Packers-Saints Preview: Big Roster Battles

Whether it's the next man up or the final player at a position group, plenty will be at stake when the Green Bay Packers host the New Orleans Saints on Friday night. Here is a closer look.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Friday’s preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints almost seems like an afterthought after two days of joint practices.

Those practices were telling in terms of the early-season direction of the Packers. While the defense looks like it’s going to be as good as advertised, the offense, predictably given the state of the offensive line and receiver corps, looks to be a work in progress.

However, the second preseason game will be a huge one in determining the outcome of the some of the depth chart and roster battles. Spots and roles remain up for grabs at almost every position group.

“I thought it was two really good days of work,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Thursday. “I thought the atmosphere was great. Having the amount of fans we had out there, I think, is really helpful for both teams. And then I just think the controlled environment against another opponent is really, really good for our players. So, I think we got a lot out of it and it’ll (be) good to see these guys let it loose on Friday.”

The one position group without a battle is quarterback. Aaron Rodgers will spend another Friday watching Jordan Love and Danny Etling operate the offense.

“I’ve been really pleased with Jordan,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “It’s his command in the huddle, his command with the groups he’s in. He’s taken charge. You really see him taking the next step, so that’s been impressive. He just looks much more confident in the pocket. You can tell he’s understanding everything. Instead of just, ‘What’s my job?’ now he’s thinking about what the defense is doing. He’s doing a really good job. It’s fun to see him have success on those long passes but I’m fired up for him.”

Here is a look at the other 10 position groups.

Running Backs

Patrick Taylor (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: Assuming Kylin Hill isn’t ready for Week 1, who will be the third back behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Will it be Patrick Taylor, the second-year player who isn’t flashy but has an all-around skill-set? Or will it be undrafted rookie Tyler Goodson, who has the explosive second year?

Gutekunst delivered a strong hint on Thursday when asked. “I think the next guy, obviously, there’s some special teams that come into play with that. That’s going to be an important part of that third running back spot if we decide to keep three. But then I think overall there’s consistency. If we do have an injury, can they fill one of the roles that those other two guys are in right now? As you guys know, the big jump from college to the National Football League is usually in pass pro for these guys. They just haven’t been exposed to a lot of that, and being able to protect our passer is first and foremost.”

In other words, it’s Taylor’s job to lose.

Receivers

Samori Toure (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: Assuming veterans Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins, second-year pro Amari Rodgers and draft picks Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are locks, will that be the Week 1 receiver corps or is there room for Gutekunst to keep a seventh? It will be up to Juwann Winfree or Samori Toure to really force their way onto the roster. Special teams will play a role in that decision, which would give the edge to Winfree. But Toure has been the more productive receiver.

Tight Ends

Alize Mack (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: With the return of Robert Tonyan and the release of Dominique Dafney, the Packers have a four-man group of Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis. Is there room for another? If anyone is going to push his way onto the roster, it might be Alize Mack. A seventh-round pick in 2019 who hasn’t played a regular-season snap, Mack has blocked well and caught the ball when thrown his way.

Offensive Line

Jake Hanson (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: Team-wide, there aren’t many starting positions open but both guard spots could be up for grabs. Last season, Jon Runyan started 16 games at left guard and Royce Newman started 16 games at right guard. However, rookie Zach Tom has received some first-team snaps at left guard and Jake Hanson remains in the mix at right guard.

“Jake has had one of the best camps of anyone on our offense just from taking that next step,” Stenavich said. “I think his first year, his hip was banged up and he just didn’t look right. He got his hip fixed and then has come back and he looks like a brand-new guy. He’s playing with physicality, he’s intelligent, he has the ability to center. I’m excited about him.”

Defensive Line

Jack Heflin (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: There’s no doubt about the top five of Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, T.J. Slaton and Devonte Wyatt. If it’s not the best defensive line in football, it’s right up there. Will the Packers keep six? If so, it will be a three-man battle between second-year player Jack Heflin, journeyman Chris Slayton and seventh-round pick Jonathan Ford.

“You’ve just got to go,” Heflin said. “Being an underrecruited guy, a walk-on, just being undrafted, you have no choice. That’s what it’s been my whole life. I’ve had no choice. There’s no plays off. If you’re throwing me out there, I’m going to go until I can’t go no more. I like to say I’m like a good dog. If you tell me to sic ‘em, I’m going to sic ‘em even I’m not 100 percent. That’s how I look at it.”

Outside Linebackers

Jonathan Garvin (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: A huge battle is brewing to be the third, fourth and fifth outside linebackers on the roster. Combined, Rashan Gary and Preston Smith weren’t on the field for almost 800 snaps last season. That’s a lot of playing time up for grabs between returning players Jonathan Garvin and Tipa Galeai and newcomers Kingsley Enagbare and Kobe Jones.

“I think the thing that you love about training camp, hopefully, is competition,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. “Of course, we’ve got two great ones in Preston and Rashan, but after that, it’s competitive.”

Inside Linebackers

Ray Wilborn (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: While everything is up for grabs behind Gary and Smith at outside linebacker, the depth behind starters De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker seems fairly certain with two-year starter Krys Barnes and the vastly improved Isaiah McDuffie providing competent backups. Can Ray Wilborn force his way onto the roster through production on defense and special teams?

Cornerbacks

Keisean Nixon (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: With Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas, Green Bay’s starting trio is elite. On the other hand, whether it’s the fourth corner or the last man on the depth chart, the depth is a major question mark. Free-agent addition Keisean Nixon and 2021 fifth-round pick Shemar Jean-Charles are joined by Rico Gafford and Kiondre Thomas. For now, it’s Nixon vs. Jean-Charles for No. 4 and Gafford vs. Thomas for No. 6.

While Gutekunst had a parade of corners going in and out of camp all summer, he’s stuck with this group.

“I think between the San Francisco game and then these two practices and then tomorrow’s night’s game, I think it’s a pretty good window of evaluation and competition,” Gutekunst said. “They’ve done a nice job. Certainly, Sherm has grown a lot, which is nice to see. Got a couple new guys in there that I think are feeling their way around here, but I like them. They’re all a little shorter than what I’m used to, but I like they’re aggressiveness and the way they play.”

Safeties

Vernon Scott (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: Safety was like cornerback at the start of training camp, with everything up for grabs behind the starters. However, Vernon Scott and Shawn Davis have had strong training camps. Scott remains ahead in the battle to be the next man up but Davis’ big-play production is hard to ignore. They’ll get a lot of snaps against the Saints.

Specialists

Jack Coco (USA Today Sports Images)

Friday Night Spotlight: Jack Coco remains the only long snapper on the roster. That doesn’t mean he’s won the job but it beats the alternative. What’s working in his favor is there are only a few teams with two snappers on their roster, so it’s not as if the market is going to be flooded after final cuts on Aug. 30.

“I think Jack’s done a nice job for us so far,” Gutekunst said. “By the time we kick off that first Sunday and as we go through the season, I think if that’s not where we want it to be then we’ll be looking for that. And there’s always guys available, so right now we feel pretty good about where we’re at, but if we can upgrade and get better, we will.”

How to Watch Saints at Packers

Tyler Goodson takes the handoff at practice (USA Today Sports Image)

Here is how to watch and listen to the Packers-Saints preseason game.

Live TV: The game will air on the Packers TV Network, with Kevin Harlan and John Kuhn on the call. The network consists of WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee; WGBA-TV, Green Bay; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau, Wis.; KQDS/FOX, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis.; WLUC-NBC/FOX UP, Escanaba/Marquette, Mich.; WMBD/CBS, Peoria/Bloomington, Ill.; KCCI/CBS, Des Moines, Iowa; KWWL/NBC, Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Iowa; KTVI/FOX, St. Louis, Mo.; KETV/ABC, Omaha, Neb.; KNDB/BEK, Bismarck, N.D.; KRDK/BEK, Fargo, N.D.; KNDM/BEK, Minot, N.D.; KDLT/NBC, Sioux Falls, S.D.; KYUR/ABC, Anchorage, Alaska; KATN/ABC, Fairbanks, Alaska and KJUD/ABC, Juneau, Alaska.

NFL Network: While next week’s game at Kansas City will be aired live by NFL Network, this game will not be televised live nationally. NFL Network will show it on tape at midnight and 10 a.m. Saturday, though.

Radio: The call of Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren can be heard on the Packers Radio Network. There’s a new flagship station, with WRNW-FM 97.3 in Milwaukee replacing WTMJ. Click here for the list of affiliates.