The Green Bay Packers haven’t been gathering for the kinds of major player-run minicamps that some teams have had, and at least one Packer, A.J. Hawk, has publicly disparaged such workouts.
But Packers coach Mike McCarthy thinks those workouts are worthwhile.
“I think there’s value any time a group of players get together,” McCarthy told the Green Bay Press Gazette. “The ability to work out, the group dynamics involved in these types of sessions are healthy. That’s more about team building and helping the younger guys and developing as a group. How much of it and which positions and so forth, it really varies from team to team, but I think there’s definitely value when people do get together.”
McCarthy didn’t come out and say he wants his players doing that -- and he’d be breaking the rules of the lockout if he encouraged his players to conduct their own workouts -- but he did say he expects his players to stay in shape.
“I’m not aware of [any player-run workouts] because I can’t communicate with our guys, but I’m sure they’re working out hard,” McCarthy said. “I trust and believe that they will be prepared when they do come back, but as far as I know, they’ll do what they need to do.”
McCarthy was speaking at his charity golf tournament, which no active players attended. But he will get to see his players in 10 days, when the Packers get their Super Bowl rings.