Seven Packers Bubble Battles That Could Be Decided vs. Chiefs

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the Green Bay Packers, Thursday night’s preseason game at the Kansas City Chiefs will be the closing act of a 23-act play.

With 20 training camp practices and the first two preseason games in the books, some players will bounce on the bubble and onto the 53-man roster. For others, the bubble will burst.

“You’re trying to weigh everything that these guys have done, not only the games but the practices,” coach Matt LaFleur said this week. “I think that’s where you truly get a better indication of what you’ve got. Obviously, you don’t want to discount the games because that’s real football, right? And the circumstances are a little different. It’s why we go out and play.”

Talk about a pressure-cooker. For a rookie on the roster, the minimum salary is $705,000. Broken into 18-week increments, that’s $39,166.67 per week. For those who land one of 16 spots on the practice squad, the salary is $11,500 a week. Of course, that’s better than having your dreams broken altogether. For some players, the cruel reality is this will be the final game of their careers.

“You want to see how guys perform underneath the lights and there’s an added — I would say many times for most the guys — there’s a little bit more pressure when there’s people in the stands and everybody’s watching,” LaFleur continued. “So, you just want to see how they respond to those moments, and you try to tell them all the time that, ‘Hey, it is no different.’ You want to treat practice as game-like as possible, but I do think that there is a little something more to it.”

With that as a backdrop, here are seven positions where big battles could be determined vs. the Chiefs.

Running Back

Tyler Goodson (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (2): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon. Bubble (2): Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson.

Analysis: Based on Kylin Hill’s on-the-field rehab workouts, the second-year back should be back after his four-week PUP stint. So, the Packers could simply roll into the season with Jones and Dillon and take advantage of practice squad rules to elevate Taylor or Goodson until Hill is back on the 53. General manager Brian Gutekunst covets the ability to pass protect as that third back, but Goodson’s open-field burst is impossible to ignore. He showed it in three seasons at Iowa and he’s shown it throughout the summer. Taylor offers the more well-rounded game and produced at Detroit in last year’s finale.

Receiver

Juwann Winfree (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (6): Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Amari Rodgers, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs. Bubble (2): Juwann Winfree, Samori Toure.

Analysis: Everyone loves the new guy, and that means everyone ignores the old guy. Not Aaron Rodgers. After the first day of camp, he said of Winfree: “I wouldn’t be surprised if 88’s over there going, ‘Hey, I’m a pretty damn good football player. Don’t forget about me.’ I think he definitely is going to put himself in a position to have an impact.” Winfree, a sixth-round pick by the Broncos in 2019, was given some early first-team snaps but those opportunities have largely vanished. Still, he’s had a productive preseason and has been a No. 1 on some of the units on special teams. Toure had a deep drop in the rain vs. the Saints but has had a quietly steady camp. And in the constant quest for upside, draft picks tend to get the benefit of the doubt over players in their fourth training camp.

Offensive Line

Caleb Jones (USA Today Sports Images)

Locks (9): David Bakhtiari, Yosh Nijman, Jon Runyan, Josh Myers, Jake Hanson, Royce Newman, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom. Bubble (2): Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker.

Analysis: The Packers have to account for the great unknown that is Bakhtiari’s knee. While he will be on the Week 1 roster, will he be in the starting lineup or just taking up space on the 53 as he continues his comeback? Jones, an undrafted free agent, has taken second-team reps for most of the summer. Walker, a seventh-round pick, has struggled in practice and has not played in a game due to a foot injury. Jones appears to be miles ahead in this battle but perhaps Walker can change the conversation in his preseason debut.

Defensive Line

Jack Heflin (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (5): Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Dean Lowry, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt. Bubble (2): Jack Heflin, Jonathan Ford.

Analysis: The Packers could go into the season with a five-man rotation and hope to fortify the group by stashing Heflin, Ford or even Chris Slayton on the practice squad. Heflin, who made it as an undrafted free agent last year, has had a good camp. If it’s about keeping the best 53 players, Heflin would be in that group. And, at least for now, if you needed to win a game by making a stop on fourth down, you might want Heflin over Wyatt. Ford’s status as a seventh-round pick could factor in the decision, too.

Outside Linebacker

Tipa Galeai (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (4): Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare. Bubble (3): Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones.

Analysis: This is the biggest battle in camp. It’s been a revolving door on the second unit for the last couple weeks. One day, it’s Garvin and Galeai. The next day, it’s Garvin and Hamilton. On Tuesday, it was Garvin and Enagbare, the rookie fifth-round pick. They’ve all had their moments, especially during the joint practices vs. the Saints. “I think it’s a very tight battle and, hopefully over the next two days, it helps clarify itself a little bit easier for us to help make those tough decisions,” LaFleur said. One thing LaFleur noted was special teams. Galeai is a No. 1 on all four phases. Presumably, that means he’ll make it, which would make it Jones vs. Hamilton for a potential sixth spot.

Cornerback

Rico Gafford (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (5): Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar-Jean Charles. Bubble (2): Rico Gafford, Kiondre Thomas.

Analysis: All summer, it’s been Jean-Charles and Gafford as the cornerbacks and Nixon as the slot with the No. 2 defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Gafford has given up 4-of-6 passing for 78 yards in the two preseason games while Thomas has allowed 1-of-6 for 8 yards. Gafford didn’t practice on Tuesday due to an ankle injury. He is unbelievably fast but is undersized. Thomas is almost 6-foot and no slouch from a speed perspective.

Safety

Innis Gaines (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (3): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Shawn Davis, Dallin Leavitt*. Bubble (3): Tariq Carpenter, Micah Abernathy, Innis Gaines.

Analysis: Vernon Scott’s shoulder injury and subsequent release has really shaken up this group. Davis became the next next-man-up but was replaced by Douglas on Tuesday. Davis, a No. 1 on special teams, probably is safe. Leavitt suffered a shoulder injury vs. the 49ers but has been going hard during on-the-field rehab. He’ll make the 53; will he stay there or go to injured reserve on Wednesday? With Carpenter and Gaines also injured, Abernathy was signed for depth and has repeatedly taken advantage of his opportunities. Carpenter, a potential-packed seventh-rounder, and Gaines, who has been given some looks in the slot, returned to practice this week. Davis and Abernathy probably will start vs. the Chiefs and Carpenter and Gaines will enter in relief.

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