Packers: Top five performers vs. Chiefs in preseason
By Jesse Fry
The preseason is officially over. We can now look forward to the Bears game. But first, who secured their spot on the 2019 Packers?
The Green Bay Packers closed out the preseason with a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The victory itself was meaningless but the play on the field was anything but. Some players may have sealed their fate while some secured their spots.
A big winner on the night without even stepping on the field was Lane Taylor. Taylor will be the starting left guard when the season opens next week in Chicago, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. This is good for both Taylor and the team. The Packers now have good depth at the guard position and the future in Elgton Jenkins, waiting in the wings.
The Packers also debuted a new look after touchdowns. I am not yet sure how to feel about the flickering lights after the score but I think it is something that could grow on me. The new celebration will obviously be reserved for night games, but it shows Matt LaFleur is trying to establish his own traditions. As long as “Bang the Drum” continues to blare as those lights flicker, I’m OK with it.
As we close out the preseason and look forward to the 2019 opener in Chicago, here are the top five performers from the game.
Markus Jones
Markus Jones didn’t fill in the stat sheet but he was in the backfield often Thursday night. Jones was a part of two turnover plays on back-to-back series. On the first, Jones sped past the lineman and blew up the quarterback, forcing an errant throw that fell in the arms of Ty Summers for a pick-six.
On the next series it was right place, right time. A mishandled exchange between Kyle Shurmur and Marcus Marshall caused the ball to bounce Jones’ way where he fell on the ball setting up a short field for Tim Boyle and a touchdown.
Jones probably doesn’t have a place on the active roster, things appear settled even after the trade of Reggie Gilbert. But he does give the Packers something to work with and build on. A year on the practice squad could do the Packers and Jones some good.
Being on the practice squad gets you one play away from the active 53 and with the team working on your craft. Jones and Randy Ramsey look like perfect candidates to continue to work with.