Former third-round pick Savion Williams is looking to have a bigger role in the wide receiver room.
The Green Bay Packers lost their preseason opener to the Pittsburgh Steelers
, but now they face the Denver Broncos
on Friday night with higher stakes for the roster. The expectation is that starters will see more time, especially quarterback Jordan Love, who had only one drive in the first game and should play longer against Denver.
This should be the final meaningful appearance for the primary starters in the Packers preseason because next week Green Bay is expected to use its starters only during joint practices with the Arizona Cardinals, then play backups and third-stringers in the preseason finale at Lambeau Field.
With that in mind, here are three players to watch and how Friday night could change their outlooks for the 2026 season.
Wide receiver Savion Williams, last year's third-round pick, had three catches for 18 yards against the Steelers and has been an intriguing piece of the wide receiver rotation during training camp. He has had some solid practices, including a strong one this week.
Because the Packers moved on from Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, the wide receiver room now features a three-headed group of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden. But depth remains a question, and Williams is a player the front office likes a lot. Green Bay sees the talent to make him a gadget piece on offense, but if he can develop into a more natural and traditional wide receiver role
, he becomes a far more useful player throughout the season.
A preseason game like this one is a great opportunity for Williams to show he has developed in Year 2.
Rookie fifth-round offensive lineman Jager Burton played at left guard with the first-team offense last week because Aaron Banks was still recovering from a knee injury. Now that Banks is back, Burton might be changing positions again, with the expectation that he competes for the right guard spot against Jacob Monk.
Burton played both right and left guard throughout the offseason program, even though he was drafted initially with the thought of being a long-term center. That versatility along the interior of the offensive line is a valuable trait
. With Banks potentially back and expected to play a series or two with Love and the starters, Wednesday's practice saw Monk start with the first team at right guard before Burton eventually rotated in.
It's fair to expect some type of rotation at that position and a real competition. It doesn't seem like Anthony Belton is competing for the guard spot anymore, so Monk and Burton are the two main candidates. Burton moving from the left side to the right is particularly notable. If he can complete that transition, he'll have a real shot at starting from Day 1, which would be remarkable for a fifth-round rookie.
The third player on this list is cornerback Kamal Hadden, a former sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs who has been with the Packers since 2024. Last season, Hadden served as a rotational piece and got some opportunities because of injuries. But he suffered a broken fibula and tibia during the late stretch of the year and went through a difficult recovery.
Now Hadden is back in the lineup, activated from the physically unable to perform list, and truly competing for the backup slot spot. With Javon Bullard handling a foot injury, Hadden has been the starting nickel for the Packers over the past few practices. He has done well in practice, surpassing Jaylin Simpson at the position, and even picked third-string quarterback Kyle McCord
.
If the Packers can get meaningful contributions from a player they probably weren't counting on this year to play the slot after Bullard, that would be significant. The former Tennessee Vol is a talented player who played mostly boundary corner as his primary position until last year but is now moving inside. During practice, he has gotten some big plays, and if he can replicate that in a preseason environment, he could secure a spot on the 53-man roster one more time.
For Green Bay, that outcome would be massive. The Packers released Nate Hobbs
this offseason and are still searching for reliable options behind Bullard at nickelback.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Ascending offensive weapon leads the way as Packers have three intriguing players to watch against the Broncos
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