Packers Preseason: Players to Watch in the Finale

I’ve said before that one way or another this would be Walkers last year in Green Bay. If Morgan plays like this against Seattle in the same way it wouldn’t stun me if he does what the Packers have wanted this whole time, and takes the job outright.

If he does some will call for Walker to be traded. I think the Packers likely keep him around however given that offensive line depth is at a premium these days. Additionally whatever they got for him would likely be similar to what they would get as a comp pick if he were to simply sign elsewhere next year.

Packers Linebackers

Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper are the two locked down starters. That third linebacker spot is a little murkier however. Early camp reports had newcomer Isaiah Simmons making a strong push – another reclamation project gone right like the first year of De’Vondre Campbell or Rasul Douglas. Then the games started –

At this point Simmons best chance of sticking to the roster is as a special teams player. On the flipside, Ty’Ron Hopper, a former third round pick has shown real signs of growth. If he could grab that third spot from incumbent Isaiah McDuffie the spine of Green Bay’s defense looks set for the next several seasons.

Wide Receiver Six

A lower stakes competition than the above two but still an interesting one. Assuming the Packers keep six wideouts on the initial roster, four of those spots are already spoken for. Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams are all making this team. Dontayvion Wicks is also almost assuredly a lock, assuming his injury doesn’t end him up on the PUP list to start alongside Christian Watson.

So who gets that last spot? Mecole Hardman and Malik Heath are the vets that could take it, Hardman seems like a guy that the Packers might want on kick returns, but he had a rough start in the first game and didn’t show much in the second. Heath doesn’t have the juice to be a return man, but does have more experience in the offense.

On the other side, younger players Cornelius Johnson and Julian Hicks could be surprises. Johnson has shown flashes in camp and preseason games, while Hicks had an incredible catch negated by penalty in the game against the Colts.

In all likelihood one or both of Johnson and Hicks end up on the practice squad, leaving the battle between Hardman and Heath. It may very well come down to this last preseason game. While normally I’d lean toward the player with more tenure, I think the Packers ultimately give Hardman the nod solely based on his potential as a returner.