The rookies are in town. Each team keeps their own schedule about rookie camp and minicamp, but if you can't remember the rookies coming into town without the veterans, it's probably because the Packers haven't done this before.
"If you just took this group and threw them in with the veterans, I mean, they're clearly at a disadvantage," McCarthy said. "Not a lot of veteran players help the young guys. You'd like to think they all do, but that's who their competing with."
This is a really good idea. It gets the rookies immediate exposure to the team and the system. They know what is expected of them almost right after the draft and it should help them get into the best frame of mind. Now when they all show up at minicamp they've already run through the drills at least once and the team's message is reinforced. Nothing helps memory as much as consistent reinforcement over a short period of time.
Maybe it is for the best that the veterans aren't in town because hazing can be dangerous.