The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Green Bay Packers’ Family Night

Aug 08, 2026 09:51 AM - 1 hour ago 1

The Green Bay Packers held their yearly Family Night Scrimmage Friday nighttime — a believe wrong of Lambeau Field wherever fans were charged $10 to watch the 2-hour, 15 infinitesimal session.

Amazingly, 60,000 spectators piled into Lambeau Field to get a first-hand look astatine their heroes.

Here was the good, bad and disfigured from Friday’s practice.

THE GOOD

BABY STEPS: Rookie kicker Trey Smack had a unsmooth commencement to camp, making conscionable 8-of-13 kicks successful the first 7 practices.

Smack had a coagulated night, though, going 6-of-7 overall. Smack made kicks from 33, 35, 38, 43, 45 and 47 yards and missed wide near from 51.

Smack is now 14-of-20 wide this summertime (70.0%).

“I deliberation he's had a beautiful bully commencement to campy truthful far,” Packers wide head Brian Gutekunst said of Smack. “But … I deliberation we're going to person a beautiful bully shot squad this year, and if you're going to make it and beryllium portion of it, you sewage to perform.”

Smack did conscionable that Friday, which had to beryllium euphony to the Packers’ ears.

IT’S ABOUT TIME: The Packers held 7 practices earlier Friday and had yet to do immoderate unrecorded tackling.

That changed during Family Night, erstwhile Green Bay had immoderate of its younger players and newcomers do unrecorded tackling for astir 10 plays precocious successful practice.

“I do deliberation that's a bully opportunity for them,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Just a rehearsal, if you will, earlier they spell retired and play that first preseason game.”

HIGHLIGHTS

There were respective different highlights from the practice, arsenic well. Here’s a handful:

• Wideout Matthew Golden sewage down Javon Bullard and hauled successful a 52-yard touchdown from Jordan Love.

• Safety Xavier McKinney had an awesome walk breakup connected an retired way for Jayden Reed.

• Second twelvemonth protect extremity Barryn Sorrell blew up a brace of runs to moving backmost MarShawn Lloyd.

• Undrafted rookie protect tackle Anthony Campbell had his 5th batted walk of training camp.

• Left tackle Jordan Morgan had a bully night, stoning Lukas Van Ness successful one-on-ones. Morgan did person a mendacious commencement penalty, though.

• Running backmost Pierre Strong had a reddish area touchdown connected a surface walk from Love.

• Savion Williams, who’s had a quiet camp, had a leaping, 15-yard touchdown drawback complete information Kitan Oladapo.

• No. 3 backmost Kyle McCord threw a touchdown to Bo Melton.

• Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse followed wideout Christian Watson connected a crosser and collapsed up a walk from Love.

• Brenton Cox had a sack moving against Darian Kinnard.

• Linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper dumped moving backmost Damien Martinez for a information connected a play that started astatine the 2-yard line.

• J. Michael Sturdivant had a 37-yard drawback from Tyrod Taylor moving pinch the No. 2 discourtesy successful the two-minute drill.

DIE HARDS: When it comes to instrumentality bases, it’s reliable to hit the 1 successful Green Bay.

Packer Nation filled Lambeau Field to watch a believe — arsenic Allen Iverson erstwhile said “we talking astir practice” — connected a gorgeous summertime nighttime wherever temperatures were successful the mid-70s throughout.

Following practice, fans were treated to a fireworks display.

“This Green Bay organization is thing I haven't seen before,” said linebacker Zaire Franklin, a ninth twelvemonth subordinate who’s successful his first play arsenic a Packer. “Thankful to beryllium a portion of it and gladsome to beryllium there. I cognize Family Night is special.

“(I) took my boy to Lambeau during OTAs and he was huffy that cipher was there. I'm telling him that 70,000 group are going to beryllium location this time. So that's beautiful cool.”

THE BAD

FROM THE INFIRMARY: The pursuing Packers didn’t believe owed to injury: tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee), defender Aaron Banks (knee/rest), tight extremity Tucker Kraft (knee), protect tackle Devonte Wyatt (ankle), moving backmost Josh Jacobs (groin), and cornerbacks Carrington Valentine (hamstring), Domani Jackson, Kamal Hadden (ankle) and Johnathan Baldwin (knee).

Players connected reserve lists see Micah Parsons (knee), tight extremity Luke Musgrave (neck), moving backmost Chris Brooks (hamstring), agelong snapper Matt Orzech (calf), and protect tackles Javon Hargrave (knee) and Jordon Reilly (Achilles).

THIS AND THAT: Cornerback Brandon Cisse dropped retired of believe pinch cramps and was replaced by Benjamin St-Juste pinch the No. 1 defense. … Defensive tackle Chris McClellan, but LaFleur said, “I deliberation he’ll beryllium each right.” … St-Juste had a chance for an interception, but dropped it. … Center Sean Rhyan had a bad threat to Love that killed a play. … Skyy Moore had a large summation connected an extremity astir that was wiped retired by a penalty. … Moore had a bad drop. … Anthony Belton had a mendacious commencement penalty.

THE UGLY

CB1 … REALLY?: Keisean Nixon, Green Bay’s expected No. 1 cornerback, had a unsmooth spell of it successful 1-on-1 drills against Matthew Golden.

The 2 had 4 reps against each different and Golden vanished pinch 3 catches and 2 touchdowns. On the 4th rep, Nixon jumped an retired way and had a chance for an interception, but dropped it.

Nixon started each 17 games astatine cornerback past play for the first clip successful his seven-year profession and had a remarkably up-and-down season.

Nixon earned a 66.4 wide protect people from Pro Football Focus, which classed 41st among 114 qualified cornerbacks. His PFF sum people of 67.8 classed 35th and his run-defense people of 66.6 classed 40th.

Nixon had 1 interception, collapsed up 13 passes, and opposing quarterbacks had a 105.2 passer standing erstwhile throwing his way. Nixon surrendered 50 receptions successful sum and had 72 tackles (58 solos).

The 2 regular play games against Chicago provided a microcosm of Nixon’s inconsistent season.

Nixon made a game-saving interception successful the Packers’ 28-21 triumph complete Chicago connected Dec. 7. Thirteen days later, Nixon gave up a 46-yard touchdown walk to Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore successful overtime arsenic Chicago rallied for a 22-16 win.

It’s not Nixon’s responsibility that he’s allegedly the champion cornerback connected the Packers’ roster. But astatine 29 years old, Nixon astir apt isn’t getting immoderate better, truthful Green Bay has to person players for illustration rookie Brandon Cisse aliases free supplier acquisition Benjamin St-Juste create into a existent No. 1 corner.