Packers Depth Chart: Who played for Green Bay’s 1s and 2s vs. the Broncos?

If you’re new here, we track who plays with the first- and second-team offensive and defensive units for the Green Bay Packers throughout the preseason because it’s a much cleaner picture of what the team looks like than the overall snap count. When third-stringers are in the game in the first half, like they were on Friday against the Denver Broncos, things get muddied up a lot more than a regular-season game, where any playing time means a player is being made a priority.

Last week, we broke down what the depth chart looked like against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Today, we’re going to compare and contrast what some of the differences are — if there were any — at each position. At the end of the article, after showing our work with the first- and second-team units, we’re going to drop a full depth chart of every position on the team.

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I hope you enjoy the content.

Packers 1st Team Offense

Quarterback

Like last week, Jordan Love got one drive in the game. For what it’s worth, head coach Matt LaFleur said that the plan is to play the starters in the team’s joint practice against the Arizona Cardinals (coached by his little brother), and to rest the starters in the final preseason game of 2026.

Running Back

With Josh Jacobs (groin) out, MarShawn Lloyd remained the top ball-carrier with the first-team unit. Last week, Lloyd took all nine snaps, while he split a few reps with Chris Brooks, who was inactive last week with a hamstring injury, this time around.

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Receiver

For the most part, Skyy Moore took up the snaps that Jayden Reed (out with an ankle) would have played this week. To make it simple, it really does seem like the team is treating Moore as Reed’s backup (the slot position), Bo Melton as Matthew Golden’s backup (the X position) and Savion Williams as Christian Watson’s backup (the Z position). That’s all you really need to know here.

Tight End

Yes, the Packers played 75 percent of their first-team snaps out of 12 (two-tight end) personnel against Denver. They ran a lot of outside zone and bootlegs on base downs, looking like the early version of the LaFleur offense when he was just a full season removed from being the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. Maybe that’s why they’re looking for different bodies/types of players at guard compared to 2025, when they were more of a vertical running game?

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For what it’s worth, Josh Whyle has played 20 total snaps with the first-team offense through two games, while Drake Dabney has played 12. Whyle and Dabney have moved up the depth chart with Tucker Kraft still getting his feet wet after his ACL tear and Luke Musgrave being on the PUP list with a neck injury.

Offensive Line

• Jager Burton: 12 snaps (LG)

This is the same lineup the Packers used to open up against the Steelers, as left guard Aaron Banks (knee) and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) continue to be held out when the bullets are live.

Packers 2nd Team Offense

Quarterback

While some might want Kyle McCord to take over as the backup quarterback, it remained the Taylor Show on Friday. He’s taken all 34 snaps with the second-team offense, even if he only has eight completions and 38 yards to show for it.

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Running Back

MarShawn Lloyd played a couple of early snaps with the second-team offense, like he did last week, before handing it off to the rest of the backs. With Brooks now healthy, he played the most out of the Packers’ top healthy trio. Jaden Nixon, who got three snaps with the second-team offense, received none this week as Brook entered the lineup.

Receiver

Here’s something interesting: Savion Williams didn’t play with the second-team offense at all. No injury has been reported for him, either. As of now, the team treating him like a starter and sitting him after the first-team unit got shut down is a possibility. Notably, he also didn’t return kicks to start the game — a role he previously played in Week 1.

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I wouldn’t make too much of Moore receiving fewer snaps than Isaiah Neyor, who stepped in for Williams with the second-teamers today. Moore has been a slot-exclusive player, like Reed, so his playing time is dependent on there not being a second tight end or running back on the field.

Last week, when Williams was in the lineup with the 2s, Bo Melton and Williams played 11 snaps each, Moore played 9 in the slot and Neyor played 4 off the bench. It’s nice that J. Michael Sturdivant, who might have left the Broncos game with a concussion, and Will Sheppard were able to get a couple snaps with the second-team offense in this game.

Tight End

So far, Dabney has played 30 snaps with the second-team offense and Messiah Swinson has played 18. These are the team’s fourth and fifth tight ends, when everyone is healthy. The problem: Two guys ahead of them aren’t healthy yet.

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Offensive Line

• Jager Burton: 21 snaps (LG)

• Anthony Belton: 21 snaps (RT)

Unlike last week, Jordan Morgan didn’t play snaps as the left tackle with the second-string unit, which pushed John Williams into the lineup. Otherwise, these are the same players who played with Tyrod Taylor under center against the Steelers.

Packers 1st Team Defense

Defensive Line

• Anthony Campbell: 3 snaps

Alright, this one gets weird. The Packers used a starting defensive line of Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks on the ends and Jonathan Ford at nose tackle to start the game, but didn’t use Wyatt after the first drive. They also hardly used Brooks (who was sat with the rest of the starters on the first-team defense) on the first-team defense’s second drive versus Denver.

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Don’t make too much of this pecking order. Clearly, Nazir Stackhouse, Chris McClellan, Jonathan Ford, Anthony Campbell and Jaden Crumedy are all fighting for playing time. Interestingly, Warren Brinson didn’t play a single snap in this game, despite not being listed as a scratch by the Packers, unlike the other players who didn’t see action. This is also your reminder that Javon Hargrave is still missing preseason games, but returned to practice as he recovers from a knee injury.

Edge Defender

Nothing is shocking here. This seems to be the pecking order, at least while Micah Parsons (PUP, knee) and Dani Dennis-Sutton (illness) aren’t involved. For what it’s worth, Collin Oliver usually comes on the field on obvious passing situations, but otherwise this is a pretty clear 1-2-3-4 from the team.

Off-Ball Linebacker

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These are your starting linebackers.

Cornerback

Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse were the starters tonight, but Cisse dropped out with an injury right before the second defensive drive of the game. After the game, Cisse called the injury “nothing serious.” Benjamin St-Juste came off the bench to replace Cisse on the second drive, while Nixon remained in the game. Both Nixon and Cisse started last week, too. Carrington Valentine missed the game with a hamstring injury, though he was practicing leading up to the game.

Safety

We have a replacement. Kamal Hadden is now the team’s number two slot defender, replacing Kitan Oladapo, who got those reps last week. Hadden looked much more suited for the role on Friday, receiving playing time with the first-team defense because Javon Bullard is out with a bone bruise on his foot. I’m counting Hadden as a safety moving forward, as he has practiced with the safeties recently, didn’t get a snap at outside cornerback during the game and has been playing the “third safety” position in the Packers’ Penny looks, which seems to have more overlap with the slot position than the next man up at the safety position.

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Packers 2nd Team Defense

Defensive Line

• Anthony Campbell: 4 snaps

• Nazir Stackhouse: 2 snaps

With first- and second-team units, here’s how this group of defensive linemen breaks down over the first two preseason games:

I think that paints a better picture of the room right now, but remember that Jonathan Ford plays a very specific role (head up nose tackle), while the rest of the line moves around. Also, this doesn’t include Wyatt (sat with 2s), Brooks (sat with 2s), Hargrave (out with knee injury) or Brinson (unsure why he didn’t play). The defensive line room is all cluttered right now, but it seems like a really tight race.

Edge Defender

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To continue this trend, here’s how many snaps these edge rushers have played with the 1s and 2s through two games:

That seems like the right pecking order, behind Micah Parsons, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell. The last two only played with the first-team units in both preseason games so far. Where Dani Dennis-Sutton fits in the mix is still a bit of a question mark.

Off-Ball Linebacker

Both Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper have played all of the off-ball linebacker snaps with the second-team defense through two preseason games, besides three snaps where Hopper was left off the field in Penny looks versus Pittsburgh. This one seems pretty locked up.

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Cornerback

• Benjamin St-Juste: 9 snaps

Jaylin Simpson got outside cornerback snaps over Domani Jackson, who wasn’t available last game, and Kamal Hadden, who exclusively played in the slot on Friday. Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse (injured) didn’t carry over to the second-team unit versus Denver, as they did versus Pittsburgh.

Safety

Here’s the interesting thing about the safety position right now: Hadden playing the “third safety” spot with Bullard out doesn’t translate to him playing second-team safety in two-safety looks. Those spots continue to go to Kitan Oladapo and Mark Perry, who played with the second-team unit last week.

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Against Pittsburgh, Oladapo was a true safety until they needed him to kick into the slot, which brought Murvin Kenion III off the bench to play true safety. This week, Oladapo played true safety full-time (with Perry, who did the same last week), and Hadden was brought off the bench to play the slot, just as he did with the first-team defense.

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Alright. Now that I’ve shown my work, here’s what I think the Packers’ pecking order is at every position, after tracking the team’s rotations this summer.

Packers Depth Chart – Post-Week 2

Quarterback

Running Back

Receiver

This is your reminder that just because Isaiah Neyor has an edge on J. Michael Sturdivant on offense doesn’t mean that he necessarily has an edge to win the WR7 job and make the 53-man roster. Sturdivant is getting trained to play some pretty critical roles on special teams, unlike Neyor.

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Tight End

2. Luke Musgrave (PUP, neck)

Luke Musgrave being ahead of Josh Whyle is obviously a projection at this point, as Musgrave hasn’t been in camp. Whyle got more snaps than Musgrave in obvious passing situations. Maybe he’s gonna end up higher than Musgrave on the depth chart when Musgrave returns.

Offensive Line

1. Zach Bako-Bewele (RT, knee)

I’m just projecting Aaron Banks right now, since we haven’t gotten a look at him in game action. He’s been working in and out of the first-team lineup in practice as he recovers from his injury. Gun to my head, my guess is the Week 1 starting lineup is: Jordan Morgan, Banks, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Zach Bako-Bewele (left to right), if everyone is healthy.

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Defensive Line

I’m guessing Javon Hargrave and Jordon Riley, the latter of whom won’t be a factor until at least the second half of the season. It’s gonna be hard for the Packers to keep more than six interior defensive linemen, but Jonathan Ford and Anthony Campbell are both flashing a bit more than Nazir Stackhouse at this point. Again, Warren Brinson missing from Friday’s game is still a question mark, too.

Edge Defender

1. Micah Parsons (PUP, knee)

6. Dani Dennis-Sutton (illness)

I’m guessing on Dani Dennis-Sutton, since he missed the first two preseason games. The rest is pretty straightforward. Arron Mosby is not here to play defense; he’s here to play special teams.

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Off-Ball Linebacker

Cornerback

2. Carrington Valentine (hamstring)

Please don’t shoot the messenger on Brandon Cisse not being treated like he’s already run away with the “CB1” spot. Right now, it seems like Green Bay is still letting him and Carrington Valentine fight for reps, and has even pushed Keisean Nixon more in practice, too. With that being said, Benjamin St-Juste appears to be a tier behind the rest in the pecking order at the top.

Safety

Slot Defender

I’m making a slot defender list, since it’s really the only place to put Kamal Hadden at this point. He’s not really doing anything but that, or at least didn’t in the last preseason game.

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Kicker

He is the one who was promised.

Punter

We have one punter, and he’s a pretty good one.

Long Snapper

I think the Packers want to roster Matt Orzech; otherwise, they wouldn’t be holding onto him, but it’s going to be harder and harder to justify changing long snappers when Trey Smack is on such a heater in the preseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst said he expects Orzech to return to practice soon. Initially, the Packers called Orzech’s calf injury a short-term injury at the start of camp and even had a few days where they didn’t have a long snapper available at practice.