Packers close preseason camp with a final public practice before Steelers opener

Green Bay’s last open workout of training camp comes as the team looks for a smooth fit inside Jonathan Gannon’s defensive approach, with safety Xavier McKinney highlighted as a key piece.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Green Bay Packers held their final public practice before Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, wrapping up this phase of training camp with work focused on execution and adjustments for the coming game week.

A central theme from Tuesday’s session was the early read on the defense under coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The Packers’ camp coverage pointed to safety Xavier McKinney as a dynamic fit within Gannon’s scheme, an assessment that matters because the defense’s identity often shows up first in how its veteran playmakers handle positioning and reads.

McKinney’s presence in the back end is particularly important in a preseason setting, where teams use extended looks to evaluate communication, coverage responsibilities, and the speed of decision-making when disguises and rotations are at their most common. For the Packers, a smooth transition into the coordinator’s system would reduce the amount of hesitation that can show up during the first live-game snaps.

The timing of the Packers’ public-practice finale also underscores what the preseason opener is expected to accomplish beyond the scoreboard. While exhibition games are not built for long-term record-keeping, the first opponent of the preseason typically functions as a checkpoint for how units respond under game-speed conditions, especially on defense where coverage calls and post-snap responsibilities must align quickly.

For Green Bay, the Steelers represent a test that will stress the Packers’ early defensive sequencing, from pre-snap alignment to the adjustment process after the snap. With Thursday night approaching, the Packers will look to see whether the work from camp carries over into real play, particularly in how the secondary coordinates its responsibilities.

What to watch next is how the Packers translate McKinney’s described fit into sustained defensive organization over multiple series, and whether Gannon’s approach shows up consistently in the way the group moves and communicates when the offense varies tempo and formations.

Why It Matters

The preseason opener provides an early, practical read on how well the defense is processing Gannon’s system under live conditions.
A successful integration of McKinney’s role can stabilize the back end and improve in-game communication for the Packers.
If the defense shows clear alignment and quick post-snap responses early, it can reduce late-game errors and create more consistent evaluation across the roster.
For Green Bay, the first exhibition game is a checkpoint for whether camp themes match what fans will see once the Steelers begin testing coverages and timing.

Sources

Key Facts

The Packers held their final public practice before Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Green Bay’s camp coverage highlighted safety Xavier McKinney as a dynamic fit in defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
The practice took place on Tuesday, Aug. 11, as the team moved toward its first preseason game action.
The immediate focus leading into the opener is how the defense translates camp work into game-speed execution.
Jonathan Gannon’s scheme fit, particularly in the secondary, was a notable point in the Packers’ training-camp recap.