The Packers closed out the preseason with a wild one, edging the Cardinals 42-38 in a finish that somehow fit August football perfectly: a late push, a timeout chess match and one last Hail Mary that never had a chance.
Mike LaFleur even burned two timeouts in the final five seconds, trying to manufacture the right look after KiSean Johnson’s second fourth-quarter touchdown for Green Bay. Arizona answered with its own Hail Mary attempt, but the pass came up short and was knocked down by a crowd in green and gold as the clock hit zero.
For a game with that kind of finish, Green Bay still left a huge chunk of its roster on the sideline. The Packers held out 37 players, including 32 from the 46 players listed earlier this week as roster locks. The other five were four players on the physically unable to perform list and tight end Thomas Yassmin, the team’s international exemption player who is currently dealing with an injury.
Even among the players listed as active, several were really there in name only. Backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor did not take a snap, which left Kyle McCord, Green Bay’s QB3, to run the offense.
McCord made the most of the stage. He finished 22 of 35 for 226 yards and four touchdowns against Arizona, putting together a preseason that now sits at 70 passes, 37 completions, 446 yards, 6.3 yards per attempt and four touchdowns. Taylor’s preseason line ended at 8 of 16 for 38 yards and 2.4 yards per attempt, though the fact that he was protected from contact on Friday night suggests he remains the likely backup for Green Bay unless the team brings in someone from outside.
The most notable personnel wrinkle came up front, where the second-team offensive line was able to go the distance. John Williams, Donovan Jennings, Jager Burton, Travis Glover and Anthony Belton lined up from left to right, with Glover later kicking out to replace Belton and Darian Kinnard sliding in at right guard. Kinnard, who was the team’s sixth offensive lineman in the second half of the Packers’ 2026 season, has taken what might be the biggest tumble down the depth chart among returning Green Bay players.
There was also a clear defensive bright spot in Dani Dennis-Sutton. The mid-round pick, who had been inactive for the first two preseason games, made his NFL debut and responded with a sack, several pressures and a couple near-sacks. He looked the part against a group of practice squad-level competition, which is exactly the box Green Bay wanted him to check.
McCord had plenty of help through the air. J.
Michael Sturdivant led the Packers with six catches for 112 yards and continues to look like the most likely undrafted free agent to land on the initial 53-man roster Sunday as a seventh receiver and special teams piece. KiSean Johnson, though, finished with the extra touchdown.
Isaiah Neyor, who is pushing Sturdivant for a spot, missed a wide-open deep ball from McCord. Will Sheppard, who has been ninth in the receiver pecking order this preseason, added an 81-yard punt return touchdown.
Rookie kicker Trey Smack kept his perfect summer rolling, knocking through two more field goals and four extra points against Arizona.
The defense, though, had a rough night. Green Bay’s reserves gave up 326 passing yards, including sack yardage, and 166 on the ground.
In a game that turned into a track meet, the Packers still could have been cleaner on that side of the ball. Rookie cornerback Domani Jackson, who had an acceptable debut last week after missing the preseason opener, struggled opposite Jaylin Simpson, who has also had a tough preseason as both an outside corner and a slot defender.
That may leave Green Bay with some decisions to make, including whether it should simply keep four true cornerbacks, especially if Kamal Hadden is now being viewed as a safety while working in the nickel and “third-safety” packages.
All told, the Packers finished the preseason 2-1 with more good than bad on tape. If there’s a preseason MVP in Green Bay, McCord has the strongest case.
He should be in line for a practice squad opportunity this season if he clears waivers on Monday. Earlier in camp, he battled undrafted rookie Kyron Drones for the third-team quarterback snaps, but Drones took three sacks in four dropbacks in the preseason opener and was quickly waived, clearing the path for McCord to take over as the QB3.
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