The NFL regular season is quickly approaching, but a few Green Bay Packers players are facing big moments in the preseason, including in Friday night’s contest against the Denver Broncos.
Whether it’s players fighting for starting/rotational roles on either side of the ball, or under-the-radar names simply trying to make the 53-man roster, there’s still plenty for a number of players to be playing for in the preseason, especially against a formidable team like Denver.
Let’s dive into a few of those
names to keep an eye on during Friday night’s contest.
Skyy Moore
Both Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst have said enough positive things about Skyy Moore to suggest that his spot on the 53-man roster is safe. However, it’s interesting to see which offensive units he’ll see time on to determine whether or not he’ll be a featured receiver on offense.
The initial expectation when the Packers signed Moore this offseason was that he’d be strictly a return specialist. However, with a strong training camp, Gutekunst and LaFleur have suggested that the 25-year-old could also play a role on offense.
Don’t worry as much about the numbers Moore puts up against the Broncos. Instead, pay attention to which offense he’s playing with. If he sees some reps with Jordan Love and the first-team unit, it’ll be a strong indicator that he’ll have a role to play beyond just returning kicks and punts in 2026.
Jager Burton
The Packers have a long track record of finding great value on Day 3 of the NFL Draft with offensive linemen. Zach Tom was a fourth-round pick, while former mainstay left tackle Rasheed Walker wasn’t selected until the seventh round out of Penn State.
Fifth-round rookie Jager Burton has a chance to be that next OL gem the Packers uncovered. A high-wasted, tenacious blocker out of Kentucky, Burton still looks a bit robotic at times, and can struggle keeping his feet moving after contact in pass protection.
However, the flashes we saw in his preseason debut were very encouraging. Burton’s anchor looked strong in pass pro, and he was quickly displacing defensive linemen in the run game.
Burton appears to be in an active competition for a starting guard spot, presumably opposite of Aaron Banks, against Jacob Monk and Anthony Belton. With another strong performance on Friday, he might win that starting job outright.
Murvin Kenion III
I’m absolutely fascinated by Murvin Kenion III, an undrafted rookie who has a real shot at making the final 53-man roster.
A 25-year-old rookie typically isn’t that interesting, but Kenion’s journey to the NFL is fascinating. His college career includes stops at City College of San Francisco, Idaho, Sacramento State, and Nevada before finally going pro.
While Kenion didn’t hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft, he made a strong final college impression at Nevada in 2025 with 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, five interceptions, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
Kenion brought some of that playmaking ability early in his preseason debut against Pittsburgh, and with another strong performance against the Broncos, he has a chance to have enough film to find a spot on Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster.
Kyle McCord
I won’t lie. I wasn’t expecting much when Kyle McCord rolled out onto the field in Week 1 of the preseason. But I came away pleasantly surprised with what the former Ohio State and Syracuse QB was able to do with the backups.
McCord completed 12-of-16 passes for 102 yards last week, but beyond the box score, seemed more than comfortable running Green Bay’s offense. While he doesn’t have top-tier physical tools, He has solid size at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, and significant starting experience in college that helps him understand defenses and what they’re trying to do against.
This isn’t to say that McCord is a starting-caliber QB, but another strong performance on Friday could allow him to stick around in Green Bay as a backup for the long haul.
