Packers notes: Kevin King downplays new shoulder injury

Ryan Wood
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Green Bay Packers cornerback Kevin King (20) during Green Bay Packers Training Camp Friday, July 27, 2018 at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis

GREEN BAY – Kevin King would not say Friday how he suffered the right shoulder injury that has kept him out of practice this week and the Green Bay Packers' preseason opener, but the second-year cornerback said he isn’t concerned long-term.

Chronic dislocations to King’s left shoulder derailed his rookie season, eventually requiring surgery and placing him on injured reserve. It was during training camp last year when King’s shoulder began giving him problems.

King, without giving details, said his right shoulder injury is different than what he dealt with last year.

“Just a little soreness,” King said.

King said he expects to be available at some point this preseason.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he said.

Safety Josh Jones also got positive news from the Packers' medical team after leaving Thursday night’s game to be evaluated for a concussion. Jones was not in the concussion protocol Friday, meaning he passed the evaluation.

Coach's decision

Jason Spriggs had received almost all the first-team reps at right tackle since camp began two weeks earlier, but when the Packers opened their preseason Thursday night he started out on the sideline.

Instead of Spriggs, veteran Byron Bell started at right tackle against the Tennessee Titans. Bell signed as a free agent in the late spring as something of an emergency solution, giving the Packers depth at tackle. Through camp’s first 10 practice, Bell served as Spriggs’ backup.

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Coach Mike McCarthy said it was “a coach’s decision” for Bell to start over Spriggs, one he made as late as Thursday morning.

“There’s a lot of things,” McCarthy said. “A lot of conversations that go on, a lot of things that happen, whether it’s in the classroom environment, practice environment, that ultimately affects what we do on game day.”

'Worst practice'

McCarthy was pleased with how his young players produced in their first preseason exhibition, but they had good reason to be especially motivated.

Two days earlier, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had ripped into his young receivers for their low effort in a scout-team drill. Apparently, the disappointment wasn’t contained to one position. McCarthy said his team practiced better during Wednesday’s walkthrough, but he hadn’t forgotten Tuesday.

“The last time we were on the practice field,” McCarthy said, “it wasn’t very good. Our practice on Tuesday was our worst practice of the year, and we’ll build off of that. I thought the guys responded from Tuesday’s practice to Wednesday’s and went out there and did some good things (against the Titans).”