Demidov's insertion into the Canadiens' top power-play unit was inevitable, but it was important for him to show he had earned it.

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The Packers looked a little clunky at times and still came away with a dominant 27-18 win over the Commanders on Thursday in a festive white-out atmosphere at Lambeau Field.  It was easily the loudest game I’ve ever attended and that includes the NFC Divisional Playoff vs. the Cowboys on Jan. 11, 2015. (Dez Bryant never caught it.) The Packers outgained the Commanders 404-230 in total yardage and only won by nine. Green Bay had 10 penalties, Josh Jacobs had one run of 10 yards or more and the offensive line allowed 11 hurries thanks mainly to Zach Tom and Aaron Banks being inactive.  Regardless, it didn’t matter. This defense is like watching 11 Corvettes race to the ball.  “What I’ve been telling everyone, defense — ‘J-Love, I think you give us 20 points, we should be able to win that game,’” said Micah Parsons, who tallied three hurries and half a sack against Washington. “It’s all about getting stops and getting the ball back to the offense.” That’s the microcosm of this defense. It is really playing as one group. Nobody is playing hero ball and thinking about personal stats. Granted, Parsons might be the best pass rusher in the league, but he has made every single defensive player better the moment he opened the doors at 1265 Lombardi Ave. Keisean Nixon might have had his best game as a defensive back with four pass breakups in addition to a pair of tackles.  “The ball was just coming my way,” said Nixon. “I usually don’t get that many targets in a game, but I was in my zone. I knew what I can do.” It has only been two games but the Packers have aced both tests against two very good teams. This is a special team not simply because of one or two guys but because of how well those guys fit together. In 53 pass attempts, Jordan Love doesn’t have an interception. Eleven players have caught a pass this season — including Malik Heath’s amazing 37-yard toe tapper on Thursday.  But the player that has really raised eyebrows for me  is second year safety Javon Bullard. He is currently third on the team in total tackles with 14 after racking up five solo tackles on Thursday. This is a team with Parsons, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt and he’s only behind Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker for tackles. That’s pretty amazing. He is showing that teams cannot just look at his 5-foot-10, 198-pound frame and expect to get chunks of yards. “No big plays,” Parsons said. “We made them earn everything, and that’s the good part.” The scary part for the rest of the NFL is that this team still has room to grow. They’ve played two games and have played dominant football but have still allowed room for improvement.  Right now the defense is playing in fifth gear as it sprints to the ball on every play. When the offense catches up by being more consistent, this team is going to be downright scary.  Filed Under: Packers NewsFeaturedGreen Bay PackersCory JennerjohnCory's Corner   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersWashington CommandersTags: Keisean NixonJavon BullardMicah Parsonsdevonte wyattRashan Gary Like 0 points

Let’s take a look at former Packers visitors who should be available next week.

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When the Green Bay Packers selected Jordan Morgan in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, experts were divided as to where he would best fit in the NFL. He played left tackle in college and played it well. However, many scouts felt Morgan would be better suited to playing guard in the NFL because his arm length was a bit shorter than the ideal measurements for a tackle. In his rookie season, the Packers had Morgan taking reps at both left tackle and right guard at OTAs. But the coaching staff quickly realized that his best chance of playing as a rookie would be at right guard. By training camp, Morgan was playing almost exclusively at right guard and battled with Sean Rhyan for that starting spot. Injuries limited Morgan and he ended up as the backup at right guard. He rotated in for several series per game with Rhyan and even started one game when Josh Myers was out with an injury and Elgton Jenkins had to slide over to center. Unfortunately, injuries ended Morgan’s season after just six games. He spent the rest of the year watching, rehabbing his injured shoulder and waiting for another chance to crack the lineup. This year, Morgan has again been battling at both left tackle and right guard. But injuries to several offensive linemen impacted where Morgan has lined up in training camp and during the preseason. Starting left tackle Rasheed Walker missed some time due to a groin injury and that gave Morgan more reps at his old college position. He played well there in both preseason games. Despite the first team offense’s struggles, Morgan has not allowed a sack or a pressure in either game. He has demonstrated the footwork and technique to play tackle in the NFL and did it against the opponent’s first-string defense. Walker has now returned to practice. The battle for the starting left tackle spot may be the most significant competition in the final week of the preseason. But another offensive line injury has complicated things. Starting left guard Aaron Banks, who the Packers signed to a lucrative free agent deal during the offseason, has been struggling with a back injury that hasn’t fully healed. That means that Morgan has seen some time at left guard in practice recently and has acquitted himself well there when given the opportunity. So, Matt LaFleur and the Packers coaching staff have some decisions to make both for the short term and long term. For the short term, we still don’t know if Banks will be ready to play in Week 1 when the Packers host Detroit. Since LaFleur has often said he wants the best five offensive linemen on the field, that could mean plugging Morgan in at left guard if Banks isn’t ready to play. That would create a starting offensive line of Walker at left tackle, Morgan at left guard, Jenkins at center, Rhyan at right guard and Zach Tom at right tackle. But for the long term, the Packers need to decide if Morgan is predominantly a tackle or a guard. If he beats out Walker for the left tackle position, he will start there. If he doesn’t, when Banks is healthy, Morgan could very well serve as the first man off the bench at every position along the offensive line except center this season. LaFleur could also continue to rotate Morgan into the lineup for several series each game, possibly even at multiple positions. Both Walker and Rhyan are entering the final year of their entry level contracts. The Packers cannot afford to give both of them big contracts to stay in Green Bay next season after paying Banks, Tom, and possibly Jenkins. Will the Packers look at Morgan as a tackle who can also play guard, or a guard who can also play tackle? Where will he compete first for a starting job next season if he doesn’t win one this year? The key to the answer will likely be which lineup allows the Packers to get their best five offensive linemen on the field. The versatility the team loves in the linemen will certainly come into play when they make that decision. The fact that Morgan can play four of the five positions along the line will work in his favor. Morgan has taken a step forward in his second preseason with the team. Now, we’ll find out where he plays and how big a step he’s taken when the season gets under way. Filed Under: FeaturedGil Martin   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersJordan MorganRasheed WalkerAaron BanksSean Rhyan Like 0 points

Training Camp and the Preseason are drawing to a close for the 2025 version of the Green Bay Packers. Today, the Packers will face off against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Playoffs at 3 p.m. CST at Lambeau Field. This will be the seventh time the two teams have met in the Preseason, with the last meeting resulting in a 19-15 Packers victory at Lambeau Field.  The last time these two teams met in the Preseason, it was the final exhibition game just before the Jordan Love era kicked off in Green Bay. Love went 9/15 for 63 yards and a touchdown. While on the ground, Emanuel Wilson led the way with 17 carries for 49 yards. The game would be sealed by a Nate McCrary 1-yard touchdown run with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter to give the Packers the victory.   Last week, in Preseason game 2, we saw a bit of improvement by the Packers' offense moving the football in their 23-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Taylor Elgersma led the way through the air, with Israel Abanikanda and Amar Johnson leading the way on the ground. The game was wrapped up with a great two-minute drill-style offensive attack led by QB Sean Clifford in his only drive of the game, where he wrapped it up in a pretty bow, running in the game-winning touchdown with only 1:31 remaining on the clock of the 4th quarter. The Colts nearly stole the game with 0:13 remaining on the clock when QB Jake Bean hit Jelani Woods at the Green Bay 1-yard line, but the replay official reviewed the play and deemed it an incomplete pass, giving the Packers the victory.  Penalties on offense in the first half ended up being one of the biggest stories of Preseason game 2, especially with rookie second-round pick offensive lineman Anthony Belton, who drew five calls in the first half alone. Hopefully, we will see some improvement in that realm today.  What to see on Offense Thursday's joint practice got rather heated between the Packers' offense and Seattle's defense. Zach Tom and Anthony Belton were seen throwing haymakers in two different scuffles. Many said the Packers/Seahawks joint practice had the biggest practice scuffle they'd ever seen. Admittedly, if there was going to be a practice scuffle, we can be glad it came between the Packers and another team and not an internal scuffle between teammates.  Nonetheless, this will be something to keep eyes on. In a game situation, you would imagine cooler heads would prevail; however, each side will probably make attempts at provoking the other into penalties.   The battle for what will likely be the practice squad quarterback position should be decided with today's game. The job seemed to be Sean Clifford's to lose when training camp started back in July, but Taylor Elgersma has made a case for the position. Last week, Elgersma entered the game after QB2 Malik Willis and took advantage of the extra game time, putting together a pretty decent game. The Packers sort of know what they have in Sean Clifford, but it will be interesting to see how much time behind center each quarterback receives as they make their case for the practice squad position.  Players to watch who will be battling for a roster or practice squad spot: RB's Israel Abanikanda and Amar Johnson - Both running backs have shown some promise so far; Johnson seems to lead the way so far. This is  G/C Jacob Monk - Monk has shown flashes here and there, but just hasn't put together a strong showing in-game yet. Today will be a big opportunity for him to show if he's worthy of a roster spot.  T Anthony Belton - The second-round pick isn't in jeopardy of losing his roster spot, but with the penalties he had the previous two games, he will be looking to bounce back with a strong showing today.  WR's Mecole Hardman, Cornelius Johnson, Malik Heath, and Julian Hicks - There's likely only one WR spot on this roster still up for grabs. Maybe two. That battle is likely between Malik Heath and Mecole Hardman. Neither have really had that strong of a camp, but a good game today could change that. Johnson and Hicks are practice-squad hopefuls who will be looking to pull away from the rest of the pack in that category.  What to See on Defense Seattle's WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba had his way with the Packers' secondary during joint practice on Thursday. Granted, some likely starters were removed from the practice and won't play today either, but it will be an interesting test to see how the secondary responds. With all the uncertainty around the Packers' CB room, those on the field will surely want to make a statement today; otherwise, get ready for panic surrounding the position heading into the regular season.   One player many of us will have eyes on is Isaiah Simmons. The linebacker has received a lot of praise in training camp practices; however, that praise has not translated to games. Simmons has often looked out of place and confused. Many thought he could be a roster lock just before preseason kicked off, but now, not so much. A strong game today from Simmons could help improve his stock, and we love to see a Brian Gutekunst reclamation project go on to be successful. Let's hope the former 8th overall pick can put together a good showing today and give himself a shot at redemption.     Players to watch who will be battling for a roster or practice squad spot: DT Nazir Stackhouse - Stackhouse has been impressive in practice and has held his own in-game. Stackhouse's spot on the roster could rely on the Packers not requiring the spot elsewhere, and he could be a risk to let fall through waivers to the practice squad. A solid showing today may convince the team to keep him rostered. CBs Micah Robinson and Kalen King  - These two could be battling for the final CB position on the roster. Both have been fairly impressive so far in camp, but Kalen King may have the edge as far as versatility and experience go. Robinson could take the lead, however, with a big game today.  LB Kristian Welch - Welch was a difficult cut candidate last year, and he will be a difficult one this year as well. Perhaps this could be the year, though, he makes the opening day roster.   Extra Notes Usually, this would be where I would talk about Special Teams. I don't think that's a concern at all. Brandon McManus has had a stellar camp, enough that they made him a referee for a day, and Daniel Whelan seems to be set for a possible All-Pro season. Long snapper Matt Orzech has no worries about his job either. So, that leaves Mark McNamee, the Kicker from Canada, by way of Ireland. McNamee has had his ups and downs since arriving, but he should be worth keeping on the practice squad as a development kicker, as the NFL's International Player Pathway Program would permit the team to keep him without him counting as a true practice squad position.   In the End We can only hope for one thing: leaving the field today, a healthy Packers squad with a few questions answered, ready to take on Detroit week 1 in just 15 days.        Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersGreg MeinholzPreview and PredictionGameDay PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersPhiladelphia EaglesNFC NorthTags: Green Bay PackersTaylor ElgersmaNazir StackhouseAmar JohnsonMicah Robinson Like 0 points

He easily had the best camp. His athleticism jumped off the page and his catching ability was on full display. He was the first wide receiver to be taken in the first round by the Packers in 23 years. Of course, I’m talking about Matthew Golden. The University of Texas standout had 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns last year. He also returned 14 kickoffs.  Golden stuck out right away because of his ability to run sticky routes. It’s almost as if there’s a railroad track under his feet because he effortlessly makes breakneck turns, which leaves his defender in the dust.  “We get to some of those third downs when people are trying to mug us up and you need someone to get open fast, he can do that,” said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst after making the pick. Now I know, you don’t want to put the cart before the horse — especially in preseason. The defenses are playing vanilla and don’t want to show anything. But at the same time, there’s a reason why Golden has earned the nickname “Bullet.”  But it’s not just his legs that have caught the eye of the Packers in camp.  “He’s got some of the most natural hands I’ve been around in my whole career,” said Packers coach Matt LaFleur.  Some people have already started to compare Golden to Greg Jennings, which is a lot because Golden hasn’t played in a game that matters yet.  The Packers have had plenty of solid receivers over the years. But Golden has all the tools. He’s fast, he’s got the hands, he has a great attitude and has that thirst to get better. That’s exactly what the Packers want and it might be why we will spot Jordan Love chuckling to himself when he sees Golden all by himself. The thing the Packers needed was someone that could consistently get open on their own. Granted, LaFleur does a good job of scheming guys open with motion and play-action, but when the Packers need a catch in a big spot, they are going to need a wideout to beat their man. “Man, I think he’s shown up since Day 1 and just really shown his play style, shown what he’s all about," said Packers quarterback Jordan Love. “He came in really polished and has been making plays since Day 1. He’s got very aggressive hands, he’s a smooth route runner, he’s got speed. So I think for him, it’s just continuing to understand the playbook and wrap his head around everything we have in.” Now, does that mean that Golden will be WR1? With this wide receiver group, it truly doesn’t matter.  Filed Under: Packers NewsFeaturedGreen Bay PackersCory JennerjohnCory's Corner   PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Matthw GoldenGreen Bay PackersMatt LaFleur2025 Green Bay Packers Training Camp Like 0 points

Over the next few days, more than 40% of players currently on NFL rosters will hit the transaction wire. This offers the Packers an opportunity to hunt for some gems.

Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd has yet another hamstring injury, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

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The Green Bay Packers overcame themselves as much as they did the Indianapolis Colts to earn their first preseason win in comeback fashion Saturday, 24-19. Green Bay committed 12 penalties for 95 yards, while Indianapolis balanced the flag fest by adding 11 for 103. Coach Matt LaFleur rested almost all starters for the game as planned.    The second-string offense opened the game with a promising drive against the Colts’ starting defense. The Packers converted two fourth downs en route to the fringe red zone. On a 4th & 1, Chris Brooks ducked left behind Jordan Morgan and Donovan Jennings for the conversion.    Then from midfield, Malik Willis bought time inside a clean pocket before John Fitzpatrick broke open over the middle. Willis fired the pass to him for the 4th & 5 conversion. However, the drive stalled and backup kicker Mark McNamee missed his first NFL field goal attempt wide left from 39 yards.    The sixth play on the Packers’ second drive epitomized much of the game for both teams. Facing a 3rd and 4 from his own 41, Willis – much like Jordan Love a year ago – opted for a low-percentage deep throw down the sideline into tight coverage. Willis dropped the ball beautifully into the bucket for receiver Julian Hicks who made a remarkable one-handed, sliding catch as he kept his knee in bounds. A holding call on Jennings negated the big play.    The Green Bay defensive backups held their own against the Indianapolis starters, though the Colts had plenty of their own self-inflicted mistakes. The Colts’ first drive stalled at midfield after a botched snap. Arron Mosby forced a holding penalty on Indianapolis’ second drive in the low red zone which led to a Colts field goal, 3-0.     Rookie tackle Anthony Belton’s awful second quarter began on the next Green Bay drive. He started the drive with a false start, and effectively ended it at midfield when he committed an inexcusable unnecessary roughness penalty. On the second Packer drive of the quarter, Belton committed a facemask penalty while the Colts recovered an Emmanuel Wilson fumble. Belton’s blunders continued to worsen.    Taylor Elgersma, now at quarterback, led the Packers to the Colts’ 20-yard line with under 30 seconds left in the half. On first down, Belton allowed a pressure that almost turned into a sack and fumble. On the next play, the mammoth lineman didn’t line up on the line of scrimmage. The miscue negated a touchdown pass Elgersma rifled down the middle between two defenders to Ben Sims. Green Bay settled for a field goal to end the half, and cameras showed LaFleur expressing his frustration to Belton as the team jogged to the locker room. Belton committed five penalties in the second quarter and directly cost the team four points.    While the Packer offense again failed to get out of its own way, the Colts found success. Anthony Richardson led a balanced 12-play, 90-yard drive that ended in a touchdown run by former Packer Tyler Goodson. Indianapolis added three more after the Wilson fumble and led at halftime 13-3.    Belton, along with the rest of the team, responded in the second half. After a Colts three-and-out, Elgersma led Green Bay on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. The Canadian slinger displayed some arm talent finding Cornelius Johnson over the middle for a conversion, and setting his back foot and ripping the ball to Hicks in tight coverage. He also displayed his inexperience with the American game when he threw the ball late to the backside for an interception. Fortunately, a Colt penalty negated the pick. Israel Abanikanda punched in Green Bay’s first touchdown from three yards out, 13-10.    A Colts field goal pushed the lead to six before Green Bay scored another touchdown to tie the game at 16 after McNamee missed the extra point. Eglersma twice found Johnson on crossing routes, including an 18-yard pickup on 4th & 3. Two players later, Amar Johnson plunged in with a pile of bodies for the tying nine-yard touchdown run. On the play, Belton drove his defensive lineman four yards off the ball and then bulldozed the pile across the goal line.    Belton played almost the entire second half after starting the game, and didn’t commit a penalty in the final 30 minutes. Elgersma finished 7/11 for 109 yards while Johnson had three catches for 41 yards.    Indianapolis answered with another field goal before Sean Clifford had his turn at quarterback. With 6:33 on the clock, Clifford managed a game-winning touchdown drive that found success on the ground. Clifford converted a 4th & 7 with his legs when he scrambled left for nine yards. Then on 2nd & goal from the 11, Clifford kept the ball on what appeared to be a zone read. He again found green grass to the left and scampered in for the winning touchdown with a minute and a half remaining, 24-19.   Indianapolis moved the ball rather easily on its final drive before finally being stopped at the Green Bay 31. On 4th & 10 with 13 seconds remaining, tight end Jelani Woods broke free up the right sideline and appeared to make an acrobatic touchdown catch at the front pylon. However, replay review determined he didn’t complete the catch through the ground and the Packers held on for the win.    Other Notes   * Elgersma took the majority of series at quarterback after only have one last week. The playing time flipped with Clifford.  * Jordan Morgan again played the entire first half at left tackle and did a very good job, even against the Colts’ starters for a drive. It will be interesting how much he pushes Rasheed Walker for the starting left tackle spot, or if it’s just truly Morgan and Sean Rhyan battling for the starting right guard job.  * Marshawn Lloyd looked excellent in his first, brief action of the season. He beat a linebacker on a wheel route up the right sideline for 33 yards. He was then rolled up on the tackle and appeared to injure his right foot or leg. He did not return after LaFleur simply said “we’ll see” regarding the injury. * Safety Omar Brown was carted off with an oxygen mask due to a chest contusion and will stay in Indianapolis overnight. End Barryn Sorrell injured his knee and will be evaluated back in Green Bay. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Jocelyn Hopkinson is a contributor for CheeseheadTV and can be found on Twitter at Jh0p_4 __________________________   NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersIndianapolis Colts Like 0 points

Those of us hardcore fans who do our best never to miss a single play of Green Bay Packers football are familiar with the question, "Why do you watch preseason games?" Many casual fans who only tune in when week 1 rolls around just can't grasp the concept of watching a game when it "doesn't matter." One response among the die hards you might hear is that, sure, the stars and starters may not be playing or even going at 100% when they are, but it's fun to watch those guys that are fighting for a job. There are hundreds of players suiting up during preseason, where it may be their only shot to live their dream of being an NFL player. Those guys running at 115% in the second half make it worth watching.  There's also that little chance that one of those players could be a future star and no one knows it yet. And that alone can make it fun to say you were watching them from the beginning when everyone else said those reps didn't count.  Last night's preseason game, however, was one of those times that make even the diehard fans question why they're watching. The Packers fell to the Jets 30-10 in a very uninspired showing in front of the Lambeau faithful. While the Jets came out swinging all night long, the Packers just seemed to be out there going through the motions and waiting for the clock to hit all zeros, signaling that it was time to go home. Of course, that wasn't true for every player wearing a green jersey, as there were some bright spots, but that just seemed to be the overall feel from the start of the game until about halfway through the third quarter. Sure, the New York Jets are turning the page with their franchise. With a new head coach in Aaron Glenn, a new General Manager, and a new Quarterback, this team wants to come out firing no matter what the stakes are. They need to make a statement for not only their fans, but for themselves as well, that this is a different era of Jets football and it's going to be better. The Packers, however, don't need that hype. They're already slated to be one of the better teams in the NFC, and they're just trying to get through preseason and training camp healthy so that they don't jeopardize their chances. Well, I think last night proved that "just get through it" is a bad idea.  There were holding penalties galore, there were dropped passes, there were defenders who, instead of attacking the football, seemed to be just jogging over to create the illusion of being "involved in the play." Going up against a Lions team in week 1 that always seems to be ready to punch you in the mouth, that's just not going to cut it. HC Matt LaFleur expressed discontent with the showing and displayed an urgency to fix the issues that reared their ugly head, and earlier this week, LaFleur stated that he didn't want to baby the starters too much in preseason games, as it has been proven in the past to lead to slow starts. Well, hopefully, he pushes the envelope on not coddling the playmakers, as they only have four weeks to ramp up that intensity before it can truly come back to bite them.  Perhaps they can take some of the few positives from this game and put them on full display for all to see how it's done. The Silver Lining As much as this game was begging to be switched off on televisions across the state of Wisconsin, there were a few good takeaways.  Jordan Morgan - Morgan took reps at left tackle during this game, and he looked pretty solid at the position. He held his own at the line of scrimmage, and despite Rasheed Walker normally being penciled in as the starting left tackle, I honestly think Morgan could make a case for overtaking Walker as the starter.  Barryn Sorrell - The fourth-round pick looks like he's ready to insert himself in the nightmares of NFL quarterbacks. At least two big-time pressures, one of which nearly forced an interception. You want your pass rushers to be relentless in getting home. Sorrell looks like he will do just that.  Nazir Stackhouse  - I liked Stackhouse before the draft, was thrilled the Packers nabbed him, and he's showing us why. The UDFA was controlling blockers at the line of scrimmage, and it appears that with some more seasoning and experience, he could be a force along the Packers' defensive line. Anthony Belton -  Once Anthony Belton gets his hands on a defender, it's over. And it was over for a Jets defender when he pancaked him, leading to an Amar Johnson touchdown. There's a lot to be excited about with Anthony Belton, so far he's been the mauling lineman he was advertised as.  Amar Johnson -  If Matt LaFleur wants to ramp up the drive and intensity of this team, just show everyone Amar Johnson's seven carries for 67 yards and a touchdown on repeat. The burst he showed to the line of scrimmage on every single carry was what dreams are made of. He wants his chance to make this roster, and even without the touchdown carry, I'd say he's on everyone's radar next week.  Though not many, there were a few other decent takeaways from this game. We can only hope that those are the only takeaways that return next week against the Colts, and we leave out the negative.    Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersGreg Meinholz PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersMatt LaFleurAmar JohnsonNazir StackhouseAnthony Belton Like 0 points

I’m a big fan of Bo Melton. Some might even label me a Bo Melton stan, and I won’t push back much on that. I have been since he exploded onto the scene back in 2023 against the Vikings with his 6-reception, 105-yard, and 1-touchdown performance. Not only was he the leading receiver in that particular game, he was the first Packers receiver that season to break the 100-yard mark. Not hot-shot rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, nor second-year starters Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs — but Bo Melton. The slot receiver called up from the practice squad just weeks earlier, who torched a Vikings secondary en route to the last season win in the house of horrors that is Minneapolis. He followed up that performance with a great touchdown catch in the Packers’ playoff loss in the divisional round against the 49ers just a few weeks later. All signs were pointing up for Melton heading into 2024. Unfortunately for him, 2024 did not go as planned. He was never really able to consistently crack the wide receiver rotation and only hauled in 8 receptions on 17 targets for 91 yards and no touchdowns. He did manage to add 21 yards on 3 carries as well during some jet sweeps but never established himself as a legitimate playmaker for Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love. When Brian Gutekunst selected not one but two receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft this past April, all signs pointed to Melton’s chances of making the roster as nothing less than a long shot. Add in the free agent addition of Mecole Hardman, and Melton was no higher than 8th on the depth chart at best. It was shortly after the signing of Hardman, during the spring offseason program, that we started to see Melton working with both the receivers and the corners—getting his feet wet at a position he had never played at the college or professional level. Once training camp opened and it was announced his number changed from 80 to 16, it was official: Bo Melton was now a full-time cornerback for the Green Bay Packers. A position change four years into an NFL career is never ideal, but in Melton’s case, it seems to be not only his best shot at making the team in 2025, but possibly his only shot. I was extremely skeptical at first and thought we were going down the road of a James Looney moving from defensive end to tight end or Alex McGough moving from quarterback to wide receiver—short-lived attempts at salvaging a player’s career. But it seems that not only does Melton have what it takes to hang with his cornerback peers, he has a legitimate chance at making the Packers roster out of camp. After all he has as many snaps at corner in the NFL as some of the players he's battling like Kalen King and Micah Robinson.  He has caught the attention of both head coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. When asked how Melton has taken to corner, LaFleur said, “He’s done a nice job. When you watch him through the course of drills, the skill set is there—it’s just getting an adequate number of reps to go and get comfortable out there at a very difficult position to play. I’m really pleased with not only how he’s approached it, but how he’s gone out there and executed.” Hafley, a former defensive backs coach at the NFL level, followed that up by saying, “He’s super athletic, and then you saw him do some defensive back drills, and as he backpedaled, you saw how quick his feet were and how he could transition.” He also threw in at the end of that comment that cornerback is a hard position to play at the NFL level and all expectations should be tempered—but the returns are promising. Melton had a few splash plays during practice on Wednesday. He had an interception while going up against Julian Hicks. Later in practice, toward the end during 11-on-11 red zone work, he broke up a pass that was intended for Malik Heath. It’s not just plays being made against back-of-the-roster wide receivers. During Family Night this past weekend, while lined up one-on-one with speedy first-round pick Matthew Golden, Melton matched him step for step and helped break up a pass down the field. It should be no surprise that Melton can hang with Golden speed-wise—he ran a 4.34-second 40—but Golden has been one of the most impressive players in all of Packers camp so far, and making plays against him is definitely a head-turner. If some of that can translate over to preseason games, it will be very difficult for the Packers to cut ties. Even with the cornerback depth chart behind the top three of Nixon, Valentine, and Hobbs still wide open three weeks into camp, Melton’s best path to the roster and playing time is going to be via special teams. Melton was used on 32 percent of the team’s special teams snaps last season when he made the roster as a wide receiver, and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia isn’t shy about his affinity for him. “No matter what you ask him to do, we think he’s going to become an elite special teams player,” Bisaccia said. “He was big for us a year ago. He’s really just the ultimate team player right now, doing anything he’s asked to do.” As not only the coordinator of that unit but associate head coach, one would think Bisaccia has some say on who he needs on his units—and Melton is definitely a favorite. Cornerback is as wide open as any position on this roster right now. With still three preseason games to go and two sessions of joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks prior to games with each team respectively, Melton still has a lot to prove against someone not wearing the same uniform as him. If he can take what he’s learned in the offseason program and training camp and apply it to real-time action, then perhaps Travis Hunter won’t be the only player in the league this year with the ability to play both ways. Filed Under: FeaturedGreen Bay PackersDan Saia -Dan Saia NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: bo melton2025 Green Bay Packers2025 Packers Training CampGreen Bay Packers cornerbacks Like 0 points

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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is sticking with his usual process when it comes to preseason playing time.

The Packers’ “unofficial” depth chart looks pretty accurate, based on what we’ve seen this summer.