Two preseason games down, just one to go. Some position battles are already settled for the Green Bay Packers.
Forget about signing a veteran kicker. Trey Smack has stepped up in the preseason, and then some. The top six at wide receiver couldn't be clearer, although there's still an important conversation to be had about whether the Packers will find room for a seventh.
There's still uncertainty along the offensive line. The Packers may need to give free-agent guard Kevin Zeitler a call. More on that in a moment.
Jordan Morgan and Zach Bako-Bewele are locked in at the tackle spots, and there's little doubt Sean Rhyan is the starting center, but questions remain at both guard spots.
Head coach Matt LaFleur admitted that Aaron Banks might not get his job back at left guard after the quick rise of rookie Jager Burton and the standout summer from Jacob Monk. Banks remains the starter in 11-on-11 drills, but Burton has shined when given opportunities.
Right guard is a potential problem. Anthony Belton has seemingly fallen out of favor, and if we assume Burton is in the mix at left guard, it's likely down to Belton or Monk on the other side.
Monk has impressed at training camp, but his preseason performances still leave a lot to be desired. His 38.8 PFF pass-blocking grade is one of the Packers' worst – Belton, Travis Glover, and Donovan Jennings are among the names to fare better. Brant Banks and Darian Kinnard are the only Packers linemen with worse grades.
That's why Zeitler should be firmly on the Packers' radar ahead of Week 1. Let's break that down, along with every other position on the roster, in our updated predictions after two preseason games.
Packers 53-man roster prediction includes a much-needed move for guard Kevin Zeitler
Quarterbacks (2): Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is playing with fire in the preseason. Nobody was talking about a QB2 battle entering the summer, but his disappointing performances have changed that.
Taylor has completed 8 of 16 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in two games, averaging 2.4 yards per attempt and only 4.8 yards per completion. He's earned a passer rating of just 77.1 and a PFF grade of 47.2.
Kyle McCord is outperforming Taylor. Enough to jump ahead of him on the depth chart? Probably not, but history tells us the Packers aren't afraid to look elsewhere for quarterback help if an opportunity presents itself before Week 1.
Running backs (4): Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Pierre Strong Jr.
Can the Packers afford to keep four running backs on the 53? It won't be easy to do that all season. For now, though, going lighter at other positions opened up a spot for Pierre Strong, and he deserves it.
Strong ran hard against the Denver Broncos, rushing for a team-best 37 yards at an impressive 4.6 yards per attempt. He also showed off his special teams ability with a 68-yard kick return. At the very least, the Packers will want Strong on the practice squad.
Wide receivers (6): Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, Skyy Moore
These six names are roster locks. Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Jayden Reed are the undeniable top three. The Packers have high hopes for 2025 third-round pick Savion Williams. They love Bo Melton, while Skyy Moore is already making an impact as a returner and gadget player on offense.
The conversation isn't over, though. While uncommon, the Packers have found ways to roster seven receivers previously under Brian Gutekunst. There are three clear candidates: Isaiah Neyor, Will Sheppard, and J. Michael Sturdivant. It's a tough call to decide which one would be the WR7.
Tight ends (2): Tucker Kraft, Josh Whyle
PUP: Luke Musgrave
The Packers absolutely won't go into Week 1 with only two tight ends, but remember, this is the initial 53-man roster.
Tucker Kraft and Josh Whyle are the only two roster locks at a position decimated by injuries.
Luke Musgrave will likely begin the regular season on the PUP list, and it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to return this year. Green Bay may search for a TE3 on the waiver wire or bring back Drake Dabney to the practice squad.
It won't be surprising if it's only Kraft and Whyle on the initial 53-man roster, allowing the Packers to consider their options for TE3 before Week 1.
Offensive line (10): Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Kevin Zeitler, Zach Bako-Bewele, Jager Burton, Anthony Belton, Darian Kinnard, Jacob Monk, John Williams
Projected free-agent signing: Kevin Zeitler
Here it is. The promised Kevin Zeitler signing prediction. Given the Packers' uncertainty at right guard, this would make so much sense.
Zeitler is 36 years old but can still play at a high level, as he proved with the Tennessee Titans last season. The veteran ranked No. 13 among 81 guards for overall PFF grade, No. 20 for run blocking, and No. 9 in pass protection.
Anthony Belton doesn't look comfortable at right guard and will likely have to settle for the swing tackle job. Jacob Monk has impressed the coaching staff but hasn't lived up to that praise in the preseason. Jager Burton is in contention for the other guard spot.
Zeitler would be the perfect short-term addition for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. We're talking about a former Pro Bowler with 213 career starts, a player who is still capable of providing top-tier guard play.
Put Zeitler next to Zach Bako-Bewele, and the right side of the Packers' offensive line would be as good as any.
Defensive line (6): Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave, Chris McClellan, Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson, Jonathan Ford
Jonathan Ford may have edged ahead of Nazir Stackhouse and Anthony Campbell in the race for the final defensive tackle spot. Ford could be the Packers' starting nose tackle. That's how impressive he has been.
PFF credited Ford with three pressures against the Broncos. His 91.3 overall grade through two games ranks first among all defensive tackles.
Edge-rushers (5): Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox Jr., Dani Dennis-Sutton, Collin Oliver
PUP: Micah Parsons
No changes here. Lukas Van Ness has flashed potential. So have Barryn Sorrell and Brenton Cox Jr. But collectively, the pass rush remains a concern without Micah Parsons. It will take a team effort.
Dani Dennis-Sutton is still waiting to make his preseason debut. He should get opportunities this week in the joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals followed by the game on Friday night.
Linebackers (5): Edgerrin Cooper, Zaire Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty'Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann
This is arguably the most settled position on the roster. The depth chart remains unchanged with Edgerrin Cooper and Zaire Franklin leading the way. Ty'Ron Hopper remains the LB4, while Nick Niemann will play a key role on special teams.
Cornerbacks (6): Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon, Benjamin St-Juste, Carrington Valentine, Domani Jackson, Kamal Hadden
The Packers needed another slot corner to emerge behind Javon Bullard following the injury to Johnathan Baldwin, and Kamal Hadden has stepped up. Hadden missed the start of training camp while recovering from a serious ankle injury but has quickly made up for lost time.
Rookie Brandon Cisse is the clear CB1. Keisean Nixon remains the favorite to start alongside him, but he's been rotating with the second-team defense and even played some snaps with the third team. Something to watch.
Safeties (4): Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo
Mark Perry is in the mix after impressing in the preseason, but he may have to settle for a practice squad spot. With Hadden proving he can play in the slot, the Packers can comfortably keep four safeties on their initial 53-man roster.
Specialists (3): Trey Smack, Daniel Whelan, Cal Adomitis
We have long snapper drama!
The Packers clearly trust Matt Orzech, who is entering Year 4 with the team. Here's the issue: Orzech has missed all of training camp due to injury, while backup Cal Adomitis has more than done enough.
Trey Smack has overcome some early wobbles at training camp and is now booting field goals from 50-plus with ease. Do the Packers really want to mess with a field-goal unit that is working so smoothly? Switching to a different snapper so late in the summer comes with risks, even if the Packers view Orzech as the more trusted player.
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