After practicing together on Friday, the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos will face off in a preseason game at EmPower Field at Mile High on Sunday evening.
Coach Matt LaFleur expects most of the starters and veterans to be benched against the Broncos, though it’s unclear if that plan has changed after Friday’s disappointing performance.
Even if Jordan Love and the other starters sit out, there’s a lot to learn about Brian Gutekunst’s roster in Denver. The obvious position to watch is at quarterback, where Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt will handle all the snaps if Love sits. Both Clifford and Pratt are coming off solid preseason debuts, and the Packers need one of them to separate themselves in the competition to fill in for Love. It’s possible both quarterbacks will have half the workload Sunday night.
Here are five other things to watch for in the Packers’ biggest preseason game:
Digging the Battle
The Packers’ disappointing week of kicking action will end with a high-altitude preseason game in Denver, which will provide the perfect setting for Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph — two kickers with substantial legs. But distance hasn’t been an issue. Consistent form has been tough to come by, especially this week, and both kickers are now below 85 percent in training camp. One of those kickers needs to hot up — starting Sunday night — or the Packers will have to consider the possibility that their Week 1 kicker isn’t currently on the roster.
The Right Guard Fight
It’s unclear whether rookie first-round pick Jordan Morgan will make his NFL debut, but the right guard position is worth considering regardless. Morgan and Sean Rhyan are competing for the starter’s spot — they’re listed as co-starters on the unofficial depth chart — and now rookie Jacob Monk has entered the conversation. A still preseason debut for Morgan and plenty of reps for both Rhyan and Monk would be the best-case scenario for Sunday night. It’s one of the few uncertain starting spots on the roster.
The debut of a newcomer
Morgan may not be the only NFL rookie making his debut in Denver. Linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper returned to 11-on-11 play Friday, so he should be ready for Sunday night. Hopper, a third-round pick, has shown flashes of a disruptive game both as a blitzer and against the run during training camp. With Edgerrin Cooper still out, Hopper should get plenty of action in Denver. Defensively, the Packers are expecting fifth-round pick Kitan Oladapo to return. He’s a substantial, physical back who excelled against the run at Oregon State, but Oladapo is far behind fellow rookies Javon Bullard and Evan Williams on the depth chart after missing the entire offseason with a toe injury. Undrafted rookie Donovan Jennings should also get his first NFL snaps. He came into camp with a good chance to make the roster as a backup linebacker, but injuries have sidelined him.
Grant DuBose’s Encore
DuBose was the star of the preseason opener after catching five passes — including a key reception on fourth down and a 23-yard touchdown run — and making several key blocks. The second-year quarterback is now on pace to make the 53-man roster. In fact, he caught a pass from Jordan Love with the No. 1 offense during Friday’s joint practice. What does DuBose have in store for an encore on Sunday? Expect him to be a primary target in the first half. Also worth watching are Bo Melton, who needs to rebound from a disappointing preseason opener, and Malik Heath, who is battling DuBose for a roster spot.
The King’s Task
The Packers have a lot of veterans at cornerback, and the top four — Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine — look locked in. There could be only one or two roster spots up for grabs at cornerback, and rookie Kalen King is one of the top prospects entering Sunday. Matt LaFleur praised King earlier this week. The seventh-round pick should have plenty of opportunities to make more plays against the Broncos. He’s proven to be tough and physical and always around the ball, and the Packers like his potential in the slot, but King is up against players like Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell and needs to stand out again Sunday night.
