GREEN BAY, Wis. – Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins always will be linked and compared because they play the same position and were drafted by the Green Bay Packers in consecutive rounds in the same year.
Now, perhaps the true competition can begin.
Randall returned to practice Monday and said he has been fully cleared after missing last Thursday's preseason opener at New England because of a nagging groin injury.
Yet with cornerback Casey Hayward (quad) added to the injury list, it was Rollins, not Randall, who replaced him as the starting left cornerback. It's another sign that Randall, despite being the first-round pick, will have to catch up to Rollins.
The first step for Randall is to get through a week of practice without a setback. The second is to make his preseason debut on Sunday at Pittsburgh.
"They say the game's a lot different from practice," Randall said. "So as many reps as I can get in the preseason to help the team and to help me move forward as quickly as possible."
Here are some other notes from Monday's practice:
Practicing in the rain: The final period of practice, the two-minute drill, was conducted in a downpour that chased most fans out of the bleachers. The players didn't seem to mind. "I think it actually has some benefits to it, especially for [center] Corey [Linsley] and [quarterback] Aaron [Rodgers] handling the ball in the rain and the elements, receivers catching the ball -- especially in a fast-tempo 2-minute situation, because they don't have time to get their gloves dry or anything like that," right tackle Bryan Bulaga said. "I think it's beneficial."
Crosby's kicks: The rain started just as Mason Crosby was wrapping up another perfect field goal period. He made all six of his kicks, ranging from 33 yards to 51 yards. Including the 25-yarder he made Thursday against the Patriots, he has made his last 28 kicks in practice and games. His only four misses this summer came early in camp.
Barclay for Bakhtiari: For the second straight practice, Don Barclay replaced David Bakhtiari (knee) at left tackle with the No. 1 offensive line. Bulaga remained at right tackle, but coach Mike McCarthy said earlier on Monday that Bulaga also would be an option to move to left tackle if necessary.
Roster move: Receiver Adrian Coxson, who sustained a concussion in practice on Aug. 1 and never returned to practice, was released. It left the Packers three players under the 90-man training camp roster limit.
Injury list: In addition to Bakhtiari and Hayward, 10 other players did not practice. They were: CB Demetri Goodson (calf), CB Tay Glover-Wright (hamstring), DB Kyle Sebetic (ankle), OLB Nick Perry (groin), DT Mike Daniels (ankle), DT Letroy Guion (hamstring), DT Bruce Gaston (illness), TE Justin Perillo (concussion), WR Jared Abbrederis (concussion) and WR Javess Blue (shoulder). Rookie RB John Crockett, who missed the first two weeks of training camp because of an ankle injury, left practice briefly to get his left ankle re-taped but returned and said afterward that he did not experience a setback.
