Starting Corner, Rookie Corner Top Winners, Losers From Packers Training Camp

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he loves what Brandon Cisse is all about.

“He is a A-plus human and he loves football. The sky’s the limit for him,” LaFleur said before Tuesday’s practice, the sixth of Packers training camp.

Cisse leads off the winners of the day while veteran cornerback Keisean Nixon is among the losers.

Winner: CB Brandon Cisse

This was the first time the team held one-on-ones. That means it was Brandon Cisse, on an island. He took three reps and won them all, preventing completions from Jordan Love to Savion Williams, Kyle McCord to Williams and Jordan Love to Williams.

“We’ll go watch the tape,” Cisse said, trying to downplay his performance.

Rookie CB Brandon Cisse in 1-on-1s today: pic.twitter.com/PbpSA0Z0Tu
— Kelly Hallinan (@kellyhals) August 4, 2026

Cisse said it wasn’t necessarily a big day.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a big day because every day it’s a practice, and you don’t treat any day like it’s any day different than a Super Bowl,” he said. “Every time I go to practice, you treat it like it’s a Super Bowl so, when the game comes, it’s a lot easy flowing.

“You kind of treat those moments like it’s your last chance to play the game, and sometimes your actions need to reflect that. And that’s kind of how I’ve been trying to grow. And every day, just taking every game rep, even when I’m tired, you know, not losing technique and trusting my ability, and keep learning.”

Loser: CB Keisean Nixon

One-on-ones are not the most important measuring stick, especially if you’re a veteran like Keisean Nixon. For many veterans, the one-on-ones are a time to experiment or work on something specific.

Nonetheless, Nixon is a prideful man. On his first rep, he gave up an easy completion to Christian Watson on an in-breaking route. Next, he got beat at the line on a deep pass to J. Michael Sturdivant. The pass wound up being incomplete but Nixon probably would have been called for interference. He did win his final rep when he essentially ran the route for Bo Melton and gave the quarterback no window.

Winner: Jonathan Gannon

Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon talks with head coach Matt LaFleur during practice on Tuesday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

By our estimation, the defense has beat the offense at all six practices of training camp. Obviously, new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon isn’t hanging any banners in his office over the “accomplishment,” but it’s safe to say that his first-year unit is off to a strong start.

He has blitzed relentlessly, and productively. It might not be much of an exaggeration to say every player on the defensive unit has at at least once pressure. That includes double-corner blitzes featuing Benjamin St-Juste and Jaylin Simpson, who would have squashed Tyrod Taylor for sacks on back-to-back days.

Winner: LT Jordan Morgan

So far, so good for the Packers’ new starting left tackle. Whether it was his first day of one-on-ones – a good way to celebrate his 25th birthday – or pass protection during the two padded practices, Jordan Morgan has been more than up to the task.

Winner: WR Matthew Golden

This could be an evergreen comment about Golden. All he does is get open and catch the ball. He hasn’t made any big downfield catches. It’s 8 yards here and 10 yards there, quite often on third down. Late in practice, for instance, he beat Brandon Cisse on an out to move the chains on third-and-6.

Matthew Golden with the catch today. pic.twitter.com/ao6ddGqG3M
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 4, 2026

“Matt, we go back to Texas and I’ve done seen him before,” Barryn Sorrell said. “Even at Texas, he wasn’t the top guy but then he just kept working, kept his head down and you see at the end of that year, he’s the guy. I just feel he’s doing the same thing again – he’s keeping his head down, keep working and he’ll be ready when his number is called.”

Winner: WR Jayden Reed

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed catches a pass against Javon Bullard on Tuesday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The best matchups on the practice field have matched the team’s starters in the slot, receiver Jayden Reed and safety Javon Bullard.

In live situations, Bullard has been the winner. Reed beat him twice in one-on-ones, though, with a diving catch near the sideline and a big gain on a wheel route. For all the talk about Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, and it’s deserved, don’t forget that Reed has put up the best numbers among the trio.

Loser: WR Savion Williams

We hit on Savion Williams’ day against Cisse in the opener to this story. He’s made a few plays during the first six practices of training camp, including a catch over the middle on a pass from Tyrod Taylor on Tuesday, but not enough given the team’s lack of proven receiver depth.

Winner: WRs J. Michael Sturdivant, Isaiah Neyor

There is some intriguing talent at the bottom of the receiver depth chart. On Monday, it was Will Sheppard’s day. On Tuesday, it was J. Michael Sturdivant and Isaiah Neyor.

Sturdivant had the aforementioned rep against Keisean Nixon in one-on-ones and he closed the drill by showing incredibly strong hands on a slant against tight coverage by Shemar Bartholomew. Neyor had a big catch late in practice. On third-and-8, he caught an out against Bartholomew. The coverage was good, the throw was better and Neyor did a great job getting his feet down.

Can someone win a roster spot? That will mean stringing together productive practices.That Neyor and Sturdivant were in the gunner rotation during a punt drill shows they are in contention.

Loser: RB Damien Martinez

This isn’t so much a knock on Damien Martinez. A running back is only as good as his blockers, and he just hasn’t had much of a chance to get going.

Martinez is an intriguing talent. He was a seventh-round pick last year by the Seahawks after averaging better than 6 yards per carry in each season at Oregon State and Miami. He fits the Packers’ big-guy mold. He has shown excellent pass-catching skill during drills. He just hasn’t had a prayer during 11-on-11 periods.

On the third-to-last play of practice, he took the handoff and ran into a brick wall known as Nazir Stackhouse. On the next play, he and Kyron Drones weren’t on the same page and their handoff wound up on the turf.

Winners: DTs Warren Brinson, Chris McClellan, Nazir Stackhouse

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Warren Brinson (91) gestures to fans as he rides a bicycle to practice on Sunday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The good thing about the Packers not having Devonte Wyatt and Javon Hargrave available has been the opportunities it’s created for the other defensive tackles.

They’ve all taken advantage.

Brinson, who has gotten some work with the No. 1s as a nose tackle and with the nickel package in passing situations, was great in one-on-ones. McClellan, who was drafted in the third round because he’s more than just a run-stuffing nose tackle, showed that again with a sack of Kyron Drones. Stackhouse has gotten a lot of work with the No. 1 unit and has been consistent against the run.

“Repetition is everything,” McClellan said this week. “Doing the same thing over and over again, which is easy for me because I’ve been trying to be a pro since my last year of college. That meant having a routine, knowing what I like, knowing what I don’t like, knowing what I need to do and what I don’t need to do.

“Before games, before film, before anything, it’s all about being professional. That’s been the easier adjustment for me, honestly, as far as meetings, knowing what the expectation is, especially going through spring ball and having that experience as well. That’s been the easy part as far as adjusting to that. Now it’s starting to learn how I can go out here and dominate practice and show up on every play.”

Winner: Edge Barryn Sorrell

Barryn Sorrell, who seems destined to be the starter opposite Lukas Van Ness when the season begins, was sensational as our Player of the Day. His pick-six on a throwback screen was the highlight of the day.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “I don’t even know how to describe it. Definitely a great feeling anytime I can go out there and make plays, that’s what I’m out there to do. It’s fun.”

Without Parsons, it will be all hands on deck to provide some pass rush. Sorrell flashed that ability during one-on-ones.

“I felt good,” he said. “We’ve been going against these guys for a minute. Just trusting my looks. Knowing this is what I prepared for all offseason is getting better at my pass rush so I can be the player that I want to be. When the opportunity was there today, I had to take advantage of it. I’m proud of myself and happy that the work that I’ve put in is showing up.”

Winner: Edge Brenton Cox

Speaking of all hands on deck, Brenton Cox is going to be a big part to the puzzle. Sort of overlooked because he’s not a recent draft pick like Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver or Dani Dennis-Sutton, No. 57 continues to get in the backfield. His first snap of the day, for instance, he was right in the face of Tyrod Taylor. A little later, he once again was in the backfield to force Taylor into a checkdown.

Winner: S Evan Williams

In the new defensive scheme, safety Evan Williams is going to spend more time in the box to help the run defense. So far, so good.

Williams’ anticipation and athleticism have been easy to see day after day after day. One play stands out. Late in practice, Josh Jacobs didn’t have anywhere to go up the middle, so he bounced the ball to the outside. There was a lane available, thanks to an excellent block by one of the receivers, but Williams was there in a blur to limit Jacobs to a minimal gain.

Also, he won a blitz, which forced Jordan Love into an off-target throw to Christian Watson, who was running free over the middle.

Losers: TEs RJ Maryland, Luke Lachey

Tight ends RJ Maryland and Luke Lachey had paths to winning roster spots in the wide-open tight end competition. Instead, both players were waived/injured on Tuesday, with Maryland out with a hamstring injury and Lachey on a scooter with a foot injury.

It’s a tough part of the business, but the Packers needed healthy tight ends and they couldn’t afford to wait for two promising players.

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