Well day one of Packers Training Camp is in the books and what a great day it was. There was Packers news flying around all day. Some of it was pointed and accurate as an Aaron Rodgers pass and some of it random and erratic as a Jay Cutler interception, but all of it good because THE PACK IS BACK! There was so much joy that The Cheese ran a funny post about Santa Claus thinking he had missed Christmas in Green Bay.

But the day was not without its concerns and so this morning I want to talk about those and put some fears to rest (including some of my own).

1. Injuries

The most notable fear Packers fans have, other than just a general fear that we will continue to suffer an undue number of injuries is the injury status of Clay Matthews. He was seen on the field wearing a brace that immobilized the base of his thumb though it is said to have left the thumb free to bend. Clay should be fine. Training Camp is about getting reps without getting hurt and as a veteran and valuable asset to this team, the Packers aren’t gonna take any chances with Clay. His timeline will be whatever it takes to be fully healed.

Other injuries are gonna happen and already have. Linemen limping and even some guys that we may lose for the year. This is the sad reality of training camp, when we see injuries that come during a practice. But the Packers are pretty deep this year and we will be OK. It is important not to dwell on the injuries and focus on the guys we have and the competitions at hand.

2. Players that “hurt their cases” to make the team

Colt Lyerla drops a pass…dang! Training Camp is a limited time to make an impression and you never get a second chance at a first one. Yesterday’s camp had it’s studs (Nelson, Hyde) and duds (Lyerla) and it is easy to get down if a player you have been pulling for makes a bad play. But it is early yet, these guys will have chances to redeem themselves, that is part of the fun of Training Camp.

The trick is to trust the coaches, trust the system and know that whatever happens, we will be a better team than last year because somebody had what it took to win themselves a job. Not so long ago, Jordy Nelson was playing his heart out just to ensure he made the team, now he is celebrating a long-term deal with the Pack.

Well Packers fans, enjoy training camp and bask in the joy that Packers football brings. This season shows some signs of being special and we all know that special to Packers fans is different than it is for other teams. Can’t wait to get the pads on and see what these boys can do!

GO PACK!!!