Packers: 3 players who need to step up in preseason opener

Jace Sternberger

We know Jace Sternberger won’t be on the Packers’ initial 53-man roster as he is suspended for the opening two games of the regular season. But Sternberger needs to show this summer that he needs to be part of Matt LaFleur’s plans from Week 3 onwards.

Competition at the tight end position is the main concern for Sternberger currently.

Robert Tonyan will have a featured role after his breakout season, and Marcedes Lewis will also play a lot of snaps. But the Packers now have second-year Josiah Deguara and Dominique Dafney back from injury. They will likely make up the top four at tight end at the beginning of the season while Sternberger is suspended.

The good news is that many reporters have said Sternberger has had some impressive practices at training camp this summer. Most notably, Sternberger made an excellent one-handed catch.

https://twitter.com/mattschneidman/status/1423313126519410688

It’s been a challenging opening couple of seasons for the former third-round pick, but he still has the potential to become another good receiving option for the Packers.

If Sternberger can impress during the preseason, he’ll ensure there’s a spot waiting for him on the 53-man roster once his suspension is done. Not only that, if he can play well over the next few weeks, he could secure himself a bigger role in Matt LaFleur’s offense moving forward.