GREEN BAY, Wis. – Javon Bullard, the Green Bay Packers’ standout third-year defensive back, took up boxing this offseason. He didn’t spar with anyone, but he used the “Sweet Science” to improve his conditioning and hand-eye coordination.
“I’ve grown to love it. I think it’s a real skill,” Bullard said after Thursday’s practice at Packers training camp.
Using Bullard’s “new hobby” as a jumping-off point, let’s cut right to the chase with the Player of the Day and the big-picture importance.
Player of the Day at Packers Training Camp: Javon Bullard
On the fifth snap of the day for the No. 1 offense, Jordan Love felt immediate pressure from Edgerrin Cooper and threw the ball underneath to receiver Skyy Moore. Moore took a step upfield and had the ball knocked free by Bullard.
Actually, that’s an understatement. Moore fumbled when Bullard delivered a knockout punch to the ball.
Bullard, who has zero career forced fumbles, said timing is the key to forcing a fumble. The hand-eye coordination from boxing is important in creating that timing.
“It’s one of those things you really can’t explain,” he said. “It’s kind of like boxing. Like, I can’t tell you he going to do this and then you knock his ass out, you know what I mean? When he trying to get it really right, you got to see exactly the point of the ball you punching at.
“I punched my ass off last year and I didn’t get nothing out. I’m hitting helmets, I’m hitting everything but the ball. It’s really about precision and accuracy. You only got a split-second where that ball is at its open point, basically. So, that timing is impeccable. You got to be right on point.”
The timing was right, to be sure, but it was a vicious shot on the ball that might have made the NFL’s fumble-forcing legend, Charles Tillman – creator of the “Peanut Punch” – proud.
Takeaways are a major focus on defense. Not that they weren’t last year. In 2025, the Packers were 26th in takeaways. In 2024, they were fourth with 31. They went from 17 recovered opponent fumbles to seven.
“It’s definitely a skill,” Bullard said. “It’s definitely something that I’m trying to put in my bag, just watching guys, especially linebackers. Like Fred Warner, I think he’s a pro at it. But, really, just keeping your mind on the ball at all times. I got to get the ball. We need the ball as a defense. We trying to take the ball away at any moment. It can change games, man. It definitely changes games.
“I mean, you look at who led the league in takeaways last year? Was it Chicago? Like, sh**, it ain’t no coincidence that those guys are one of the best teams in the league. You just got to take the ball away. It’s going to help your team, it’s going to help your defense, it’s going to help you win games.”
Javon Bullard during INT drills. pic.twitter.com/cAagURwhF0
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 30, 2026
Play of the Day at Packers Training Camp: Johnathan Baldwin
Javon Bullard is Green Bay’s starter in the slot. Jonathan Baldwin is his backup.
During the final moments of practice, veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw over the middle to Isaiah Neyor. Baldwin got in front of Neyor and made a terrific interception. Baldwin wasn’t sure if it would have been a pick-six, but it was a big-time play by a player fighting for a roster spot.
Baldwin played the nickel position during his senior season at UNLV but was locked in at safety as a rookie. That’s where he played the Week 18 game at Minnesota. The new coaching staff moved him back to the slot, and he’s shown a lot of promise dating to OTAs in May.
“I was very excited because that feels like home to me,” Baldwin said.
Here is more on the play and the player.
Johnathan Baldwin is back home and making plays at Packers training camp. ⬇️https://t.co/ylCTFF9IcT
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 31, 2026
Packers Training Camp Injury Report
A total of 12 players did not practice but one starter returned.
Returned from injury: CB Keisean Nixon (hamstring).
Nixon took most of the first-team reps in his camp debut.
“I’m straight. A little sore. I’m alright. Feel a lot better,” he said.
Keisean Nixon practiced after missing Day 1. pic.twitter.com/5wXlswusvf
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 30, 2026
Nixon wasn’t on the PUP list to start camp. “I just woke up and my sh** was tight, so I just really wanted a scan,” he explained. “So, they told me I had to chill for a day, go get a scan, so I was ready to go today for real, though.”
Old injuries: Edge Micah Parsons (knee), RB Chris Brooks (hamstring), CB Kamal Hadden (ankle), LS Matt Orzech (calf), C/G Jager Burton (hamstring), OT Brant Banks (hamstring), TE Tucker Kraft (knee), TE Luke Musgrave (neck), DT Jordon Riley (Achilles), DT Javon Hargrave (knee).
New injuries: LG Aaron Banks (knee/maintenance), WR Brenden Rice (hamstring).
First, there was the pain of the season-ending injuries Kamal Hadden had just suffered. Then, there was the pain of the opportunity that lasted exactly one snap. ⬇️https://t.co/SZL1kvMm99
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 30, 2026
Not On the Injury Report, But …
Star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper dropped out of practice during a special-teams period. He stayed on the field, which is a good sign, but Zaire Franklin worked with Ty’Ron Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie.
Packers Lineup Notes
– With left guard Aaron Banks getting the day off and right tackle Zach Tom being eased into things after offseason knee surgery, the No. 1 line once again was Jordan Morgan at left tackle, Jacob Monk at left guard, Sean Rhyan at center, Anthony Belton at right guard and Darian Kinnard at right tackle. At one point, Donovan Jennings took some snaps at left guard, too.
– The first snap of the day on offense was a run by Josh Jacobs. The other players were quarterback Jordan Love, tight ends Josh Whyle and Drake Dabney, and receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
– The first snap on defense was the base defense of Karl Brooks, Chris McClellan and Warren Brinson on the defensive line, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell on the edges, Zaire Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper as the linebackers, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine as the corners and Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams as the safeties.
– Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon used all sorts of combinations. At one point, the No. 1 line consisted of McClellan, Nazir Stackhouse and Jonathan Ford.
– A pass-rush package had three edge rushers: Van Ness, Brenton Cox and Dani Dennis-Sutton.
– The No. 2 offensive line mostly was Dalton Cooper at left tackle, Donovan Jennings at left guard, John Williams at center, Karsen Barnhart at right guard and Travis Glover at right tackle. At one point, Jennings and Williams switched positions.
In 2024, the oncologist told Marlon Jones he’d never play football again.
On Wednesday, he was celebrating a pick-six at Packers training camp. ⬇️https://t.co/NOnwVbNeub
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 30, 2026
Packers Practice Highlights
– The field-goal competition remains on hold without a healthy long snapper. Trey Smack made three consecutive 25-yard field-goal attempts with center Sean Rhyan serving as the snapper and no rush team. Rhyan doesn’t have Matthew Orzech’s velocity, though, so there’s probably some reluctance to mess with the timing.
Rhyan’s never done it in a game at any level, he said. He started working on it last year, though, and continued this offseason because he’s the backup.
“I was told I was the backup, so I might as well be able to do it,” he said. He’s done well, all things considered. It’s not as if holder Daniel Whelan has been scrambling to get the ball.
“The No. 1 rule is just get it back there,” Rhyan said.
– Keisean Nixon made his training camp debut. Jordan Love went after him on his first pass, a completion to the sideline to Matthew Golden. Love hit Golden against Nixon a couple other times, too.
– On the next play, Love was under pressure and checked it down to Jayden Reed. Reed ran upfield for YAC. His blocker? Love – who went through the motions.
– The run game was a mess to start. A toss to MarShawn Lloyd didn’t have a prayer because Barryn Sorrell beat tight end Luke Lachey. On the next play, with the No. 2s on the field, Jonathan Ford engulfed Lloyd.
– On the next play, Tyrod Taylor had to check it down to running back Pierre Strong because Dani Dennis-Sutton had an excellent rush against left tackle Dalton Cooper.
– Finally, the run game got going with back-to-back runs to the left by Strong and Damien Martinez. Strong showed excellent vision with a cutback. Later, Strong had an explosive cutback run again but fumbled.
– A screen to Reed picked up a nice chunk of yards due to the downfield blocking by Josh Whyle and Savion Williams.
– Moments later, an end-around to Williams was stuffed by Lukas Van Ness.
– Kyle McCord showed nice touch with a downfield connection to rookie receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, who found a hole in the zone. Later, during a third-down period, Sturdivant had a bad drop.
– On an incomplete pass by Love, Van Ness had a strong rush against left tackle Jordan Morgan.
– On the next play, it was Love to Christian Watson on an out against Nixon. Moments later, Love beat Brandon Cisse with a back-shoulder pass to Golden. Cisse saw it coming but couldn’t quite make the play.
– Golden’s productive day continued when Love escaped the pocket to the right and hit Golden for a big gain downfield.
“With the confidence I got in my hands, if the ball is anywhere close to me, I feel like I can make that catch,” Golden said. “With Jordan, obviously, with the leverage I had, I had to do a little bit more at the top, but Jordan put the ball exactly where it needed to be and all I had to do was make the catch. I got a lot of confidence in my hands, and I feel like whenever the ball is anywhere close to me, I’ll be able to grab it.”
– Rookie quarterback Kyron Drones made a couple impressive plays on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was fortunate to have not thrown back-to-back interceptions when pressured. First, safety Murwin Kenion had a chance on a wounded duck. Next, he threw one up for grabs that was almost grabbed by safety Kitan Oladapo.
– During a third-down sequence, the No. 1 offense was 3-of-5. Love converted with completions to Skyy Moore and Christian Watson and used his hard count to get Warren Brinson offsides.
Who Won? Offense or Defense?
Jonathan Gannon’s defense hasn’t given up many big plays but has made some. On Thursday, there were two forced fumbles (one by Bullard, one by an unidentified defender) and one interception (by Baldwin).
“A lot of times [last year], we were just trying to make the play or get the guy down,” Bullard said. “I think now it’s being driven into our brains. You got to get the ball. The ball, the ball, the ball. That’s all we thinking about.”
Turnovers win games. And they win practices.
Watson. pic.twitter.com/YUDDlhsqbq
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 30, 2026
Packers Training Camp Schedule
The Packers will practice again on Friday, with the official start time being 10:30 a.m. The players don’t run out of the Hutson Center until about 10:45 a.m.
After a mandatory day off on Saturday, the level of intensity will be cranked up when the team returns to the practice field on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. All three are set for 10:30 a.m.
The Last Words
Linebacker Zaire Franklin said the Packers could have the best defense in the NFL. What does Xavier McKinney think?
“I’m behind him on that. I stand with him on that. I think we’ve been a really good defense for the last couple years, and I think sometimes we really don’t get that – I don’t think we get the credit we deserve.
“But it’s all good. We know we got to go out there and prove it all the time. I think this defense that we have with the personnel that we have and also the scheme and the coaches obviously putting all three of those things together, I think it’s going to come together really well and we will be one of the best defenses in the league, for sure.”
But can the defense be as good without Micah Parsons? Here’s what Keisean Nixon said:
“Just like I always say in the NFL, everybody’s got to step up. If the top guy goes down, somebody’s got to play. It was like that when Jaire (Alexander) got hurt and I had to come up and play. So, if you learn how to step up to the plate, somebody will play. It’s a lot of people. People got to step up.
“I think (Lukas) Van Ness is going to take a big leap this year. (Barryn) Sorrell’s been playing really good. I think everybody’s ready to play. We lost Quay (Walker) in free agency, but Z’s been a great addition. He’s played a lot of football, got All Pros and accolades, too. I think we’re ready to play as a defense. The offense is going to be the offense; it’s really out of our control. But you’ve got to get ready to play football Week 1 against Minnesota. We’ll be in Minnesota. It’s going to get crackin’, for sure.”
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