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Jordy Nelson still not practicing; D-line thin

WR Jordy Nelson, who missed last Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, was not practicing on Wednesday in the portion of the workout open to reporters. Mike McCarthy will provide an update post-practice.

Also not practicing were the two defensive linemen who left Sunday’s game with injuries — Jerel Worthy (concussion) and Mike Neal (ankle), leaving that position a little thin.

Other players who have missed recent games also have not yet returned to practice. FB John Kuhn (hamstring), LB Nick Perry (knee) and CB Sam Shields (ankle) remain out for now.

Greg Jennings’ surgery delayed; Jordy Nelson ‘close’ to returning

Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday that the surgery WR Greg Jennings was planning on having on Tuesday in Philadelphia is being delayed due to Hurricane Sandy.

Jennings was scheduled to have surgery Tuesday on a torn abdominal muscle that has kept him out of the last four games and five of the last seven. How long Jennings will have to wait for the surgery now isn’t known. The specialist whom Jennings visited last week and who will be performing the surgery is based in Philadelphia, which is among the major eastern cities bracing for the storm’s pending landfall.

Also, WR Jordy Nelson is “close” to returning to action, McCarthy said, after missing Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Nelson tested the hamstring before the game but was then put on the inactive list. The tricky thing with Nelson is that he hasn’t experienced a hamstring injury before, so the medical staff is in “uncharted territory” with him, according to McCarthy.

McCarthy did not comment on the status of other players who missed Sunday’s game due to injuries, including FB John Kuhn (hamstring), LB Nick Perry (knee) and CB Sam Shields (ankle). He said those players will be rehabbing the next couple of days with the hopes that they’ll be allowed to go through testing later this week.

Matthews vows defense will improve

LB Clay Matthews spoke to reporters after Saturday’s practice for the first time in training camp, and when asked whether the Packers’ defense would improve in 2012, he basically said the Dom Capers-coordinated unit has no choice.

“We need to be better,” he said. “Obviously when you finish 32^nd, that’s not acceptable, especially for the way in which we played the first two years under Dom’s scheme. So we need to get better, we will get better, and I think the guys we brought in here, the attitude, the learning experience from last year, I think we will be better.”

One of the guys brought in, of course, is Nick Perry, who has been with the first unit at outside linebacker opposite Matthews since the day he arrived. When he’s not in the middle of a play or drill, Perry is often seen either chatting with Matthews or position coach Kevin Greene, and Matthews complimented his willingness to learn.

Mentoring a younger player is a bit of a new role for Matthews, but he’s embracing it so far.

“We work in unison together, so obviously he needs to look to me to give him advice,” Matthews said. “We’re going to be working together on the field a lot, so I need to be a mentor towards him, whether I want to or not. But I think that’s the natural progression of not only having the same position on the field, but me, as far as my maturation, going into my fourth year, and believing that I can be a leader.”

In other news:

–LB Desmond Bishop admitted he’s a bit frustrated with his recurring calf injury. He’s dealing with it now after having missed three games last season with the same problem. He said he didn’t have a timetable for his return, but he said he’s in no way concerned about this latest problem lasting until the start of the regular season.

“Minor setback,” he said. “It’s not as bad as it was last year. That’s the positive.”

–One player quietly off to a strong start in camp is WR James Jones. He has made multiple catches by leaping high over defenders to haul the ball in, including one Saturday over CB Sam Shields. The only blemish on Jones’ first three days of camp was his fumble on Saturday, when he was stripped by CB Davon House after making a reception. Jones admitted House “got me good.”

“Aaron has been throwing the ball up pretty good, letting us go up and make some plays,” Jones said. “That’s good, because when the games come, it’s going to be a lot of jump balls, a lot of competitive balls, so to get them started in camp early will help us out down the road.”

–Undrafted rookie RB Marc Tyler has changed uniform numbers. Through the spring and the first two days of camp, he was wearing No. 27. On Saturday, he switched to No. 26, which had been S Charlie Peprah’s number. Peprah was released on the eve of camp.

Tyler wore No. 26 in college at USC. That was also the number worn by his father, Wendell Tyler, a former Pro Bowl RB for the L.A. Rams and San Francisco 49ers.

May 30 OTA practice notes

Despite a steady drizzle through the first half of practice, the Packers remained outside on Ray Nitschke Field for the entirety of Wednesday’s workout. Here are a few news & notes about what went on:

–Not practicing on Wednesday were RB Alex Green, CB Charles Woodson, S Charlie Peprah, FB John Kuhn, LB Frank Zombo, C Sampson Genus, DL Johnny Jones, G Jaymes Brooks, DE Phillip Merling, T Marshall Newhouse, DT Mike Daniels, T Derek Sherrod and TE Andrew Quarless.

–With Newhouse and Sherrod both out, Herb Taylor and rookie Andrew Datko shared snaps at left tackle with the No. 1 offensive line. On the No. 2 line, Datko played LT and Taylor was at RT, so both players got quite the workout.

–On defense, LB Clay Matthews did not take snaps in the team (11-on-11) drills, and he was replaced by LB Erik Walden on the right side. Rookie Nick Perry remained at LOLB with the first unit.

–P Tim Masthay was at his best in the pooch-punting portion of practice. Masthay dropped multiple punts perfectly inside the 5-yard line with his Aussie-style end-over-end boots.

–Like last week, the young DBs continued to make plays, as CB Davon House broke up a quick out to WR Diondre Borel and then moments later deflected a deep ball intended for WR Shaky Smithson. Later, House was outjumped by WR Curenski Gilleylen for a nice catch. Also, S Anthony Levine nearly had an INT on a sideline route for WR Tori Gurley, and CB Jarrett Bush almost had a pick-six on a quick out for WR James Jones. Bush also deflected a pass in the blitz period that was nearly picked off by CB Sam Shields.

–QB Graham Harrell did beat the blitz with a tightly threaded throw to TE Ryan Taylor down the seam, an impressive play that left S Jerron McMillian and Levine looking at one another in the defensive backfield.

–In the locker room after practice, LB A.J. Hawk spoke to reporters about his new haircut. Earlier this spring, Hawk had his long hair cut for charity, and he and his wife are partnering with Wigs for Kids in an effort called Hawk’s Locks for Kids, which will take donated hair to help make wigs for children who are cancer patients or burn victims. An event in Hawk’s home state of Ohio is planned for June.

“I think they said it takes six or eight people’s hair to make one wig for these kids, and with my ratty, terrible hair, they probably needed a bunch of extras in there,” Hawk said. “So I didn’t give them much, but I gave them what I had.”

Meet the Packers’ 2012 draft class

#53 NICK PERRY • LINEBACKER • SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Drafted: 1st Round (#28 overall)
Ht: 6-3   Wt: 265

• Story: Perry ready to take game to next level
  
• Editorial: Packers turn to USC, again, for pass rusher
  
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Perry on stage at NFL Draft
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on Perry
• Video: Def. Coord. Dom Capers on Perry
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Perry’s USC Bio

#99 JEREL WORTHY • DEFENSIVE END • MICHIGAN STATE
Drafted: 2nd Round (#51 overall)
Ht: 6-2   Wt: 308

• Story: Packers favored Worthy’s quickness
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Packers trade up for Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy
• Video: Scout Shaun Herock on Worthy
• Video: D-Line Coach Mike Trgovac on Worthy
• Video: Def. Coord. Dom Capers on the 2nd round picks
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on the 2nd round picks
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Worthy’s Michigan State bio

#29 CASEY HAYWARD • CORNERBACK • VANDERBILT
Drafted: 2nd Round (#62 overall)
Ht: 5-11  Wt: 192

• Story: The Packers defense rests with Hayward
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Packers move up again, take CB Casey Hayward
• Video: CBs Coach Joe Whitt Jr. on Hayward
• Video: Def. Coord. Dom Capers on the 2nd round picks
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on the 2nd round picks
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Hayward’s Vanderbilt bio

#76 MIKE DANIELS • DEFENSIVE TACKLE • IOWA
Drafted: 4th Round (#132 overall)
Ht: 6-0   Wt: 291

• Story: Daniels uses hustle to reach higher
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Def. Coord. Dom Capers on the 4th round picks
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on Saturday’s picks
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Daniels’ Iowa bio

#22 JERRON McMILLIAN • SAFETY • MAINE
Drafted: 4th Round (#133 overall)
Ht: 5-11   Wt: 203

• Story: Maine safety addresses need for a tackler
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Def. Coord. Dom Capers on the 4th round picks
• Video: Safeties Coach Darren Perry on McMillian
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on Saturday’s picks
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• McMillian’s Maine bio

#56 TERRELL MANNING • LINEBACKER • NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Drafted: 5th Round (#163 overall)
Ht: 6-2   Wt: 237

• Story: Manning believes he belonged at top
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: Inside LBs Coach Winston Moss on Manning
• Video: GM Ted Thompson on Saturday’s picks
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Manning’s N.C. State bio

#77 ANDREW DATKO • TACKLE • FLORIDA STATE
Drafted: 7th Round (#241 overall)
Ht: 6-6   Wt: 315

• Story: Tackle, QB give offense two for the road
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Datko’s Florida State bio

#9 B.J. COLEMAN • QUARTERBACK • TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA
Drafted: 7th Round (#243 overall)
Ht: 6-3   Wt: 231

• Story: Tackle, QB give offense two for the road
• Photo Gallery
• Conference Call Audio
• Video: McCarthy on the draft
• Coleman’s Tennessee-Chattanooga bio

Packers get their pass rusher in Perry

The Packers got their pass rusher and he’s from USC. Can Nick Perry do for the Packers’ defense what Clay Matthews did?

Perry, a blend of power and speed who lit up the scouting combine, was made the 28th pick of the draft on Thursday night. He immediately addresses the Packers’ desperate need for a pass rusher, following a season in which the Packers were last in the league in sacks per pass play.

The Packers selected Matthews out of USC in the 2009 draft and Matthews immediately became one of the pass-rush stars of the league. The hope is that Perry’s presence will help take the focus of offenses off Matthews and allow him to get back to his pass-rush form of 2010.

Perry led the Pac-12 in sacks last year with 9 1/2, and he had 21 1/2 sacks total in his three playing seasons.  An early entry in the draft, Perry redshirted as a freshman in 2008.  As a redshirt freshman in ’09, Perry led USC in sacks with eight. A native of Detroit, Perry is listed at 6-2 1/2, 271 pounds.

Packers.com will update this story shortly.