Matt LaFleur’s not happy with Packers missing Organized Team Activities
The Green Bay Packers are in the middle of voluntary Organized Team Activities for the second straight week and head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t happy about the number of players who aren’t attending.
Voluntary is supposed to be the keyword, but LaFleur sees it differently. He presumably wants to use this key opportunity to improve his team, help them build rapport and familiarize themselves with each other on and off the field, and to get better as a ball team.
Unfortunately, there are a number of key Packers missing once again.
Green Bay Packers’ head coach expressed frustration about players not attending Organized Team Activities last week and this week.
To be fair, LaFleur said there were a couple of guys who were planning on being at OTAs, but weren’t able to make it due to issues with their flights into Green Bay. However, that excuse doesn’t cover the entire list of missing players that includes Aaron Rodgers, Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Marcedes Lewis, Sammy Watkins, Jaire Alexander, Allen Lazard, Patrick Taylor, Adrian Amos, Jonathan Garvin and Randy Ramsey.
When asked about the lack of participation on Tuesday, LaFleur said, “I’m not comfortable with anybody not being here, so I’d like ’em all here. Again, it’s their choice. Next week is mandatory minicamp, so there (are) consequences obviously for not coming.”
Rodgers has been upfront with not being at OTAs, as he has a Golf event that begins on June 1st. Still, it would be nice to have him there to develop a rapport with the plethora of new receivers Green Bay is bringing in.
Speaking of new receivers, it’s odd that neither Watkins nor second-year pro Amari Rodgers are at the OTAs. Watkins has a lot to learn about the offense if he wants to make the team coming out of the preseason and Rodgers needs to step up his game after a horrid rookie year.
It’s also odd that none of the Packers’ top four outside linebackers are at the practices. Garvin and Ramsey will be critical components of the rotation this season unless Green Bay makes an addition or two at the position. Considering its only Year 2 of Joe Barry’s system, it seems important they’re all there to get as much work in as possible.
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Despite the voluntary tag on Organized Team Activities, it’s clear LaFleur and his staff view it differently. It will be interesting to see how this is handled and responded to when the players return to Green Bay next week for a mandatory mini-camp. At this point, there are no known holdouts.