The Packers came out of their 28-9 preseason loss to the Steelers with something more important than a scoreline: no long-term injuries, according to head coach Matt LaFleur.
That was the first big takeaway from Friday’s media availability, and it mattered after a game in which Green Bay’s third-string group briefly had the upper hand before the fourth-string defense surrendered three straight touchdowns to close things out.
LaFleur said there were no long-term injuries from Thursday night’s game. That points to defensive lineman Anthony Campbell and offensive lineman Darian Kinnard being fine in the near future after both exited and did not return. Kinnard’s status matters because he’s projected to make the 53-man roster, while Campbell is in a real battle for the sixth defensive line spot with Jonathan Ford and Nazir Stackhouse.
The more intriguing conversation centered on the offensive line. Rookie guard Jager Burton, who started at left guard with Aaron Banks and Zach Bako-Bewele unavailable, drew strong praise from LaFleur.
The same went for Jacob Monk, who started at right guard. LaFleur said both players are making it “extremely difficult” for the team to simply hand the left guard job back to 2025 starter Aaron Banks once he’s healthy.
That makes the line picture look a little less settled than it did before Thursday. The assumed regular-season five had been Jordan Morgan, Banks, Sean Rhyan, Anthony Belton and Bako-Bewele, but Belton has been starting at right tackle in place of the injured Bako-Bewele. That could be Green Bay chasing its “best five” rather than locking those guys into their eventual regular-season spots.
LaFleur was also asked whether Banks had surgery, and he responded, “I’ll let him answer that,” which kicked up some online speculation about whether Banks had an operation the Packers didn’t approve of. Banks is dealing with an undisclosed knee injury.
On the defensive side, rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse earned a lot of praise for the way he carries himself as a 21-year-old professional. New secondary coach/passing game coordinator Bobby Babich, who arrived after serving as the Buffalo Bills’ defensive coordinator, said there is a cornerback competition, while also noting that returning starter Keisean Nixon has been taking coaching “great.”
That competition appears set to run at least into the regular season opener, with Cisse, Carrington Valentine and free agent signing Benjamin St-Juste all in the mix opposite Nixon. Valentine missed Week 1 of the preseason with a hamstring injury.
There was also a strong note on Lukas Van Ness from DeMarcus Covington, who now holds the title of outside linebackers coach/run game coordinator/assistant head coach - defense under Jonathan Gannon’s new 3-4 setup. Covington said Van Ness, who was part of a sack in one of the three snaps the starters played Thursday, is “one of our best players” when healthy.
Vince Oghobaase, the defensive line coach and formerly Covington’s assistant defensive line coach under Jeff Hafley, gave Campbell some praise too, saying the lineman has logged 10 to 12 batdowns at the line of scrimmage during camp.
The overall tone from the staff was positive about the top two units, even with one clear area of concern: tackling. Gannon said the team has had only two live tackling opportunities so far, with the other coming from the reserve units’ series on Family Night last week.
In Other News...
Packers May Be Telling Fans Something Big About Matthew Golden
Matthew Goldens preseason usage against the Steelers was one of the more interesting clues to come out of Green Bays latest tune-up. On both snaps the Packers used 12-personnel, Golden was the only receiver on the field, a small detail that can say plenty about how Matt LaFleur is sorting out the offense. In a passing game that has plenty of mouths to feed, those alignment choices matter because they hint at who the staff trusts when the formation gets a little tighter and the responsibilities get a little clearer.
Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure had more limited roles in those looks, which only sharpens the focus on Goldens standing heading into the season. If LaFleur keeps leaning into that usage, Golden could be on the path to a larger role than many expected early on. For a Packers offense still taking shape, those preseason breadcrumbs are often where the real story starts to show itself. [Read more 🡒]
Ex Packers QB Malik Willis Is Becoming A Story Green Bay Can't Ignore
Malik Willis is not in Green Bay anymore, but his latest preseason turn is the kind of performance Packers fans notice anyway. Starting for the Miami Dolphins in their opener against Washington, the former Packers backup handled one series and made it count, completing 4 of 5 passes for 52 yards while steering a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive that set an early tone.
It was only one series, and preseason games rarely tell the whole story, but Willis has a way of keeping himself in the conversation. Miami signed him to a three-year contract after his time in Green Bay, and if he keeps stacking efficient outings like this, the Packers will have even more reason to wonder what he might have become with a longer runway. [Read more 🡒]