Packers at Browns: Five Key Players for Week 3 Matchup

The undefeated Green Bay Packers will play their first road game of the season on Sunday against the winless Cleveland Browns.

Due to factors such as injuries, past performances and matchups, here are five key players that will have the biggest impact on the game, starting in the Packers’ receiving room.

Packers WR Romeo Doubs

The Packers endured a big loss in last week’s game against the Commanders when receiver Jayden Reed broke his collarbone. Reed had surgery to repair the break, as well as surgery on a nagging foot injury, and will be placed on injured reserve.

Coupled with a knee injury to the team’s leading receiver, tight end Tucker Kraft, that is minor but enough to make his status questionable for Sunday, these injuries pave the way for Romeo Doubs to have a big game as one of the remaining veteran pass catchers.

Doubs is second on the team with 96 receiving yards and nine targets. Highlighted by a career-long 48-yard catch against Detroit in the opener, he is averaging 19.2 yards per catch, and he scored his first touchdown of the season last week.

On such a young team that sports two rookie receivers, Doubs is the veteran of the group even though it’s just his fourth year. As one of Jordan Love’s most reliable options over those four years, he’ll need to step up with the receiving core depleted by injuries to Reed, Christian Watson and potentially Kraft.

Packers RB Josh Jacobs

Similar to Doubs, Josh Jacobs could see an increased workload with the passing game depleted.

Jacobs, who would make history if he can extend his touchdown streak, will have a tough task ahead of him against the Browns, who boast the best rushing defense in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs runs the ball against Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes in Week 1. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Obviously, they have a really good defensive front,” Jacobs said. “They have one of the best defensive guys (Myles Garrett) in the league over there, so that’s going to be a big challenge. They’ve been stopping the run really good and they’ve got pretty good DBs, too. I think it’s going to be an interesting week to be able to see where we’re at to go against a great defense like that. But I think it’ll be fun.”

The Jacobs-led rushing attack has struggled to pick up where it left off last season, when he rushed for 1,329 yards. While he has two rushing touchdowns, he is averaging only 3.6 yards per carry. He has had a heavy workload through the first two games, running the ball 42 times for 150 yards.

It was a key to both the Lions and the Commanders to stop Jacobs, loading up the box against him and making the Packers’ offense win in other ways. The Browns have the best run defense in the league and held a great running back in Derrick Henry to just 23 yards on 11 carries last week. Jacobs has his work cut out for him if he wants to make this his breakout game.

Browns DE Myles Garrett

Not to sound like a broken record, but Myles Garrett can single handedly-destroy an offense, especially in the passing game, making him the most important player for the Packers to stop in this game.

Garrett leads the NFL in sacks with 3.5 and has the most sacks out of anyone in the league since 2020. He likely will be going up against Rasheed Walker, who has been one of the better tackles in football against two good pass-rushing defenses.

It won’t be completely on Walker to limit Garrett’s impact. Everyone will play a part in curbing his production.

The whole offensive line is going to have to do their jobs, regardless of whether they are left one-on-one with him. The running backs and tight ends are going to have to be effective with their chips. The receivers are going to have to get open quick, and Jordan Love will have to get the ball out on time and let his playmakers do the work, as he probably won’t be able to enjoy his 3.01 average seconds-to-throw that he has so far.

It takes a whole team effort to stop a player of his caliber, something the Bengals and the Ravens learned the hard way despite both teams beating the Browns.

The Packers’ Offensive Line

It may not be just one player, but the whole offensive front will have to step up against the Browns.

“A very disruptive unit,” coach Matt LaFleur said of the Browns’ defensive front. “They get off the ball, create a lot of carnage from the offensive line perspective. They do a great job. And they play with relentless effort. I think that’s something that they can hang their hat on is just how hard they play for four quarters.”

Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While most of the spotlight goes to Myles Garrett due to his production, the Browns have one of the best overall defensive lines in the NFL. Veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins is second in pass-rush win rate at his position, according to PFF. The edge rusher opposite Garrett, Isaiah McGuire, is 15th among edge rushers in pass-rush win rate. The Browns used their first-round pick on defensive tackle Mason Graham, who has yet to blossom into a dangerous pass rusher but has helped the Browns become the top rushing defense in the NFL.

The Packers’ offensive line, especially with Zach Tom questionable following an oblique injury, will have its hands full trying to stop this defensive front from reaching Jordan Love as well as trying to clear space for Josh Jacobs.

Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper

On a defense that has been so dominant, with star power like Micah Parsons, Xavier McKinney and Rashan Gary, Edgerrin Cooper is making a name for himself as one of the best linebackers in football and one of the best defenders on the team.

Cooper entered Week 3 ranked third in tackles. Among all linebackers with at least 10 tackles, Cooper’s average tackle depth of 0.6 yards is No. 1.

Cooper could be in line for another big game. Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is averaging just 5.4 yards per pass attempt, putting receivers right in Cooper’s line of sight to make a tackle. On top of that, the Browns are averaging only 3.6 yards per carry, and Cooper should be in a prime position to help lower that number.

With the Packers’ pass rush being so strong, paired with the fact that Flacco is one of the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, Cooper may get some shots at rushing the quarterback due to his speed and knack for getting into the backfield.

If anything, the power of the pass rush paired with the strength of the secondary through two games means a lot of checkdowns and balls thrown to the flats, giving Cooper an opportunity to have his third consecutive and fifth career game with double-digit tackles.

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“I think we’re two of the very best in this generation, so just got to continue to lead the way. I think saying that he’s in (the conversation) and that I’m in it is not out of the norm.”

On Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett, a pair of truly elite talents.https://t.co/6Q9mFY3vtS
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 20, 2025