GREEN BAY, Wis. - The brief scuffle at Packers practice turned heads in the crowd. The dropped ball by a receiver during an offence vs. defence security drill drew roars from defenders. The team has grinded through off-season workouts with a work ethic that coach Mike McCarthy says is one of the best hes seen during his nine years as head coach in Green Bay. The energy is up. "Im not saying the other groups werent mature," McCarthy said. "It just seems like this group is further ahead than weve been, and you can sense the energy." Caveat: Its June, still more than six weeks from the start of training camp and three months from the start of the 2014 season. Almost every team feels good this time of year. The Packers, of course, have a championship pedigree. Confidence that comes with winning three straight NFC North titles, and just a few seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl. "The work ethic is very high. This group is really extremely competitive, in tune. Our new training environment has been unbelievable. It has put us so far ahead of where weve ever been, so I think with that brings more confidence so theres just a sense of maturity," McCarthy said. Changes on the coaching staff brought some new perspective. Quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo left to become the offensive co-ordinator of the New York Giants, while outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene left to spend more time with family. Sam Gash is the new running backs coach after Alex Van Pelt slid over to replace McAdoo. Winston Moss is the assistant in charge of all linebackers now, not just inside linebackers. Former Illinois and Florida head coach Ron Zook is now an assistant special teams coach. Green Bay hopes the defence will be improved this year with the addition of Julius Peppers and the anticipated healthy return of linebacker Clay Matthews from an injured thumb. Eddie Lacy has a full year of seasoning now as the lead rusher in a talented backfield that complements Rodgers. The 2011 NFL MVP, for one, likes the spunk hes seen on the practice field. "I love it. I love the energy, I love the passion. There will be those altercations in training camp. When guys remember this is a professional environment, not a personal environment, then you wont have any issues in the locker room," Rodgers said. "But every now and then you have to stir it up a little bit, you have to make some changes." Rodgers said he also likes the changes he has seen with new personnel and new coaches. "Its a natural progression. And when you have some new players theres always going to be stuff like that, guys getting used to this tempo," Rodgers said. "Sometimes guys dont like getting tossed down a little bit, and you need to work it out." Fringe players anxiously looking for a roster spot shouldnt get too overly worked up. Jobs arent won in June, McCarthy said, when practices are tailored to highlight agility and playing in space. But McCarthy likes some of the intangibles that he has seen so far. "I think youre seeing more player interaction as far as what goes on on the field. Guys self-correcting, and a lot more pro-active as far as sharing information," he said. "Those are good things. I see more of it this year." Note: The Packers signed rookie free agent Shaun Lewis on Tuesday. Lewis, a 5-foot-11 linebacker from Oklahoma State, tried out at Packers rookie minicamp in May. He had 73 tackles and three interceptions last season for the Cowboys. __ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP Wholesale Air Max . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. Air Max From China . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. https://www.airmaxchina.us/. LOUIS - The St. Air Max Outlet . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. Cheap Air Max For Sale . The visitors missed a host of good chances to win the game, and were left to rue substitute Ivo Ilicevics strike against the crossbar in the 86th minute, when he only had the goalkeeper to beat.Rangers will again be without Martyn Waghorn for the match against Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Tuesday. Waghorn had been hoping to make his return for the match against the struggling Championship side but is now likely to feature in the final league game of the season against St Mirren next weekend. Rangers manager Mark Warburton insists he isnt worried about having time off between the Scottish Championship season ending on May 1, and the cup final The former Wigan and Sunderland striker has been out of action since suffering a knee injury at Kilmarnock in February and will require some game time if he is to play in the Scottish Cup final against Hibernian on May 21. And there is no place in the team for midfielder Harry Forrester who continues to recover from a broken leg and is unlikely to feature again this season for Mark Warburtons side. Rangers head to the Tony Macaroni Arena on back of receiving Scottish Championshhip trophy Speaking ahead of the match, which was rescheduled following Rangers involvement in the Scottish Cup, Warburton revealed his side will play a friendly against English opposition before the Hampden showpiece against Hibs.ddddddddddddThe champions league season ends with the game in Paisley - while Alan Stubbs Hibees will be involved in the end-of-season play-offs - and Warburton is keen to strike a work-rest balance between the matches. Warburton believes Rangers are moving in the right direction following their promotion back to the Scottish Premiership - but insists theres still plenty of work to do Were going to have a game in the middle of that period, said the former City trader. We play St Mirren on the first, we have a game on the 11th down south then we come back into normal training.Were happy with that. The players will have four days off which we think is the right amount. Any more than that and its too easy to step into holiday mode.Subconsciously, five, six, seven days off is too long but four days off gives them a chance to rest with their families, recharge, then come back into a training routine. ' ' '