The Packers’ final preseason game turned into a last-call audition for the receivers fighting near the bottom of the roster, and a few of them answered in style.
J. Michael Sturdivant may have made the loudest push of all.
He produced six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown, with the score coming on a well-crafted play that got him loose down the left sideline for six. For the preseason overall, Sturdivant finished with nine receptions for 142 yards and that touchdown.
He also did his part on special teams, logging 19 snaps across the three exhibition games, including six and three snaps, respectively, on the Packers’ punt and kickoff coverage units. For an undrafted player trying to force his way onto the 53-man roster, that’s about as complete a case as you can draw up.
Isaiah Neyor was right behind him in the pecking order of contenders, even if his production came in a steadier stream than a fireworks burst. Neyor totaled ten catches over the three preseason games and ended up with exactly 100 yards.
He didn’t score, but preseason scoring can be a noisy stat anyway, with opportunities shifting from game to game and quarterback play often uneven. He also saw a bit more special teams work than Sturdivant, finishing with 21 snaps, though 10 of those came on kickoff return rather than the more valuable coverage side.
Will Sheppard made his own argument, and he did it with the kind of splash play that gets remembered in a crowded competition. He caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals, then topped that by ripping off an 81-yard punt return for his second touchdown of the night.
If the battle comes down to who can swing a game with one moment, Sheppard had the biggest one of the bunch. He wrapped up the preseason with 10 catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
Kisean Johnson also finished with a flourish. Signed by the Packers on August 9, Johnson had been working with limited chances and slower momentum than the others in this group, but Friday night gave him a much-needed jolt.
He caught four passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner at the end of Green Bay’s two-minute drive to close things out. Those were his only catches of the preseason, but they made for a memorable final line.
The catch, of course, is that all of this production may be fighting for one opening. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden are locked in, and Savion Williams appears safe too despite injuries and generally unimpressive play.
Bo Melton and Skyy Moore also look like strong candidates because of what they can bring on special teams. That leaves the rest of the bubble receivers chasing a possible seventh spot, which the Packers would have to keep on the initial 53-man roster.
It’s not impossible, but it does underline how brutal this part of roster building can be: even a strong preseason showing doesn’t guarantee a job.
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