GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Staring intensely from the sideline, Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson hunched over at the hip with his hands on his knees while clutching a play sheet.
He has looked a lot like a coach during the offseason while he mends from hip surgery.
This week, Nelson is back doing what he does best -- catching passes during field work.
It was the first time for Nelson since undergoing what the team and Pro Bowl receiver have characterized as a relatively minor procedure.
"We're right where we want to be," Nelson said Wednesday. "We set a plan at the beginning and we're hitting every target."
The ultimate goal is to be 100 percent when training camp starts in late July.
"I think Jordy's going to be fine once we get to training camp," coach Mike McCarthy said.
Still, it's noticeable whenever the hard-working Nelson, one of the league's top wideouts, isn't on the field. He led the Packers last season with 98 catches for 1,519 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.
But Nelson isn't one to divulge much about injuries.
Asked if a practice closed to the media on Tuesday was his first time on the field, Nelson replied, "I believe so. That was the first practice of the week, right?
"Yeah, this week was the first time I've done some of that, so we've been progressing on our own inside and then just slowly integrating it out there in practice," he said.
A question about any soreness elicited a simple two-word response.
"Feel great," he answered.
It doesn't seem like there is anything to worry about.
There was Nelson lining up next to the Packers' other top receiving threat, Randall Cobb, and sprinting into routes on pass-catching drills.
It was back to the "Coach Nelson" look when Green Bay started practicing two-minute drives. The play sheet never left Nelson's hands.
"I told the coaches the other day that I'm living the best life," Nelson joked. "I get to work out early, don't have to sit through all their meetings and then go down and coach and don't have to practice. It's a good life right now."
In reality, Nelson is a role model on the team for his professionalism, friendly personality and never-take-a-play-off work habits. The eighth-year receiver has been mentoring younger receivers during workouts.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Nelson are "always thinking the same thing," second-year receiver Jeff Janis said, "so Jordy will kind of tell us what Aaron is thinking so we know what to expect."
Nelson's limited schedule does give younger receivers like Janis more opportunities to get snaps with Rodgers and the first team. The receiving corps is deep but young after Nelson and Cobb.
Davante Adams seems primed to play a bigger role on the offense going into his second season. McCarthy also likes what he has seen so far from Janis and Jared Abbrederis, a University of Wisconsin product who missed his rookie year last season with a knee injury.
Rookie Ty Montgomery, who was drafted out of Stanford in the third round, also seems like he'll be in the mix, especially given his potential as a return man.
"Ever since I've been here, we've been at our best when we've been able to go four or five deep," Nelson said. "Hopefully through training camp guys will be battling, making plays and hopefully putting the guys upstairs in a tough situation on who to keep and how many to keep."
But it's Nelson, along with Cobb, who sets the tone in the receivers room.
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