The Green Bay Packers are down to one more practice before they head out for Friday’s preseason game against the Denver Broncos, and the big roster battles are still very much alive.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said yesterday that the starters are expected to get two drives against Denver, which should serve as their final preseason chance before Week 3 shifts to joint practices and a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field with backups handling the game reps.
Wednesday’s session was closed to the public and run at a half-speed jogthrough, so the real value was in the rotations. This was less about splash plays and more about who the Packers keep trusting with the first unit.
On the injury front, the physically unable to perform list stayed unchanged. Tight end Luke Musgrave (neck), edge defender Micah Parsons (knee), defensive lineman Jordon Riley (ankle) and long snapper Matt Orzech (calf) are still out.
There was some movement elsewhere, though. Receiver Bo Melton (stinger), edge defender Dani Dennis-Sutton (illness) and edge defender Nyjalik Kelly (knee) all returned to practice.
LaFleur said Dennis-Sutton overheated and was placed into a medical protocol. Melton, who left practice yesterday, appears to be back on track quickly.
The only other players who missed practice were tackle Darian Kinnard (ankle) and safety Javon Bullard (foot). The team has called both injuries short-term, and Bullard said he’d be playing in games with his bone bruise if it were a game week.
The offensive line remains the clearest camp battle on the roster, and now that Aaron Banks and Zach Bako-Bewele are both back in full, the Packers can finally sort through all of their options with everyone available at once.
The first grouping Wednesday had Jordan Morgan, Banks, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Bako-Bewele from left to right, but that wasn’t the only look. Monk also took center reps, Jager Burton worked at both left and right guard, and Anthony Belton saw time at right tackle.
The one thing that appears off the table is Belton at right guard.
Defensively, the Packers’ 3-4 front showed Jonathan Ford at nose tackle with Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks at the ends. Javon Hargrave has also been part of the mix, and he’s been getting the first look in nickel packages.
But the real spotlight is on cornerback, where the competition has widened beyond the spot opposite Keisean Nixon. Yesterday already hinted that Nixon’s own job on the left side was in the mix, and Wednesday backed that up.
Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Brandon Cisse and Benjamin St-Juste all cycled through heavily with the first unit. Before that, Valentine and Cisse were mainly battling for snaps opposite Nixon, while St-Juste was clearly behind them.
Slot defender is another open spot, with Bullard injured and the Packers still searching for the right answer behind him. Johnathan Baldwin had been the preferred backup through spring and summer before he was waived with an injury designation.
Kitan Oladapo and Jaylin Simpson didn’t make much of their chances in the slot in the preseason opener, and since then Kamal Hadden has returned from injury and taken most of the first-team work there.
Hadden also came up with an interception of third-string quarterback Kyle McCord on Wednesday, even in a practice that wasn’t full speed. If Hadden and draft pick Domani Jackson keep stacking good days, the Packers could wind up carrying six cornerbacks on the 53-man roster.
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Matt LaFleur offered the first real explanation for Dennis-Suttons missed time, saying the rookie was dealing with overheating and then an illness rather than anything tied to conditioning. The update helps narrow the focus for a player whose camp availability has become a point of concern, even if the full picture around his early August setback still leaves one important question hanging for the Packers as they work through the rest of practice. [Read more 🡒]