The Green Bay Packers bounced back from their Week 1 preseason loss by beating the Denver Broncos 33-13. Now, they'll head into their final game of the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals and look to end the preseason on a high note.
Given that it's the last preseason game, it seems unlikely the starters will be out there for this one. That means that the team's depth will be tested, and many players will have the chance to make a case to stay on the roster.
There will be plenty to watch for, even without the starters getting tons of minutes. Positional battles, good play from veterans, and more will all be on the docket. With that in mind, here are five things to keep an eye out for when the Packers take on the Cardinals.
Five things to watch in the Packers' preseason finale vs. Cardinals
1. Who will step up and join Brandon Cisse as a starting cornerback?
For weeks now, the question of who will be starting the season for the Packers at cornerback has raged on. At least as of right now, we can pencil in rookie Brandon Cisse as one of those guys. His stellar play all preseason and the fact that he's played almost exclusively with the first-team defense in recent weeks suggest he's locked in as a starter.
So, what about everyone else?
Presumed starters Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine have struggled, and Benjamin St-Juste has also seen his fair share of ups and downs so far. Despite chatter that his job was on the line, it seems like Nixon will likely be given a starting spot, which means it might be Valentine and St-Juste as the two Packers' cornerbacks who take up the bench. It'll be interesting to see which cornerbacks play, and for how long.
2. Anthony Belton's starting job
For weeks now, Belton has spent his time moving around the offensive line. He's been playing right tackle in place of the recovering Zach Bako-Bewele, though he entered camp as the projected starting right guard. The problem for Belton is that Jacob Monk and rookie Jager Burton have actually played quite well all training camp, making Belton's place on the team an interesting one.
Monk is now the projected Week 1 starter at right guard.
Belton won't be cut or anything, but it will be of note to see if he gets the chance to win the starting right guard position. Monk appears to be the frontrunner for the role, as the Packers seemingly cooled off the idea of starting Burton over the last week. Still, though, there's much to figure out, and Belton needs a strong performance.
3. MarShawn Lloyd (if he plays)
Lloyd had trouble staying healthy in years one and two. This year, Lloyd has managed to stay active and seems ready to take up the mantle as the promised backup running back for the Packers. Lloyd can be a dynamic option in Matt LaFleur's offense. There is a bit of a problem, though.
Josh Jacobs, the de facto starter when healthy, faces a potential suspension. With most of that still up in the air, Lloyd's role on the team just got much more important. Whether he plays will be interesting, as the team could let him get some more reps, or they may have seen enough and give him the night off.
4. Backup quarterback play
What started out as a curious case of "the Packers don't have a great backup quarterback this year" has turned into a full-blown debate amongst fans. Tyrod Taylor, the veteran option and likely backup to Jordan Love, has played about as poorly as possible in the preseason.
On the flip side, third-string quarterback Kyle McCord has played great but is still a relative unknown when games actually matter. Will the Packers really keep three quarterbacks on the roster? Risk letting McCord go on waivers? To put it bluntly, Taylor needs a good game against the Cardinals, if only to give himself and the team some confidence.
Add us as a preferred source on Google