The Green Bay Packers go on the road to face the Baltimore Ravens in the second week of the preseason on Thursday night.
Starters, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, are expected to play about a quarter of action, giving coach Matt LaFleur the first taste of how his offense and defense will look to begin the 2019 season.
Here are some players to watch for the Packers at M&T Bank Stadium:
OLB Rashan Gary
The rookie edge rusher is going to be the man to watch all preseason. His debut was uneven, with a few moments of individual flashes mixed in with some expected rookie mistakes. Gary had a big finish to practice Tuesday, pressuring Aaron Rodgers a couple of times during the final two-minute drill. He even drew a holding penalty on left tackle David Bakhtiari. Winning in practice hasn’t been a problem. Can he dominate a preseason game, especially if he’s on the field at the same time as Za’Darius Smith and Kenny Clark?
WR Darrius Shepherd
At what point do the Packers throw Shepherd out there against first-team defenders during the preseason? He’s checking off all the boxes at training camp, but the Packers need to know if he can hang with the best of the best. Thursday night in Baltimore might be a good opportunity for Shepherd – a Randall Cobb-like slot receiver who is putting his name firmly in the running for a 53-man roster spot – to play with Aaron Rodgers in a live-game setting.
OL Elgton Jenkins
The Packers’ second-round pick looks capable of stepping in as a starter and handling his business right away in pass protection. He pitched a shutout as a pass blocker against the Texans in the opener. But can Jenkins master the outside zone run scheme and become an effective player in the run game? He was up and down as a run blocker last Thursday night. Look for improvement in Baltimore. Jenkins still has a chance to start Week 1.
LB Curtis Bolton
Fellow rookie linebacker Ty Summers got most of the headlines in the aftermath of the preseason opener, but Bolton looked like the better all-around player. Not surprisingly, he’s been playing first-team reps next to Blake Martinez. Bolton can run, cover and blitz, but he’s on the smaller side and might be a liability against the run. He’s still probably the better fit to replace Oren Burks. The undrafted rookie from Oklahoma has an intriguing skill set, and he should play plenty of snaps Thursday night.
WR J’Mon Moore
Moore battled through a frustrating preseason debut, but he came back and delivered his best practice of the year on Sunday. Now, he must carry over that response to the game. Talent isn’t an issue. Moore is big and fast and can create consistent separation, and those are invaluable skills for a receiver. Can he start clearing the mental hurdles and play fast and free? Thursday is a huge night for Moore and his chances of making the 53-man roster.
CB Chandon Sullivan
The former Eagles cornerback has been overlooked for much of camp, but that should change. Not only has he been terrific at times during practices, but he made a few standout plays in the opener, including an impressive interception of Joe Webb. Sullivan could force his way onto the roster with more big plays under the lights.
Bonus: OLB Za’Darius Smith
The Packers’ prized free-agent acquistion has been the most dominant player on the defense throughout camp. Now, he’s heading to Baltimore to play his Packers debut against his former team. It’s only a preseason game, but you can bet he’ll want to impress both sides of the field Thursday night.
