Three Standout Performances by Packers During Preseason

For players battling for a spot on the roster, impact preseason games are a necessity. Here are three noteworthy performances headed into the final week of the preseason.

Green Bay Packers running back Amar Johnson (46) celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Standout performances in the preseason are about getting noticed.

Back in the days of two-a-day practices, players used to say the best way to get noticed on the back end of the roster was to start a fight. Obviously, those are largely discouraged now, and there are fewer practice opportunities across the NFL.

Preseason football is like giving a morsel of food to a hungry dog. It’s gobbled up immediately, but always leaves us wanting more. That’s true of this preseason, as well, but there are some positives to take from it.

Who does not love a good story from training camp and the preseason? Desmond Howard’s standout performance earned him a spot on the roster of the 1996 Packers. The rest, as they say, is history. Standout performances – those get-you-noticed moments by a player on the back end of the roster – can be the difference between earning a job and looking for a new place to live.

Through two weeks of the preseason, here are three standout performances.

Amar Johnson, Week 1

Amar Johnson is playing in a loaded position group that includes four players who were on the roster last season.

The backfield belongs to Josh Jacobs, and everyone knows it. Behind him, the Packers love MarShawn Lloyd’s skill-set if they can keep him on the field. Chris Brooks is their best pass protector and a primary special teamer. Emanuel Wilson averaged 5.0 yards per carry as the No. 2 back last season.

Despite that, Johnson wanted to come to Green Bay.

Johnson was on the injured list at the beginning of training camp, which could have caused him to fall far enough behind in the competition to make a run at a spot on the 53-man roster or the practice squad. Fortunately for Johnson, he was able to make his way onto the field in time for the team’s first preseason game against the New York Jets.

In an otherwise forgettable night, Johnson was the team’s biggest bright spot, which included a touchdown run that will end up in preseason highlight reels. Johnson finished the night as the team’s leading rusher.

Of the running backs outside of the top four guys, Johnson has been the most impressive through two preseason games, as he followed up his big performance in the opener with another touchdown run against the Indianapolis Colts.

A spot on the roster still seems like a long shot, but Johnson should be a preferred candidate for the practice squad.

Nazir Stackhouse, Week 1

When you’re an undrafted free agent, you have to make big plays. That could be difficult for a defensive tackle who is going to make his money as a run stuffer. As important as stopping the run is, it simply doesn’t pop off the screen in the same way as a quarterback sneak. One way to make sure your big plays jump off the screen is to have it result in a turnover.

Before the Packers-Steelers Super Bowl, 8-year-old Nazir Stackhouse, an impressive #Packers rookie defensive tackle, made a bet with his mom. ⬇️https://t.co/XOhMjPpqbw

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 16, 2025

In this case, it was a turnover on downs. With the Jets facing a fourth-and-1, Stackhouse used every ounce of his frame to penetrate the Jets’ backfield. Kristian Welch helped clean up the mess that Stackhouse helped create.

Stackhouse might be a role player, but he could play a big role early if he makes the 53-man roster. The Packers will play the Detroit Lions in the first game of the regular season. They get off the bus running the football. Plays like the one Stackhouse made against the Jets will be paramount in helping slow down their dynamic run game.

Defensive Line, Joint Practice

Maybe this is cheating, but there is a clear shift across the NFL for how most coaches view the preseason. A lot of teams do not play their starters in the preseason, and would rather see their starters play in controlled environments. A practice session against another team provides a bit of the best of both worlds.

Coaches and athletes crave competition at any time of the year, but want to make sure that their team is healthy for when the games matter. When the Packers faced off against the Colts in Thursday’s practice session, a clear theme emerged.

Green Bay’s defensive line lived in the backfield, and it wasn’t just by the likes of Lukas Van Ness and Rashan Gary.

Whether it was the starters, reserves or some combination, the Packers made life difficult on both Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson. According to those in attendance, there were 10 sacks, interceptions by Keisean Nixon, Jonathan Baldwin and Isaiah Simmons, and a forced fumble by Javon Bullard.

Final damage for #Packers defense against Colts: 10 sacks, 4 takeaways, at least 3 TFLs.

Colts had TD in 2-minute period. Only highlight today. They also had red-zone period of 22 plays. Packers allowed just one TD, a 3-yard run.

Yeah...it was like that.

— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) August 14, 2025

Green Bay’s brass talked a lot this offseason about getting pressure with their front four. While it is just one practice – and it should be noted the defensive line did the same thing a year ago – it was an encouraging sign.

“We got some monsters down there,” second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper said about his defensive line.

If those monsters are real, the Packers’ defense could take a significant leap under coordinator Jeff Hafley, who had to be more exotic with his pressures a season ago to offset the lack of pressure from his front four.