GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers opened their mandatory minicamp in Green Bay on Tuesday. Quarterback Jordan Love doesn't want to talk about negotiations toward a contract extension. He'd rather talk about how Matt LaFleur is giving him some experience calling plays.
“I do like it, calling two minute plays," said Love. "I think, if anything, it just helps me understand the play calls, thinking about that next play and just knowing the situation. I think it helps prepare me and just understand the two minute situations better. What we need, what plays work and what plays don’t work, just get more comfortable with plays and calling them.”
LaFleur has no intention of giving up play-calling but explains how he's trying to help Love's development.
“All of us are in constant communication on the headset," said LaFleur. "I feel like we kind of do it together anyway. I just want him to experience it a little bit more. And so we put them in some of those two minute situations. I just want to see kind of what he was thinking.”
Teammates rave about how Love is developing as a player and as a leader.
“You just can tell he comes with a lot of experience," said Packers guard Elgton Jenkins. "He got a lot of game rep last year, obviously. Just calling protection, calling the plays in the huddle, he comes out with a lot of confidence, knowing what's going on.”
“He helps me pretty much every day," said Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd. "Early on, when I didn't know something, Jordan's like, hey, this what you got here, here, here. Then eventually I got comfortable with it."
For Love, it's not so much about increased expectations for himself and the Packers team. It's about growing from where they left off at the end of last season
“I think it's just excitement," said Love. "I think from when the season ended last year, the way it ended for us. I think everybody was hungry and ready to just get back to it, get back to training camp and get the new season rolling.”
Veterans Jaire Alexander, Xavier McKinney and Keisean Nixon were excused from the minicamp by the coaches, who were pleased with their offseason work. Matt LaFleur called the minicamp "an extension of Organized Team Activities."
Last year, Carrington Valentine was a rookie seventh rounder. Now, the cornerback has advanced to being a big part of the Packers’ secondary plan. Valentine was asked to describe himself.
“A dawg,” said Valentine. “If you want to be honest, that’s who I am. Hard worker, I’m a competitor, I’m always going to strain. I’m always going to talk a little as well, just my personality. I really don’t care who you are. Don’t care if you All-Pro, Hall of Fame. At the end of the day, you gotta beat me. That’s who I am.”
There’s literally more to Valentine this season because he added some muscle to his frame.
“That's a guy that stands out, quite frankly, in my mind,” said LaFleur. “We challenged him to put on some weight after the regular season. He came back and he definitely looks bigger. He is bigger and he's stronger and the guy loves football. He loves to compete and I'm excited for him. I think he's got a really bright future.”
“Even when I was a lighter guy, I love contact,” said Valentine. “When I put my hands on receivers, I feel the difference in power and strength. It is really motivating.”
A healthy Eric Stokes brings competition for Valentine. He’s ready for it.
“Never handed anything in my life,” said Valentine. “I don’t want it to be handed to me now. I'm just going to keep going, keep grinding. And wherever the chips may lie.”