The Green Bay Packers are riding high after a dominant win in Week 1 over the Detroit Lions, who previously won the NFC North in consecutive seasons. This is your reminder, though, that it’s only Week 1.
That can be a good thing, if the Packers continue to improve, or a bad thing, if their future opponents catch up to them. One way Green Bay can take a step forward is by identifying a true starter at positions where they’re currently rotating several players, preferably the better option of the bunch.
With that in mind, I want to take a snapshot of the three spots where the Packers have open positional battles right now and are rotating several players in what are usually “starting” looks.
Right Guard
When Rasheed Walker told the press post-training camp that he had outright won the left tackle job in Green Bay, it was obvious that Jordan Morgan would be fighting for playing time at right guard this season. Morgan, a 2024 first-round pick, had played left tackle, left guard and right guard this summer, but left tackle (Walker) and left guard (Aaron Banks) are now cemented every-down starters.
In Week 1, Morgan played 15 right guard snaps to Sean Rhyan’s 32. The former first-rounder also played three snaps at left guard before kneeldowns, following Aaron Banks’ exit from the game. Currently, Banks is listed as an estimated non-participant in practice with an ankle/groin injury, which means that Morgan could end up starting at left guard against the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. If Banks can go, though, expect Morgan to continue to rotate with Rhyan at right guard.
Third Linebacker
This summer, Isaiah McDuffie and Isaiah Simmons were the only two players the Packers allowed to compete at the third linebacker position, with the assumption that Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper would play every down for Green Bay. The third linebacker only comes on the field for the Packers’ 4-3 base defense snaps, which usually hover around one-third of Green Bay’s total defensive snaps played from game to game.
Simmons never made the team, so it wasn’t a surprise when McDuffie was the starter at linebacker #3 to start the season.
What’s interesting, though, is that in the third quarter of the Detroit Lions game in Week 1, the Packers actually subbed in Ty’Ron Hopper, the 2024 third-round pick, for McDuffie. Is that a sign of what’s to come versus Washington, or did Green Bay just want to give Hopper a few defensive reps? That single snap that Hopper played on defense was the last time that the Packers played their 4-3 defense, as they chose to sit in their nickel pass defense for the rest of the game to prevent a quick score through the air. Neither McDuffie nor Hopper played on defense for the rest of the game. The data on whether McDuffie was actually benched for Hopper is incomplete.
In 17 games last year, Hopper played only 18 snaps of defense. He’s not very experienced, but you can argue, and head coach Matt LaFleur does, that he’s been one of the team’s most improved players from the end of last season to this point. At a minimum, Hopper had a very strong preseason.
Defensive Backs (Safety/Slot)
Injuries complicate this situation a little bit. Cornerback Nate Hobbs missed Week 1 while recovering from summer meniscus surgery. When healthy, Hobbs is expected to be a starting outside cornerback for the Packers’ 4-3 defense. In nickel sets, it’s uncertain whether he’s going to stick at outside cornerback or kick inside to the slot.
The team’s other option in the slot is safety Javon Bullard, who played every single nickel snap in the slot while Hobbs was out last week. Bullard was displaced to the slot job last year after Evan Williams won the second safety job next to All-Pro Xavier McKinney at around mid-season.
Against the Lions, though, Bullard played 12 4-3 base defense looks at safety compared to Williams’ 5 snaps. They rotated back and forth, but Bullard got a majority of the looks with three linebackers on the field. When that extra linebacker was subbed out for another defensive back, Williams came off the bench and Bullard bumped down into the slot.
Ultimately, what this really comes down to is only two of the following three defenders can be on the field at the same time: Bullard, Williams and outside cornerback Carrington Valentine. Otherwise, cornerback Keisean Nixon, Hobbs and McKinney are every-down starters when healthy.
Green Bay is still very much in “let competition sort it out” mode here, giving all three defenders opportunities with Hobbs out of the lineup. They won’t really have to shave down that rotation, beyond base 4-3 looks, until Hobbs returns to the field.
