Full Breakdown
Packers’ First Full-Pads Practice Highlights Winners, Losers and Injury Concerns
8/4/2026, 8:23:42 AM
Milestone Practice
The fifth session of Green Bay Packers training camp—held on the second day of live-contact drills—was the first full-pads practice of the 2026 preseason.
Standout Performances
Wide Receiver: Will Sheppard
Sheppard distinguished himself on a two-minute drill, catching a 60-yard pass after being knocked down twice.
Quarterback: Tyrod Taylor
The 37-year-old veteran delivered two key throws: a long sideline completion to Bo Melton on third-and-2 and a deep bomb to Sheppard on third-and-15.
Edge Rusher: Dani Dennis-Sutton
Fourth-round pick Dennis-Sutton recorded three tackles for loss and pressured Taylor on the two-minute drill.
Rookie Defensive Impact
Second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse and third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan impressed early.
Struggles and Setbacks
Wide Receiver: Savion Williams
Despite being a third-round pick expected to make the roster, Williams saw limited impact while playing with the No. 3 unit.
Quarterback: Kyron Drones
Undrafted rookie Drones threw an interception directly to linebacker TJ Quinn during a two-minute drill, curtailing his opportunity for additional passes.
Edge Rusher: Lukas Van Ness
Van Ness, a key offseason performer, produced little on the padded practice, a contrast to his earlier strong showings.
Tight End Group
Injuries depleted the tight-end corps: Tucker Kraft (torn ACL), Luke Musgrave (neck injury), rookie RJ Maryland (hamstring), and Luke Lachey (left foot). As a result, the unit was reduced to Josh Whyle, Messiah Swinson and Drake Dabney. The roster status was reported on August 2, 2026.
Kicking Concerns
Rookie sixth-round kicker Trey Smack completed 8 of 13 field-goal attempts overall and went 3-of-5 during the field-goal period, missing an extra-point-distance try that struck the left upright from 52 yards. He acknowledged the challenges, noting, “I hit the ball well today. I thought I hit the ball well,” — Trey Smack. Smack added that he is working with Dan Whelan, Cal Adomitis and Matt Orzech to lock in his technique before the season opener at the Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium.
Injury Update
The practice highlighted a string of injuries across the roster, leaving the Packers with a thin tight-end group and several players on the sidelines. The injury report was shared via a tweet on August 2, 2026.
Social-Media Reaction
Bill Huber posted on August 3, 2026 that the “Packers Plays of the Day” and “Player of the Day” were especially entertaining after the padded session, reflecting fan enthusiasm for the emerging performances.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I hit the ball well today. I thought I hit the ball well,” — Trey Smack
