The Packers’ Week 6 inactive list against the Cowboys came with a predictable shakeup up front, but it also clarified a few things about how Green Bay wants to line up on Sunday.
Along with cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who was already ruled out with an injury, the Packers also ruled out three offensive linemen: Jager Burton, Aaron Banks and Donovan Jennings. That was the expectation, since the team had to trim three more players beyond St-Juste and the offensive line was the likeliest place to make those cuts.
Banks was listed as questionable, while Burton and Jennings were healthy scratches. That leaves Jacob Monk and John Williams active for the game, along with whoever between Travis Glover or Kevin Zeitler is not starting at right guard.
Jennings’ move is the notable one. He started games earlier this season, but on Sunday he’s out as a healthy scratch. Earlier in the year, Glover and Williams were the ones sitting as healthy scratches while Jennings worked with the first-team offense, so the coaching staff has clearly moved away from that opening plan.
The other question marks broke Green Bay’s way. Receiver Savion Williams, defensive lineman Anthony Campbell and cornerback Brandon Cisse are all active after being listed as questionable. That matters, especially with the defensive line and cornerback groups running thin.
Here’s the full list of Packers active players for Week 6 against Dallas:
Running Back: MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr., Kaleb Johnson
Receiver: Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Bo Melton, Savion Williams, J. Michael Sturdivant, Coleman Owen
Tight End: Tucker Kraft, Mark Redman, Jonnu Smith, Josh Whyle
Offensive Line: Jordan Morgan, Laken Tomlinson, Sean Rhyan, Travis Glover, Anthony Belton, Kevin Zeitler, Jacob Monk, John Williams
Defensive Line: Karl Brooks, Devonte Wyatt, Chris McClellan, Anthony Campbell
Edge Defender: Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox Jr., Dani Dennis-Sutton, Arron Mosby
Linebacker: Zaire Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann, Kristian Welch
Cornerback: Keisean Nixon, Brandon Cisse, Carrington Valentine, Kamal Hadden
Safety: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo
Specialist: Trey Smack (K), Daniel Whelan (P), Matt Orzech (LS)
In Other News...
Packers Fans Suddenly Agree On One Thing After Bears Blowout
The Packers blowout of the Bears did more than pad a rivalry win column. It also gave a restless fan base a reason to settle in a little more comfortably, with sentiment around the team turning sharply upward after a stretch that had left plenty of people questioning where things were headed.
About two-thirds of surveyed fans now believe Green Bay will make the playoffs, a notable shift in mood even if the broader outlook is still measured. Confidence in the teams overall direction has climbed to 59 percent from 24 percent a week earlier, but sportsbooks are still treating the Packers as a long shot to get there, keeping the conversation alive about whether the latest surge is a real turn or just the kind of post-Bears optimism that needs another week to prove itself. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Passing Game Suddenly Has One Big Cowboys Question
Dallas will have to wait a little longer before its cornerback situation becomes clear for Sundays matchup with Green Bay, with Joey Porter Jr. carrying a questionable tag because of an ankle injury. Porter was limited in practice on Wednesday and Friday, though he was a full participant on Thursday, leaving the Cowboys to navigate one more layer of uncertainty in a game where every matchup in the secondary matters.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones tried to calm the noise around Porters availability, saying the defender is committed to playing and that contract talks are not part of the equation. For a Packers passing game that has been under the microscope, the bigger question now is whether Green Bay ends up seeing Porter on the field at all, or facing a Cowboys defense that has to adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Bye Week Ends With A Division Test Fans Can't Ignore
Detroits early-season surge has kept the NFC North race squarely in focus, and the next stretch is where the picture starts to sharpen for Green Bay. After a productive showing against Arizona pushed the Lions to 3-2, the bye week gives Dan Campbells team a brief reset before the schedule tightens again and the division matchups start to carry more weight.
For the Packers, the timing of that reset matters almost as much as the result in Week 5. Green Bay knows the Lions are coming back into the spotlight soon, and the coming slate includes more than one test that could reshape the division standings. The matchup at Lambeau later this month already looks like one of those games fans will circle, especially with another possible boost waiting in the wings for Green Bay. [Read more 🡒]