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Football is back in Green Bay! The Packers took the field Wednesday morning for their first practice of training camp. Here are some notes from the opening session of the season.
Elgton Jenkins to miss time
Veteran offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins will begin training camp on the non-football injury list (NFI) with what general manager Brian Gutekunst called a "back thing."
Jenkins did not attend any voluntary offseason activities and, while he did attend mandatory minicamp, did not practice. It's believed the 29-year-old is seeking a new contract. Gutekunst said he "absolutely" believes Jenkins will begin practicing once he is healthy.
"Elgton’s always done right by us and we want to do right by him," Gutekunst said Wednesday morning.
Jenkins, who has primarily played left guard in recent years, is expected to transition to center - a position he played in college.
Zach Tom's new deal
Meanwhile, fellow offensive lineman Zach Tom inked a new contract earlier this week. The 26-year-old signed a four-year extension which includes a $30.2 million signing bonus, the largest ever for his position.
"He's been an extremely reliable player and person," Gutekunst said of Tom. "That was important for the Packers to get that done."
Tom started all 17 games for Green Bay at right tackle last season.
Melton's position change
Bo Melton, who has 24 catches for 309 yards in two seasons as a receiver for the Packers, will begin training camp practicing as a cornerback.
It's not a complete surprise, as Melton got some work in with the defense during offseason practices. Gutekunst said Melton is "all for it."
“We know what he can do as a receiver and on special teams," the Packers GM added. "We’re excited to see what he might be able to do at corner for us on defense."
The change could provide more opportunity for the 26-year-old, as the Packers added more depth at receiver by selecting Matthew Golden and Savion Williams early in April's draft.
Melton's brother, Max, is a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
Along with the move, Melton will be changing his jersey number from No. 80 to No. 16.
Other injury updates
Gutekunst says WR Christian Watson, who tore his ACL last January in the regular season finale, is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab.
"He's a freak," Gutekunst said of Watson. "He did a run test the other day and looked great. It's an ACL, so we're going to take our time with him, but he's pressing to get out there."
LB Quay Walker will begin camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Gutekunst said Walker had an ankle "clean-up" in the offseason and is still "about a week away" from returning to action.
Super Bowl expectations
Gutekunst acknowledged the team's lofty expectations heading into this season, coming off a disappointing NFC Wild Card loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Eagles last season.
“We’ve had a lot of regular-season success over the past six or seven years," he said. "But it’s really about getting into the playoffs and trying to move forward."
"We've got to get there first," Gutekunst added. "It’s important that we don’t skip the steps.”
New-look locker room
Matt LaFleur had an interesting word choice when describing the team's newly-renovated locker room.
The Packers head coach called the new space a "great luxury" but added: "We have all these sexy facilities but there's nothing sexy about the process. There's a lot of sacrifice and pain to get where you want to go."
