The Green Bay Packers are heading into Week 1 with a lot of eyes on the new faces and new roles that could shape the opening stretch of the 2026 season. Between health, opportunity, and a schedule that seems to line up well for the club, there’s a real sense that Green Bay could come out firing right away.
Against the Minnesota Vikings, four names stand out above the rest.
Matthew Golden is at the top of the list. After a rookie season that produced 361 receiving yards and no touchdowns, he spent most of last year in a secondary role.
That changes now. Golden is expected to be the second option at receiver behind Christian Watson, and Green Bay needs him to become a steadier part of the offense.
Minnesota’s secondary is viewed as a major question mark, which gives Golden a chance to settle into the job quickly. If he comes out flat despite the bigger opportunity in front of him, the questions will start immediately.
The Packers need a Week 1 burst to signal that a breakout season is on the way.
Brandon Cisse is another player worth tracking closely. The rookie corner was one of the summer’s biggest standouts, and he has a chance to help stabilize a reworked secondary.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon clearly trusts him, and that trust will be tested right away. The Vikings aren’t considered the most dangerous receiver group Green Bay will face this season, so this is a useful first look at how much Cisse can handle.
The key question is how long he stays on the field and whether any early mistakes push Gannon toward other options. Based on what he showed over the summer, the expectation is that he’ll be fine.
Then there’s Lukas Van Ness, who suddenly carries a much bigger load on the edge. With Micah Parsons out for at least the first month, Van Ness becomes a central figure in the Packers’ pass rush.
There’s been growing belief that the fourth-year defender is ready for a breakout, and now he has to show it while helping hold things together until Parsons returns. A shaky opening would only ramp up the pressure and spark more noise about what the front office should do.
Van Ness needs a strong start to steady the unit and quiet the concerns.
MarShawn Lloyd also enters Week 1 with a spotlight on him. Josh Jacobs has been placed on the commisoner's exempt list to start the season, and his future with the team remains unclear.
That puts Lloyd in position to be Green Bay’s first answer in the run game and part of the effort to keep the offense balanced. His issue hasn’t been health so much as staying on the field long enough to win real chances.
Now he’s being asked to step into a meaningful role for a team expected to be one of the league’s better offenses. Lloyd doesn’t need to do everything, but he does need to do enough to keep the attack moving and let Jordan Love do his part for what should be an exciting unit.
In Other News...
Packers Needed Backfield Help Fast And Kaleb Johnson Suddenly Matters
The Packers moved quickly to reshape their backfield after placing Josh Jacobs on the commissioners exempt list following misdemeanor charges, and the timing made Kaleb Johnson a lot more relevant in Green Bay than he was just a day earlier. The trade brings in a running back originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, a player whose rookie season was limited but who still drew enough interest to be viewed as a worthwhile add.
For Brian Gutekunst, the appeal appears to be as much about upside as immediate relief. Johnson has already had to adjust to the NFL level, and analysts have pointed to the kind of growth that can come when a young player gets a reset in a new setting. For a Packers team suddenly looking for more stability and depth behind its top options, his arrival at least gives them another name to sort through while the bigger situation around Jacobs plays out. [Read more 🡒]
Matt LaFleurs Josh Jacobs Response Is Putting Packers Under Fire
Josh Jacobs remains on the Packers roster while on the Commissioners Exempt List after pleading no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges, leaving Green Bay in the uncomfortable spot of having to navigate the situation while the leagues review plays out. Matt LaFleur tried to keep his comments limited, calling the matter unfortunate and saying his opinion of Jacobs has not changed, while making clear he would wait for the NFL to finish its investigation before saying more.
LaFleurs restrained response, however, has not gone over smoothly, with public criticism building around the way the Packers are handling a matter that extends well beyond football. For a team trying to keep its focus on the field, the uncertainty around Jacobs has now become part of the larger conversation, and the silence from the sideline is only making the scrutiny louder. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Have Another Reason To Laugh At Minnesota's QB Mess
The quarterback picture in Minnesota has gone from shaky to awkward, and Packers fans have every reason to notice. J.J. McCarthy has been pushed into the emergency quarterback role behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz, a reminder that the Vikings are still trying to settle the most important spot on the field after moving on from Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold.
For Green Bay, it only sharpens the contrast inside the NFC North. While the Packers continue to project stability at quarterback, Minnesota is left juggling names and depth-chart labels in a spot where clarity matters most. The division race can change quickly, but this is one more storyline that leaves the Vikings looking like they are already playing catch-up. [Read more 🡒]