Aaron Rodgers was not expected to show up for the start of voluntary organized team activities. Instead, the Packers quarterback and his fiancée, actress Shailene Woodley, have appeared to be having great time vacationing in Hawaii based on social media posts.
But the Packers also were without their top five receivers at Tuesday’s session.
Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Devin Funchess and Equanimeous St. Brown left backup quarterback Jordan Love to work with a makeshift receiving corps, Matt Schneidman of TheAthletic.com reports.
So did they stay away in solidarity with Rodgers?
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he communicated with the five wideouts, and the notion of a coordinated effort to skip the practice sessions never came up.
“I think, as a coach, you always want as many guys that choose to show up here,” LaFleur said, via Schneidman. “I think there’s a lot of team chemistry, which is so important in winning and losing in this league and just learning how to play together, learning how to practice together, setting the standards for this football team. So certainly, yeah, you’d love to have everybody here.”
Cornerback Jaire Alexander, left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is rehabbing a torn ACL, cornerback Ka’dar Hollman and cornerback Stanford Samuels also did not attend Tuesday’s work, according to Schneidman. Tight end Josiah Deguara, cornerback Kevin King and quarterback Blake Bortles were present but were either limited or not participating.