Packers offense opens training camp with running start

The Packers begin training camp Thursday morning and unproven players begin battling for the 53-man roster.

“The tempo of practice was what I was looking for, ” McCarthy said Thursday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Receiver Jordy Nelson is taking part in the first practice of Green Bay Packers training camp after being limited during the offseason following minor hip surgery. Jordy Nelson, Nick Perry and Casey Hayward, who all mised a good chunk of spring work, were cleared for practice.

“Over years and years of playing sports, it’s just rubbing together”, Nelson said. The Packers likely will put an offense on the field without a single new face. He says expectations are high for this year’s team, and that generally leads to larger crowds. “Like I’ve said in here before, I don’t think there was a day in the offseason and even over the vacation that I was in here that Jordy wasn’t in here working”.

The Packers have been installed as early favorites to win the NFC title and play in Super Bowl 50 in February, a year after their late-game meltdown in the NFC Championship overtime loss to the Seahawks in Seattle. He missed most of training camp in 2013 but still caught 85 passes for 1,314 yard that season.

After checking in at St. Norbert College Tuesday night, the players went through medical physicals and testing on Wednesday. LB Mike Neal was placed on the physically unable to perform list for a reported abdominal injury. WR Jared Abbrederis, who missed his rookie season in 2014 with a knee injury, left practice after falling hard to the turf during an interception. CB Quinten Rollins, the team’s second-round draft pick, is on the non-football injury list after hurting his right hamstring while doing conditioning work two weeks ago.

Tight end Andrew Quarless was absent from practice.