Packers Play and Player of Day: Getting Moss’d at Practice 10 of Training Camp

Packers Play and Player of Day: Getting Moss’d at Practice 10 of Training CampHere were three of the standout performances from the 10th practice of Green Bay Packers training camp on Monday.GREEN BAY, Wis. – Every training camp, former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers would talk about the need to build trust with his young receivers. On Monday, Bo Melton made the type of catch that should earn him a bunch of trust with Jordan Love.His incredible catch is one of two choices for Player of the Day at the 10th practice of Packers training camp on Monday.Play of the Day I: Bo MeltonAfter two incompletions to start the day, Jordan Love uncorked a bomb to Bo Melton, who had gotten behind cornerback Keisean Nixon. The ball appeared to hang in the air, which allowed Nixon to get into position to make a play on it. Instead, Melton jumped over Nixon for perhaps the highlight-reel catch of the summer.That’s how you gain trust in your quarterback, by turning a potential interception into a completion for about 50 yards.“There’s been multiple moments when J-Love will throw it up to his guys and say, ‘Hey, go make a play.’ That’s another moment right there,” Melton said. “I’ve been through that a couple times with him, whether it be the Vikings game (in 2023), Bears game (in 2025), whatever game you want to name, that he just threw it up and had trust I would come down with it.“When I’m out there, I believe the ball’s coming to me all the time. So, I run my route accordingly. When I saw the ball today, I knew J-Love was like I’m throwing this to you. I just felt it. You could feel it before the play happens and see the coverage. Just go make a play for him.”Melton had to make that play. There’s no coaching point in winning a 50/50 ball other than desire.“You got to want it,” he said. “I feel like Kei didn’t see me. It was better in that aspect because he didn’t see me really, but when the ball’s in the air, you either attack it and go get it or you don’t want it. I feel like for me, I want to make plays. Especially if the ball is deep, I feel like that’s my specialty – taking the top off the defense. I got to make sure I’m coming down with it all the time.”Plays like that one by Melton should give him more opportunities for Love to say to heck with it (or something like that) and give Melton a chance.The Packers will need Melton for times exactly like this, when starters Matthew Golden (toe) and Jayden Reed (foot) are out of the lineup.“I feel like I’m a deep threat,” he said. “I’ve showed that a lot in my career, taking the deep shots. But I just wanted to be like a 80/20 or 100/0. My ball or nobody’s.”Play of the Day II: Jaylin Simpson Strikes AgainThere is quite a battle developing at cornerback. But this has nothing to do with Keisean Nixon losing first-team reps for a second consecutive day to Benjamin St-Juste.This has everything to do with Jaylin Simpson making play after play.Simpson had a circus-catch interception to leadoff one-on-ones on Family Night. He broke up two passes on Sunday. On the final play of Monday’s practice, Simpson struck again.Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaylin Simpson (38) rides a scooter to practice during the first day of training camp. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectKyron Drones threw a pass to the pylon that Simpson picked off. He raced the other way for a 99- or 100-yard touchdown.“Played my leverage,” he said. “I was in phase, ball came up, so I was able to look back, and take it to the house. Simple.”Simpson was a fifth-round pick by the Colts in 2024. He spent his rookie season on the practice squads of the Colts and Jets. When New York released him early in training camp last year, he signed with the Packers. He made his NFL debut in the regular-season finale at Minnesota, when he played almost every snap.He was something of an afterthought entering training camp this year. While the Packers released Nate Hobbs, they signed St-Juste and drafted Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson. With Carrington Valentine out for the past week, Simpson has played with the No. 2 defense.What could Monday’s big play do for his surging roster chances?“I don’t know, honestly,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting back to my old self. That same guy who when he was coming out of the draft making plays that got him to this point. Feel like I’m getting back to that point in my third year but, honestly, one day at a time.“I know it’s cliché as hell, but one day at a time, one play at a time, what happened today is already over. There’s still some plays I left out there today that I wish I could get back. So, getting in the meeting room, getting that fixed, and onto tomorrow.”We’ll have a longer story on Simpson’s rise before Thursday’s preseason game.Player of the Day: Nazir StackhouseThe selection of Nazir Stackhouse is sort of a placeholder for Green Bay’s rampaging defensive line. It doesn’t matter who position coach Vince Oghobaase puts on the field, his players deliver. They have been excellent throughout training camp and really dominated Monday’s practice.Stackhouse was front and center in the constant carnage. Midway through practice, Stackhouse saw an end-around coming, stormed into the backfield and made the tackle for a loss of about 10 yards.“Yeah, I tried not to do too much on that,” he said. “It’s just the awareness key, I’m starting to develop that a little bit more. I’m getting a lot of tackle reps, especially when I’m in with Jonathan Ford. He’s at nose when I’m at tackle. I have to make sure I hold down my side.”Stackhouse seems to always hold down his side. He added a tackle for loss on a handoff to MarShawn Lloyd. He seems to make a TFL or two every day.Stackhouse made the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. He played a lot at times but wound up logging 159 snaps in 13 games. He finished with 12 tackles.What’s made the difference this year?“Yeah, just coming in with the same mindset every day – that’s a growth mindset,” he said. “Every day, I want to get better every opportunity I get. …“I feel like my confidence is better this year. Obviously, what I did last year is just my pride, but it’s good to see where I came from and it’s even better to see where I can go.”Stackhouse credited Oghobaase’s coaching for helping him decipher formations, down-and-distance situations and other little nuances for improving his football IQ. Combined with his size and strength, Stackhouse is playing his way off the roster bubble and into a key role.“Basically, it’s having awareness of the ball before the ball’s snapped,” he said “The strength is there – it’s always going to be there. Obviously, it’s always going to be somebody probably stronger than me, but it’s really all about technique. And I feel like if you don’t do anything else in the field, always go back home to technique. And so I feel like once you use technique as your ally and your awareness is up to key, then literally you’ll see anything happen before the ball’s even snapped. Or backfield sets and formations, that’ll help too, as well.“And, obviously, like once you get a feel for it, ‘What block I’m getting? How is this play developing? Is it a run block? Is it a play-action set? Is it a pass?’ Once you get a hold of just the awareness piece on the defensive line and a defense perspective, plays will look like that all the time. That’s just how it is. My strength is there when I need it. But I can literally make a hard job easy for me strictly off of my awareness.”SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTERAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow