Packers training camp: The unsung 'MVP' who intercepted 3 passes in 1 practice

GREEN BAY, WIS.

Omar Brown is a second-year Packers safety who went undrafted in 2024 with eight career defensive snaps played.

Xavier McKinney is a reigning first-team All-Pro safety who intercepted eight passes last season, second-most in the NFL.

Yet after Family Night at Lambeau Field on Saturday night, it was McKinney playing hype man for Brown as he spoke with reporters after picking off three passes in front of almost 60,000 fans at practice.

Brown now has five interceptions in nine practices.

Advertisement MVP! MVP! MVP! Turn me up, O!, McKinney shouted.

Thats my dog, X, Brown said.

Boy had a hat trick! another teammate yelled.

Three of em! A couple other teammates chimed in supporting Brown, who originally signed with the Broncos after last years draft.

Denver released Brown after camp, and he signed with Green Bays practice squad, where he spent most of the year until being elevated twice in the seasons final three games.

He played eight defensive snaps in a 34-0 win over the Saints and 16 total special teams snaps over Weeks 16 and 18.

The Packers starting safeties appear set in stone McKinney and Evan Williams and their next two figure to be Javon Bullard (if hes not playing the nickel) and Zayne Anderson.

But Brown is stating a convincing case for 53-man roster inclusion after this years training camp and the head coach likes what he sees.

Hes done a lot.

I mean, hes making plays, Matt LaFleur said.

You want to see how guys respond and react when they get those opportunities and hes coming through, so thats really positive ...

Hes definitely a guy we had our eye on coming out in the draft process.

We had him in for a 30 visit, so certainly, there was some like there for him.

To get him ingrained in our system and to watch him develop, grow, and develop has been pretty exciting.

Again, hes making plays.

Browns first pick of the night came in a red-zone drill with the No.

2 defense.

Malik Willis took a snap from the 12-yard line and Brown stared him down from the deep middle of the field.

Willis fired into heavy traffic for wide receiver Julian Hicks in the end zone and instead hit Brown.

Omar Brown picks off Malik Willis on the goal line.

Thats the second-year safetys third INT of camp.

pic.twitter.com/Ou10y0MAy1 Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 3, 2025 His second came on a deflection by cornerback Tyron Herring, who broke up a Taylor Elgersma pass for Hicks before the ball fell into Browns hands behind the play.

His third pick was his best, as he ranged over to cover Hicks on a Willis deep ball down the left sideline after Hicks got space on safety Kitan Oladapo.

The ball hit off Browns facemask as he jumped, popped up in the air and he secured it as he fell to the ground.

Advertisement I dont think the quarterback saw me.

I kind of snuck behind him, Brown said.

We both went up for it and I just came down with it.

Brown said hes never intercepted three passes in a game, not even in high school, or even had a pick-six.

Maybe two picks in a game, he said.

He picked a good time to have three, with his mom, grandma and uncle watching from the stands as he tries to secure his first 53-man roster spot in the league.

Hes a stud, safety Zayne Anderson said of Brown.

He attacks every day like a true pro.

Hes always wanting to get better and hes always asking questions, which I think is the first thing and he does his job, which clearly, tonight, he gets those interceptions.

He deserves it, man.

He works his butt off and its cool seeing guys in the room the fruit come from their labor.

Everybody in the room is super pumped for him.

That boy can BALL.

Omar Brown had 3 interceptions tonight.

@emplifybellin pic.twitter.com/PoGC5OJ7Mx Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 3, 2025 Five things to know 1.

Brandon McManus continued his strong start to camp, going 7-for-7 on kicks during team periods at his first Family Night practice.

McManus is now 36-for-37 on such kicks through five kicking practices after hitting from 29, 33, 38, 42, 47, 50, 51 and 54 yards on Saturday.

His lone miss drifted wide right from 49 yards in a mild wind on Thursday.

I dont want to jinx anything here, LaFleur said.

Id rather not say too much about him, but hes been pretty consistent.

2.

Tight end Tucker Kraft was the lone new injury.

Hes dealing with a groin injury, but it doesnt appear to be anything significant.

LaFleur said Kraft had been practicing through it and wants to give him a couple days for the issue to subside.

Running back Emanuel Wilson left Fridays practice early after suffering a knee injury that looked bad at first, but LaFleur said Saturday, It was extremely scary, but I feel like we dodged that one.

That is some really good news.

Advertisement Also not practicing Saturday were wide receiver Christian Watson (knee), wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf), wide receiver Sam Brown Jr.

(ankle), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee), running back MarShawn Lloyd (groin), cornerback Kamal Hadden (hip), defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring), defensive end Arron Mosby (groin), left tackle Rasheed Walker (groin), offensive lineman John Williams (back) and offensive lineman Travis Glover (shoulder).

3.

Linebacker Isaiah Simmons showcased his coverage skills in 1-on-1s, with a pass breakup against tight end John FitzPatrick on an in-breaking route and a breakup near the front-left pylon against tight end Luke Musgrave.

Simmons has played defensive back before in the NFL, but the Packers are keeping him at linebacker.

Remember when DeVondre Campbell credited the Packers staff for simplifying his defensive role at linebacker (compared to what he did previously in Atlanta) after he made the All-Pro First Team in 2021? Simmons probably wont be an All-Pro since hes the Packers fourth linebacker on the depth chart behind Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie, but if anything, he offers intriguing depth on defense in addition to playing a significant role on special teams.

Jordan Love sees a lane and takes off for an 18-yard run pic.twitter.com/BvZabbClzj Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 3, 2025 4.

Green Bays defense had a handful of standout plays during Saturdays practice.

It should be noted that, because the entire night was livestreamed, the Packers kept everything pretty vanilla, like they would in a preseason game.

However, there were five interceptions, Browns three, cornerback Kalen King jumping a Willis pass on the sideline intended for Hicks and cornerback Carrington Valentine shutting down a Matthew Golden go route before making a lunging grab on Jordan Loves pass that drifted well ahead of Golden during the starters two-minute drill (unclear if Valentine simply disrupted Goldens route that much or if Love overthrew the rookie).

In the first team period, defensive tackle Kenny Clark snuck past center Elgton Jenkins to stuff running back Josh Jacobs, Cooper blew up a Golden end-around and defensive end Lukas Van Ness bull-rushed left tackle Jordan Morgan to sack Love.

Brown had another run stuff of Chris Brooks while coming off the edge in the red zone, while Brooks got caught up behind a scrum.

McKinney had the same against Jacobs, and defensive end Brenton Cox shed tight end Johnny Lumpkin for a stuff of running back Izzy Abanikanda in the red zone.

Other standout plays included cornerback Bo Meltons impressive coverage of Golden on a go ball that fell incomplete, defensive lineman Keith Randolphs would-be sack of Elgersma on Browns second interception, Coopers potential sack after lining up in the A gap and curling around the right side of the offensive line and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare beating left tackle Anthony Belton for a tackle for loss on running back Amar Johnson.

Defensive end Barryn Sorrell also cleanly went around Belton for a sack of Willis during the two-minute drill.

5.

Morgan is getting extensive work at left tackle with Walker nursing a groin injury.

General manager Brian Gutekunst indicated recently that it would take a significant effort for someone to unseat Walker on Loves blind side, but the 2024 first-round pick is getting the chance to prove himself at his college position after playing strictly right guard as a rookie.

Thats where the Packers placed him last year since they felt it would be his best chance to start, and Morgan rotated with Sean Rhyan until a shoulder injury ended his season after six games.

Morgan said this week that hes most comfortable at left tackle and has been playing there his whole life.

He might be the Packers left tackle of the future, assuming Walker walks in free agency next offseason, but is there a chance hes their left tackle of the present, too? Theres been a lot of good moments and then theres some things we have to clean up, LaFleur said.

Its like that for a lot of players, especially young players.

What did he play, six games last year? And this has been primarily inside.

To get him outside at left tackle, theres going to be some hard lessons along the way, but I love how hes attacked this thing and the work that he put in throughout the course of the offseason has been pretty evident.

You can tell by his body.

Well continue to push him to be the best he can be.

(Photo of Omar Brown: Tork Mason / Imagn Images).

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