LaFleur ready to take reins

Wants to walk before he runs

He ambled onto the auditorium stage and stepped before the podium on the eve of his first training camp practice as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Matt LaFleur, still in a walking boot after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon two months ago during a pickup basketball game, is ready to at least run the show.

The day before camp was chock full of big news, from the morning announcement the team had released veteran defensive tackle Mike Daniels, to the annual shareholder's meeting that took place inside the stadium right after LaFleur finished his pre-camp news conference.

LaFleur discussed his healing left leg, the release of Daniels and perhaps the most talked about topic of the off-season and the six weeks to come, his relationship with Aaron Rodgers.

 (Audio: Matt LaFleur)

That process will pick up in earnest on Thursday when the team takes the field for the first time.

LaFleur is a first year Head Coach but he's no stranger to being a part of an NFL team's transition.  This is the third year out of the last four he's been on a staff with a rookie Head Coach in the league.

He says he's learned to try and "control the control-ables" because things will come up nearly every day, be it an injury or bad weather that will chase his team from Clarke Hinkle Field to inside the Don Hutson Center.

LaFleur doesn't plan on doing any live tackling during camp. There will be plenty of "thud"periods but protection of players from going to the ground is a higher priority.

Rookie safety Darnell Savage, the team's second of two first round picks, may be able to take part on opening day even though he was placed on the non-football injury list after having his wisdom teeth extracted last week.    LaFleur is not sure is any player will be withheld on day one until after physicals and testing are completed Wednesday afternoon.

It's go time for LaFleur's team.