Pass rush.
Cornerback play.
The offensive line.
Josh Jacobs.
The Green Bay Packers, who lost five straight games to end the 2025 season, finished the preseason with more questions than they’ve had in many years.
The Packers certainly didn’t get many answers Friday, when they sat 37 players — including quarterback Jordan Love and all of their projected starters — for their third and final exhibition game.
Green Bay won this affair, 42-38 a contest that no one will remember a few weeks from now. For the time being, though, Packers eighth-year coach Matt LaFleur has “bragging rights” over his little brother, Arizona rookie coach Mike LaFleur.
Green Bay must now set its 53-man roster by Sunday at 5 p.m. The Packers will then begin planning for their Week 1 game at Minnesota on Sept. 13.
Here’s the good, bad and ugly from Green Bay’s win.
THE GOOD
WORTH A LONGER LOOK: It’s highly unlikely the Packers will keep three quarterbacks. That means No. 3 Kyle McCord will probably be released before Sunday night.
If the Packers can get McCord to the practice squad, though, he’s worth a longer look.
McCord continued his solid summer Friday, going 22-of-35 for 226 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 119.5. McCord led the Packers to two touchdown drives in the last 3 1/2 minutes, including the game-winner to Kisean Johnson from 10 yards out with 20 seconds left.
McCord finished his summer 46-of-70 for 446 yards with four TDs, no interceptions and a 102.44 passer rating.
“(McCord) doesn’t get a ton of opportunities in the regular practices, and so when we get out in these games and he gets these opportunities … he’s taking advantage of it, and he’s done a really, you know, the moment’s not too big for him. I think he’s, his career in college has kind of prepared him for this, and he’s gone out and he’s a gunslinger, and he goes out and he’s done a nice job.
TOUGH DECISIONS: Green Bay wide receivers Will Sheppard and J. Michael Sturdivant gave themselves at least a punchers chance to make the 53-man roster.
Sheppard, who spent last season on the practice squad, caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord midway through the second quarter to tie the game, 17-17. Then late in the first half, Sheppard had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown that was blocked magnificently well and the receiver was never touched.
Sheppard also caught a touchdown pass in Denver on Aug. 21 on a night he led Green Bay with six catches for 47 yards.
“He had a great offseason,” Green Bay wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said of Sheppard. “He came back, I thought, stronger, more confident. He’s always been able to catch the ball really well, and he’s always been a smart player for us. So he’s done a great job.”
Sturdivant, an undrafted free agent, had a big night with six receptions for 112 yards and a 29-yard touchdown. Sturdivant’s touchdown came when McCord faked a wide receiver screen to Sheppard, then delivered a dart between two defenders to Sturdivant
Wideouts Christian Watson, Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed are locks to make the team. Savion Williams and Bo Melton will almost certainly stick, and Skyy Moore is a good bet to make the final 53.
While Sheppard and Sturdivant remain longshots to stick around, they gave their coaches something to think about
SPECIAL TEAMS: Green Bay’s special teams have been abysmal for the better part of two decades.
In fact the last time the Packers finished in the top-10 of overall special teams rankings was 2007, when they ranked seventh under coordinator Mike Stock.
Since then, Shawn Slocum, Ron Zook, Shawn Mennenga, Mo Drayton and Rich Bissacia have all tried — and failed — to make Green Bay’s special teams, well, special.
Granted, it’s just the exhibition season, but things are looking up under first-year coordinator Cam Achord.
In the last two weeks, Sheppard had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown, while Pierre Strong had a 68-yard kick return. Kicker Trey Smack went 9-for-9 on field goals this summer. And the Packers held opposing punt returners to average of just 5.4 yards per return in the three exhibition games.
The hyperactive Achord has brought renewed energy to Green Bay’s special teams units, and the early returns have been encouraging. Whether that carries over into the regular season remains to be seen.
“I try to be the same person every day, whether that’s tackling a pad, headbutting a guy, whatever that may be,” Achord said. And I think it’s contagious a little bit. I really do.
“But I think the most important thing is to be yourself and be genuine. I think guys and people see through that when you’re not yourself or you try to put on a mirage. That’s just not me and I think the guys know that. They see the excitement.”
NICE TO SEE YOU: Green Bay rookie defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who missed time in camp due to heat exhaustion, had a sack that helped slow the Cardinals’ opening drive. Dennis-Sutton ran an inside stunt and sacked Gardner Minshew, which forced Arizona to settle for a 35-yard field goal from Chad Ryland.
Dennis-Sutton also had two quarterback hits, showing some of the reasons Green Bay took him in the fourth round in April.
THIS AND THAT: With Green Bay sitting nearly half of its roster, John Williams, Donovan Jennings, Jager Burton, Travis Glover and Anthony Belton formed the Packers’ starting offensive line. … Defensive tackle Anthony Campbell continued his impressive summer with a sack. … Nyjalik Kelly had an interception after Jaden Crumedy had a quarterback pressure. Kelly also had a sack and three tackles for loss. … TJ Quinn forced a fumble after a Daniel Whelan punt. Quinn also had two tackles for loss.
THE BAD
BUBBLE BURST?: Green Bay rookie sixth round draft pick Domani Jackson gave up a 41-yard touchdown to Arizona’s Simi Fehoko that gave Arizona a 10-3 lead on the first play of the second quarter.
Fehoko ran right past Jackson, and Cardinals veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew threw a strike for an easy score
Jackson, fighting for a roster spot, certainly didn’t help his cause. Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has kept 10 of his 12 sixth round draft picks since taking over in 2018, but he’ll be hard pressed to keep Jackson.
WAIT AND SEE: Green Bay sat cornerbacks Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon, Benjamin St-Juste and Carrington Valentine, and the starters for Week 1 at Minnesota remain unclear.
Cisse, the Packers’ second round pick in April, appears to be a virtual lock at one spot. Nixon, St-Juste and Valentine are battling for the other job, with Nixon the current frontrunner.
It might have been helpful to get one more chance to evaluate the corners, instead they were all given the night off.
THIS AND THAT: Veteran offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, fighting for a roster spot himself, had a third quarter holding penalty. … Isaiah Neyor dropped what would have been a 65-yard, third quarter touchdown. … Damien Martinez lost a third quarter fumble that led to an Arizona touchdown. … The Cardinals held the ball for more than 37 minutes and outgained Green Bay, 492-282.
THE UGLY
PRESEASON GAMES: The Packers rested 37 players — all of their starters and several key backups.
And while Lambeau Field was nearly full, the fans certainly didn’t get their money’s worth.
Season ticket holders pay $109 for seats between the 20-yard lines for preseason games. Endzone seats are $71.
Unfortunately for those fans, they have to buy tickets to the preseason games if they want to purchase regular season tickets.
When fans shell out good money, it’d be nice to see front-liners for at least a series or two. Instead, coaches have become more and more terrified through the years of seeing their players getting hurt during largely meaningless games in August.
That means the fans are watching a lot of players who will be out of a job by Sunday evening — and paying top dollar to do so.