Green Bay Packers: Notes and Quotes from 1st Week of Training Camp

The Green Bay Packers opened training camp on a beautiful, fall-like morning on Thursday at 8:20 a.m. CT with practice at Ray Nitschke Field. 

Before practice, new additions to the team had their first opportunity to take place in the longstanding and treasured tradition of riding children's bikes to practice. 

The Packers may only have one practice under their belts and many more ahead, but nevertheless there was a deluge of information, updates and notable quotes that emerged from the team's first day of camp.

We've broken down the implications of six such updates in one convenient, easy-to-read location and analyzed how they could affect the team moving forward. 

Mike McCarthy: No Restrictions on QB Aaron Rodgers' Playing Time

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Yes, Aaron Rodgers may have had some injury scares (collarbone, 2013; calf, 2014) in recent seasons, but that's not about to stop head coach Mike McCarthy from opening him up and letting him loose to start training camp. 

After all, the 31-year-old quarterback is in the prime of his career. 

According to ESPN.com's Rob Demovksy, McCarthy had the following to say with regard to limiting Rodgers on Wednesday, prior to the first practice of camp: 

"

We're not counting throws all the time, and it's not a concern as it will be when he's later in his career. I mean, he's still very physically fit and so I don't feel like I need to protect him because of any type of elbow or shoulder issue, thing like that. But we just work through it, communicate and see where he's at every day.

"

It took Rodgers months this offseason to heal from the calf injury he suffered late in the 2014 season, per Demovksy, but the quarterback said recently he has "zero concern" about the injury. 

Just because Rodgers is a full go in practice, however, don't expect him to get more action in the Packers' four preseason games. 

"I would say he's definitely not going to take more [snaps]," McCarthy said Wednesday. 

Even if Rodgers were a young gun, it would still be smart to hold him out toward the end of the preseason. Backup quarterback Scott Tolzien can use all the game experience he can get, as he supplanted Matt Flynn as the No. 2 this offseason. 

Wes Hodkiewicz: Nate Palmer, Joe Thomas No. 2 ILBs at Practice

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It was no surprise that Clay Matthews and Sam Barrington were the first-team inside linebackers for the Packers as they opened camp on Thursday. After all, they took the No. 1 snaps during OTAs and minicamp, as well. 

However, as Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported Thursday morning, it was Nate Palmer and Joe Thomas who took the No. 2 snaps at the position behind Matthews and Barrington: "Palmer and Joe Thomas first up at ILB after Barrington and Matthews."

This was somewhat surprising, considering that rookie Jake Ryan and second-year outside linebacker convert Carl Bradford had been receiving second-team snaps throughout the offseason. 

Then, in one of the most interesting developments in the first day of camp, when the Packers went into a defensive sub-package featuring Matthews and Julius Peppers at outside linebacker, Palmer moved into the starting inside linebacker spot opposite Barrington. 

Many, including myself, have expected the rookie Ryan to be the player to sub in for Matthews when he moves outside, which he will likely do on third downs.

Thursday's developments mean neither that Bradford is in trouble nor that Palmer is a lock, but we'll have to keep an eye on which players move inside when Matthews moves outside throughout camp. If Ryan needs more time to develop, perhaps Palmer will do so in Week 1. 

In any case, Palmer's emergence Thursday is a positive for a team that needs playmakers at that position. 

"He's a natural football player," McCarthy said about Palmer after practice, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "His ability to play multiple positions will really help us, and really help him."

McCarthy: CB LaDarius Gunter Has "Flashed" in Practice

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There are many undrafted rookies for whom training camp will either be their ticket onto the Packers roster or their reason to be asked to leave.

Cornerback LaDarius Gunter is one of the most promising prospects of the bunch, and he impressed McCarthy on Thursday—a big plus for him this offseason. 

"He’s done some good things," McCarthy said Thursday, per Jason Wilde of ESPN.com. "I think he’s gone in there and competed well. Like a lot of our young guys, he’s flashed. But we’re in Day 1."

Gunter, who is the largest corner on the Packers' offseason roster at 6'2" and 201 pounds, has been assembling an eye-catching offseason coming off going undrafted in May. He had a flashy interception against quarterback Matt Blanchard, as Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette recounted at the time: "LaDarius Gunter, who coaches love, ends 2-minute drill with end zone pick against Blanchard. Another good day for the #Packers UDFA CB."

Gunter continued to turn heads Thursday with the first interception of training camp, picking off a Rodgers pass, per ESPN.com's Demovsky. 

The undrafted rookie's 4.69-second 40-yard dash may have dropped him off draft boards, but if he shows his athleticism and that he can make plays, on defense and special teams, he could have a place on the final roster. 

Ryan Wood: WR Jared Abbrederis Did Not Injure Knee at Practice

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Second-year wide receiver Jared Abbrederis nearly suffered a considerable career setback on Thursday in his first practice with the team since tearing his ACL and landing on injured reserve in his rookie season.

Abbrederis left practice after taking a hard fall, but in what is excellent news for the young receiver, it doesn't appear Abbrederis reinjured his knee.

McCarthy suspected that Abbrederis may have injured his tailbone in the fall instead, according to Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "After medical checkup, can confirm #Packers WR Jared Abbrederis did not injure knee at practice, per a source. MM assumed tailbone earlier."

This is an incredibly important training camp for Abbrederis, one that could make or break his career after he essentially took a redshirt year in his rookie season with the ACL injury. The Packers have typically kept five wide receivers on the 53-man roster in past seasons, but there is potentially enough talent on the offseason roster to keep six. 

Abbrederis, however, would be one of the players on the bubble: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and rookie Ty Montgomery are all virtual locks. 

Abbrederis needs to show everything he can this training camp if he wants to make a case to stay. For that reason, the severity of this injury will prove to be a turning point for him. 

McCarthy: TE Andrew Quarless Dealing with "Difficult" Family Situation

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Veteran tight end Andrew Quarless wasn't present at the Packers' first practice of training camp on Thursday, but it had nothing to do with his July 4 arrest and ongoing legal situation. 

According to McCarthy, Quarless is absent because he is dealing with an "extremely difficult family situation," per ESPN.com's Wilde. 

"I do not have a feel for when he will be back. He’s dealing with a very difficult, extremely difficult family situation right now," McCarthy said Thursday, per Wilde. "So he's with his family, and he'll be gone as long as he needs to be."

Wilde also reported that on Wednesday, one day earlier, McCarthy said that Quarless was gone for "a positive personal situation," which Wilde notes is the phrase the Packers often use for the birth of a child.

There are so far no reports indicating that is indeed the situation Quarless is currently dealing with, but in any case, it may be a while before he returns to camp as he prioritizes his family—and rightly so. 

Because of his ongoing legal matters—Quarless' court date has been set for August 10, per Brian Carriveau of 247Sports.com—second-year player Richard Rodgers was already likely to get the majority of snaps at tight end in camp. Now, that's a certainty. 

Mike Spofford: Offense "Operating in High Gear"

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An offense this loaded has the potential to carry the Packers all the way to February in Santa Clara, California. 

And the team seems to know it.

According to Packers.com's Mike Spofford, the offense was "operating in high gear" to open training camp, adding: 

"

The Packers won’t be holding back on offense in this training camp. With all the starters and top reserves returning, the offense expects the playbook installations to go at a fast pace, and that began on Thursday morning with an opening workout whose tempo pleased head coach Mike McCarthy.

"

In addition to returning obvious key players in quarterback Rodgers, receivers Nelson and Cobb, and running back Eddie Lacy, the offense in 2015 will also feature the same stout offensive line that protected Rodgers and opened lanes for Lacy last season. 

Rodgers will also have continuity with his new center, Corey Linsley, after years of bouncing from Scott Wells to Jeff Saturday to Evan Smith (formerly Evan Dietrich-Smith).

Nelson, who had offseason hip surgery, "didn't miss a beat," McCarthy said, per Spofford. And Cobb had a nice diving grab on third down. 

But Rodgers put it best. "We’ve got the team that we want," he said Thursday, per Spofford.