A few years ago, the NFL shifted to a 17-game regular season schedule. With this change came a reduction in the preseason from four games to three. NFL teams have always looked for creative ways to get more meaningful reps to inform their final roster cuts at the end of the preseason, but the loss of one game ratcheted those efforts up considerably.
One way that several NFL teams have elected to get additional competitive drills is by participating in joint practices. This, well, practice is one that the Green Bay Packers in particular have embraced under head coach Matt LaFleur, who has scheduled at least one week of joint practice in every season but one since he was hired on.