Training camp is over.
After 19 practices, including joint sessions with the Commanders, the Panthers and the Giants, HC Robert Saleh heads into Saturday's preseason finale against the Giants encouraged by his team's progress over the last four-plus weeks.
"I've really appreciated the way our guys have gone about their business," Saleh said before Thursday's practice. "I've said it before, I love the way our O-line is coming together and I'm not just talking about their play style. I'm just talking about [how] they actually like being around each other. I've always said it with the defense, the defense likes being around each other. The offense, you see certain position groups, I think they're actually starting to enjoy being around one another because there's a lot of like minds.
"I've liked the way they've come together, the way they root for one another, the way they play for one another, the way they communicate with one another and other. It's turning into a pretty cool group."
Saleh has mentioned throughout camp that he and his staff changed their approach to practice, which resulted in the first-team offense taking at least 10 more reps per practice (the group has taken about 800 total). Aaron Rodgers said Tuesday it was his most challenging training camp in the last seven or eight seasons, and he's a fan of it.
"We made an effort to be kind of be a little bit more efficient in how we work day to- day and with our guys," Saleh said on Wednesday. "Because of that, our workload is significantly more this year than it's been in the past. I think it's very beneficial. Anytime you can practice playing football, you're going to get better at playing football and I think our guys have responded awesome to it. I think they're starting to feel the difference and how important all these reps have been."
Thursday's Practice
The starters worked out on an adjacent field during practice as they will not play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Giants on Saturday night. Quarterbacks Adrian Martinez and Andrew Peasley took all of the reps in Thursday's session and will each play a half in the game.
The team had a short practice with three red-zone periods.
"We've kind of been simulating our in-season schedule, so yesterday was a Thursday, today is a Friday," Robert Saleh said. "It's kind of a fast Friday of red-zone work. Get them in, get them out."
Second-year wideout Jason Brownlee, who had a 55-yard touchdown catch in the end-of-game situation against the Giants on Wednesday, remained hot. He had stellar one-handed catch for a touchdown on a pass from Martinez and the pair later connected for another score. Martinez also had a TD toss to WR Lance McCutcheon while Peasley had a pair of passing touchdowns -- one to UDFA WR Tyler Harrell and one to WR Isaiah Winstead that closed practice and training camp the summer.
Olu Fashanu (elbow) did not practice Thursday and WR Mike Williams, although a starter, participated in individual drills as he continues to make his way back from a torn ACL.
