The Green Bay Packers beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the preseason opener and took down the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale but dropped a suspended game to the New England Patriots over three preseason games this season.
Overall, Matt LaFleur’s team produced a highly entertaining and well-played slate of preseason games. Excellent depth along the offensive line and on the defensive front helped create strong individual performances on both sides of the football.
Here are the stars of the preseason for the Packers in 2023:
OLB Kingsley Enagbare
Enagbare was a force on defense and special teams, leading the Packers in sacks (2.0) and overall defense grade (93.5, elite) over 49 snaps on defense and tallying a team-high three special teams tackles and the second-best special teams grade (77.3) over 25 special teams snaps. He finished with five total pressures, three stops (tackle creating a failure for the offense) and a forced/recovered fumble. The second-year edge rusher looks locked in as a primary backup behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith and one of Rich Bisaccia’s weapons on special teams.
WR Romeo Doubs
Doubs caught all four of his targets for 73 yards and a touchdown over just 19 routes run. He missed the preseason finale with a hamstring injury, but the Packers’ second-year receiver built more momentum for a potential breakout season during his two preseason games. Doubs made a leaping catch on a crosser for Jordan Love’s first touchdown pass of the season, converted a third down with a tough contested catch and created one of the preseason’s top highlights with a terrific 42-yard catch of a Love deep ball along the sideline. If healthy for 17 games, Doubs could put up big numbers.
WR Malik Heath
Heath, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, led the Packers in targets (16), routes run (62), catches (12), receiving yards (146), contested catches (4) and receiving first downs (8). Among NFL players with 13 or more targets during the preseason, Heath ranked fourth in yards per route run. Not only did the rookie receiver get open and make tough catches, but he blocked with physicality and effort in the run ga me and quick passing game. A long shot entering training camp, Heath locked in his roster spot with three terrific preseason games.
LT Rasheed Walker
The 2022 seventh-round pick ascended to the No. 2 spot at left tackle during a fantastic training camp and preseason. Walker played 143 snaps (120 at left tackle, 23 at right tackle) and gave up just two total pressures. He was the Packers’ second-highest graded pass-blocker and the NFL’s No. 1 rated pass-blocker among offensive tackles with at least 100 snaps. His play provided an opportunity to start at left tackle in the final two preseason games, and now Walker is the top option to backup David Bakhtiari to open the 2023 season.
CB Carrington Valentine
Valentine, a seventh-round pick out of Kentucky, was targeted 15 times during the preseason but allowed only six catches for 80 yards while breaking up four passes and intercepting one. He also produced nine tackles and three stops without missing a tackle, proving his physicality on the edge. Valentine had a pass breakup in all three games and was an inch away from producing a pick-six in the preseason finale. The rookie is penciled in as the No. 4 cornerback and could get snaps early in the season while Eric Stokes (likely PUP candidate) recovers.
RB Emanuel Wilson
Wilson rushed for a league-high 223 yards and forced 11 missed tackles, the most among running backs. His 80-yard run for a touchdown against the Bengals was the longest run of the preseason in the NFL. Wilson had five runs of at least 10 yards, and he added four catches for 24 yards. While he needs to get better as a receiver, block and on special teams, Wilson has legitimate running talent. He’s a strong mix of slippery and violent, and he proved breakaway speed on the touchdown run.
OLB Brenton Cox Jr.
The undrafted free agent edge rusher produced a team-high seven pressures and two batted passes. One of his batted passes resulted in an interception. Cox also had a tackle for loss on a run and was in on a stop at the goal line. While he missed a few tackles and only played 12 total snaps on special teams, Cox flashed disruptive ability over 87 defensive snaps. He was at his best stunting inside or winning inside with a quick first step.
QB Jordan Love
In his first preseason as the starter, Love showed poise and patience in the pocket, an ability to read progressions and find the right target and the athleticism to move within and escape the pocket. He didn’t throw an interception (or have a turnover-worthy play) or take a sack, and he tossed three touchdown passes in the red zone, hit a deep ball to Romeo Doubs and scrambled four times, creating three first downs. Love’s overall accuracy needs to become more consistent, but he showed a lot of fundamental traits necessary for playing winning football at the quarterback position.
OT Zach Tom
Tom played 57 snaps at right tackle and 24 at center over three preseason games. Despite playing two positions, the second-year offensive lineman didn’t give up a single pressure and was consistently effective in the run game. Both of his highlight blocks came in one-on-one pass protection on Jordan Love touchdown passes in Cincinnati and vs. New England. Although the Packers tinkered with the idea of a center competition, Tom looks like the Week 1 starter at right tackle and a potentially multi-year starter along the offensive line into the future.
DL TJ Slaton
He played only 26 total snaps, but Slaton produced three pressures (one quarterback hit) and three run stops. He looked quick and strong while beating blocks and plugging run holes. And the flashes are becoming more consistent. The third-year jump looks very real for Slaton, who should expect to be on the field for a lot of snaps at nose tackle in three-man fronts and even as a pass-rusher in some two-linemen fronts during the 2023 season.
Other studs
DL Karl Brooks: The rookie produced six pressures, including two quarterback hits. He was consistently in the backfield and will now play a big role in the defensive line rotation in 2023.
QB Sean Clifford: The fifth-round pick completed almost 72 percent of his passes and led the team with four “big-time throws” during the preseason. He’s locked in as the No. 2 quarterback.
OL Jon Runyan Jr.: He was steady as ever at right guard, and he didn’t look out of place for a handful of snaps at center either.
