The 23-19 final score may not matter in the preseason (really, it doesn’t), but individual play certainly does. Let’s see whose stock went up and whose trended in the wrong direction after the Week 2 preseason tilt between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts.
STOCK UP
Jordan Morgan – Left tackle
After a shaky start to camp, Morgan has put together solid back-to-back performances at left tackle. Against the New York Jets and now the Colts, the 2024 first-round pick has taken 61 snaps at left tackle and has not allowed a single quarterback pressure, and he has not been penalized once. Per PFF, Morgan had an 88.2 pass-blocking grade against the Colts, which was by far the highest grade on the team in that department.
On Sunday, head coach Matt LaFleur was asked about the competition at left tackle between Rasheed Walker and Morgan, and LaFleur didn’t hide his thoughts about Morgan.
“It’s 100 percent a competition,” LaFleur said. “Jordan’s put a lot of good stuff on tape.”
What was thought to be Walker’s job to lose has now developed into a legitimate battle with Morgan.
Israel Abanikanda – Running back
Abanikanda will have a difficult time trying to claw out a spot on the final roster, given the depth the Packers have at running back, but he might just run himself into a spot on the practice squad. Abanikanda had 12 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown and also showcased his ability to wear multiple hats by making a tackle on special teams and returning five kickoffs. Green Bay famously values versatility, and Abanikanda showed that off with the reps the Packers have given him this preseason.
However, things really get interesting with MarShawn Lloyd, the second-year running back who Green Bay has been waiting to unleash behind Josh Jacobs. Lloyd was shaken up Saturday against Indianapolis and didn’t return to the contest. LaFleur said Sunday Lloyd will “miss some time.”
Even if Lloyd misses the start of the season, it’d be tough for Abanikanda to get a roster spot. Still, he’s absolutely trending in the right direction by putting his shiftiness and ability to quickly navigate on full display.
STOCK DOWN
Isaiah Simmons – Linebacker
Simmons is a perfect example of why the box score doesn’t always tell the real story of a game or an individual performance. He led the Packers with nine total tackles, which would lead one to believe he played very well.
That wasn’t the case.
Just like the game against the Jets, Simmons looked out of place and a step behind on multiple plays. The problem isn’t his speed or his athleticism; it’s in diagnosing what is going on in front of him. The uber athlete and former first-round pick had many Packers fans labeling him a unicorn just a month ago, with daydreams of how well he would fit Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Now, there are serious questions about whether he will make the roster.
Simmons checks so many boxes when you evaluate his raw athletic traits and abilities. Still, for whatever reason, it just hasn’t come together in the NFL. That was evident again on Saturday.
Mark McNamee – Kicker
There was never a serious kicking competition in Green Bay. The Packers hit a home run when they scooped up Brandon McManus during the 2024 season. They quickly — and wisely — inked him to a new, three-year deal in the offseason.
Despite McManus undoubtedly being the kicker in Green Bay, the preseason is providing McNamee with an audition for 31 other teams, some of which will be in the market for a kicker either following the preseason or during the regular season.
McNamee missed a 39-yard field goal attempt on the opening drive of the game and later duck snorted an extra-point attempt. Flashbacks to the Anders Carlson era came rushing back, but common sense prevailed with the realization that McNamee would not be Green Bay’s kicker on the final roster.
Last year, Brayden Narveson dazzled throughout training camp and in the preseason. When the Tennessee Titans released him, the Packers swooped in.
Of course, that signing never worked out and led to Green Bay dumping Narveson for McManus. Still, it illustrates the importance of these reps and opportunities for someone like McNamee, who could draw interest from other teams. A lot of that likely went out the window on Saturday with a couple of brutal misses.
HONORABLE MENTION
Let’s get weird with a player who was trending down in the first half and was able to level things out by the end of the game.
Rookie Anthony Belton was penalized a whopping five times in the first half against the Colts. You name the type of penalty, Belton was flagged for it in the first half. The cameras picked up LaFleur chewing out Belton as the pair jogged back into the tunnel at halftime.
In the second half, Belton had a masterful block on a touchdown run by Amar Johnson, where Belton destroyed his assignment by pushing back a Colts defensive lineman four yards right after the snap. Belton played tackle and guard and really settled in during the second half when he was out on the field.