GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers wrapped up their mandatory minicamp in Green Bay on Wednesday. They held their team bonding bowling event last week, so they won't be together again until training camp in late July.
“I think we've laid a good foundation,” said LaFleur. “I think the things that we stressed to these guys, in terms of our communication, how close the connection can get. I think it's a good start, but it really doesn't matter. Once we come back to training camp, it's about what we do moving forward.”
With such a young team, LaFleur wants his players to use the time before training camp wisely.
“They have to stay in the playbook,” said LaFleur. “A lot of this information is new to them. And if you don't use it, you're going to lose it. You can take a week or so. Let your mind kind of decompress a little bit. But for the most part, you got to stay dialed in. These guys will take their iPads with them, I'm sure, and be able to study tape. And I think it's a great opportunity for, especially the young players, to get back into the playbook and kind of go at their own pace.”
“Knowing the playbook more than I already do know and being in a physical shape,” said Packers rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. “Just pursuing my techniques and knowing the playbook.”
Training camp also will mean some days with pads on. That means tackling.
“I love hitting,” said Cooper. “Just going out there, playing ball, doing something I love. And I'll be able to put the pads on, able to get more realistic looks, getting off blocks, being able to give some punches a little bit more. Just working on your technique.”
LaFleur knows that this year’s Packers team will face much higher expectations than last season.
“You got to do your best to kind of ignore the outside noise and just get to work,” said LaFleur. “That’s where the confidence is built. It's through the work and just going out there and competing, competing together, coming close together. I feel really good about the group in there. Hopefully, over the course of these five weeks, the challenge to these guys is you cannot come back the same player. You got to come back better, you've got to come back in better shape and you got to come back better mentally.”
“I've been a part of a lot of great teams and it is all about the work,” said Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark. “When you’re a talented team, the talent is always going to be there. You’ve got a great quarterback. We’ve got great players all over this team. It’s all about the work, and just pushing each other every day, and hold each other accountable.”
LaFleur said it was a positive experience to have big video boards at practice during this minicamp, but says he won’t use them at training camp because “you never know who’s in the stands.”