GREEN BAY – The most eye-opening play through the first three days of Green Bay Packers training camp might have been the 40-plus-yard touchdown that quarterback Jordan Love threw to Dontayvion Wicks in a competitive period against the No. 1 defense.

It wasn’t the outcome that stood out, it was the way Love moved left out of the pocket after feeling some pressure up the middle, took a few steps forward and then launched the ball across his body and into a spot where only his receiver could catch it.

It was reminiscent of how Love played at the end of 2023.

It’s just one play in camp and who knows what would have happened if the play were live, but Packers coach Matt LaFleur noticed a difference.

“I think usually you can move a little better if you don’t have a knee or groin,” LaFleur said in his pre-practice news conference July 27, alluding to the injuries Love had last season. “I think he’s been looking good and that’s part of playing that position.

“I think some guys are a little better at the pocket manipulation than others. I think he’s done a pretty good job.”

Despite playing with knee and groin injuries, Love was sacked only 14 times last year, which is a testament to his ability to get rid of the ball before getting hit. But to the casual observer, Love was not moving around, buying time the way he did in, say, the Dallas playoff game two years ago.

LaFleur didn’t speak to how much different Love’s game was last year, but he did say Love never lost the knack for avoiding sacks.

“I was looking at the number of sacks guys take,” LaFleur said, “and he has a good feel in the pocket and understands when he needs to use his legs to try to manipulate the pocket or there’s nowhere to go, ‘Oh shoot, where’s my checkdown?’

“So, I think he’s done that over the course of two years, (done) a pretty good job with that, whether he’s got his legs or not.”

Matt LaFleur not concerned about excessive heat

Players will move from helmets and shorts to helmets and “shells”, which are the cushions they wear under their shoulder pads, on Day 4 of practice. The first day they are allowed to wear full gear, including shoulder pads, is July 28.

The speed and intensity of practice is starting to pick up and will continue to do so as the pads come on.

Among the things LaFleur must monitor is the heat and how it’s affecting players’ bodies. Given many of the players train in Florida and Georgia, the heat in Wisconsin shouldn’t be out of the ordinary.

But it’s something the training staff must be on top of given the potential for dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Asked if he liked it hot at practice, LaFleur said, “I’ve got no control over it, so I don’t even worry about it. I take it it’s going to be hot today?”

Excessive contact is something Matt LaFleur is concerned about

LaFleur has lectured the team about not being overly physical in practice, especially when the pads are off, because he doesn’t want players getting hurt.

There are general rules for how players should simulate tackling and how aggressively they should go after contested balls.

One guy who is having a problem with it is free agent cornerback Nate Hobbs. His game is all about contact and he’s knocked some players to the ground.

“This is what I told him,” LaFleur said, “’I don’t think it’s malicious.’ I think it’s one of the things and one of the qualities that we really admired about him is how he competes. We talk about competing for the football. We just don’t want to go through a person, whoever that person is, to make a play on the ball.

“I don’t mind them going through the hands. We just don’t want them to (go) through the body because that’s how you end up with people on the ground. And we’d all be sick to our stomach if somebody got hurt.”

Carrington Valentine off to a good start

LaFleur has been impressed with cornerback Carrington Valentine and not just because he has two interceptions in three days.

“He’s doing a great job,” LaFleur said. “He continues to grow as a player. It’s amazing where he was when he first came in to where he is now, in terms of how he’s transformed his body. I think he’s really talented. He played of a lot of meaningful snaps for us a year ago and made some critical players.

“So, that’s a great sign. He just continues to bring competition to that room.”