Of the 59 players participating in the two rookie orientation practices inside the Don Hutson Center on Friday and Saturday, six of them were on the Packers’ practice squad last year.
What these first-year players have in common is the absence of a credited season toward an NFL pension, making them eligible to practice during rookie orientation despite not technically being rookies anymore.
Call it a second chance to make a first impression.
“It’s a benefit for all of them,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s really a benefit for us as a coaching staff to see how much they’ve improved.