5 things learned at Packers training camp – Aug. 10

GREEN BAY – The Packers took to Ray Nitschke Field one more time before their preseason opener, wearing shoulder pads on a warm and sunny Wednesday.

Here are five things we learned.

1. De’Vondre Campbell is the best pass-coverage linebacker on the Packers’ defense in quite a long while.

Campbell made as impressive a play in coverage as anyone will see from a linebacker, running stride for stride deep down the sideline with tight end Josiah Deguara and then reaching out at the last second to swat away Aaron Rodgers‘ pass, which appeared to be right on target.

On Monday, Campbell helped stall Rodgers & Co. in the two-minute drill by dropping deep into zone coverage and reaching up to deflect a pass zipping through the red zone. That was a whale of a play, too, yet Campbell reacted as though he should have intercepted it.

“‘Dre is extremely athletic. I think ‘Dre is really good at covering athletic tight ends,” said cornerback Jaire Alexander, who’s a pretty good cover guy himself, of course. “He’s big, strong, fast and physical. I mean, you can’t ask for nothing else.”

Campbell’s first-team All-Pro honor last year marked the first time a Green Bay inside linebacker received Associated Press All-Pro recognition since Nick Barnett was named second-team in 2007. The last first-teamer? Hall of Famer Ray Nitschke in 1966.

2. Speaking of Alexander, he’s very fussy about his footwear, understandably so.

The All-Pro corner wasn’t happy when he fell down on a route by Allen Lazard, leaving the receiver wide open for a deep ball from Rodgers.

“No, no, hold on, he didn’t score,” Alexander corrected the media when someone referred to the play as a long touchdown. “Smash (Adrian Amos) was right there to tackle him. So he didn’t score.

“But I tried out some new cleats today and I slipped. It’s over with for those cleats.”

Alexander said the cleats he normally wears aren’t made anymore, so the search for new footwear will continue after this short-lived trial.

“If I slip in any cleats,…