The Green Bay Packers wrapped up their preseason in Arrowhead against the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 17-10. While many fans are still left hungry to see stars like Aaron Rodgers and Jaire Alexander take the field in meaningful action, this preseason gave the fans and the coaching staff a good look at the team’s depth.
Here are five numbers that tell the story of the Packers’ preseason loss to the Chiefs.
3
The Packers’ offensive line depth performed exceptionally well this week, giving up just three pressures on 43 pass-blocking snaps. They were led by rookie Zach Tom, who continues to build on his early success. He allowed zero pressures on 75 pass-blocking snaps this preseason. Tom continues to prove his worth and should be en route to a starting spot either at right tackle or right guard.
Yosuah Nijman, Caleb Jones, and Rasheed Walker each had a great game against the Chiefs and showed they can step in when needed. The depth of the offensive line could prove important if Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari find themselves unable to play in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings. These quality backup linemen will ensure that Rodgers will be well protected.
6
Rookie seventh-round pick Samori Toure impressed on Thursday, catching all six of his targets for 83 yards. Toure finished as the team’s leader in both catches and yards and picked up four first downs, showing his ability to extend the drive. While almost all of the emphasis has been placed on rookie wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, it is good to see Toure get in on the action.
Now the Packers have a difficult decision to make. They could try to release Toure and sneak him onto the practice squad. But, given his performance this week, it’s hard to see him not making an active roster elsewhere. They could also get rid of one of their veteran wideouts to make space for the cheaper Toure, whose ceiling remains unknown.
5
Jack Heflin likely locked up a spot on the final roster after being a game-wrecker on the interior. Heflin was exceptional against the run, recording five solo tackles along with two tackles for loss across 19 defensive snaps. He was one of the defensive standouts, and his ability to impact the run game is something the Packers will need in the regular season.
Heflin came up big on a fourth-and-one in the third quarter when he brushed past a Chiefs lineman on his way to drop the running back in the backfield for a loss. Heflin won a lot of fans on Thursday and likely found himself a spot on the team.
54
Tyler Goodson also made his case to be on the 53-man roster, tallying 54 yards from scrimmage on 12 touches. Goodson finished with the second-most receptions (five) and the third-most receiving yards (26) for the Packers. He also added 28 rushing yards and a touchdown for good measure.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said the running back competition wouldn’t just be decided by production on offense, but that special teams would factor into the selection. Despite Patrick Taylor having the leg up on special teams compared to Goodson, I think that the Packers should roster Goodson and use him to spell Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. While he doesn’t provide the same special teams prowess, the front office could risk him heading to another team for nothing.
14
The Packers struggled with the return game, kickoff returns specifically. They averaged just 14 yards on four kick returns. Rico Gafford, Amari Rodgers, and Goodson all had a chance to show their abilities and win the job, but nobody impressed. Gafford finished with 17 yards on one return. Goodson averaged 13.5 on two returns. Rodgers got 12 yards on his lone return.
While it is just the preseason, this highlights the special teams problems that troubled the Packers all last season. They invested significantly in that unit, with the high-profile hiring of coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Time will tell if that extra effort pays off — and that time is rapidly approaching. If the Packers want to contend, they absolutely must improve their special teams performance.
