We’re going to continue our series monitoring the Green Bay Packers’ first-team snap counts, for offense, defense and special teams, as it has helped explain why the Packers make some of the decisions that they do at the roster cutdown. The Packers’ top offense played two drives against the New York Jets in the disappointing preseason opener, so let’s go ahead and dive into that data.

Quarterback and Offensive Line

All 12 snaps (I’m including penalized plays here) featured Jordan Love under center and an offensive line of Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom (left to right). This was also the same offensive line we saw on Family Night, outside of a two-minute period where Tom dropped out of action and was replaced by second-round rookie tackle Anthony Belton. Rasheed Walker, who seems to be the team’s preferred left tackle despite the Packers claiming that Morgan is going to push him in an open competition this summer, missed both the Family Night practice and Week 1 against the Jets.

Nothing is shocking here. Walker will probably win the left tackle job. Morgan and Rhyan will probably actually compete at right guard, whenever Walker is healthy. Whoever loses that will be Green Bay’s sixth offensive lineman. Behind that player, Walker will be the next tackle up, and Jacob Monk will be the next interior offensive lineman off the bench. The ninth offensive line job appears to be in Donovan Jennings’ hands after Travis Glover went on season-ending injured reserve.

For the snap count tables we’ll be discussing, FN means reps on Family Night with the first-team offense and W1 is the Packers’ game against the Jets. A red cell means the player missed the entire practice/game with injury, while a yellow cell means a player dropped out due to injury. The order players are presented will be our best guess at the current depth chart.

With Emanuel Wilson (knee) and MarShawn Lloyd (groin) out with injuries for both Family Night and Week 1 of the preseason, it’s been Josh Jacobs and Chris Brooks seeing action with the first-team offense. Tonight, Jacobs got the ceremonial first snap of the game and then was immediately put in bubble wrap. Brooks got on the field for all of the other 11 snaps.

More injury talk! Jayden Reed, the Packers’ top slot receiver, is now in a walking boot, and Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said he is “hopeful” that he’s able to return at the start of the year. Reed joins cornerback Nate Hobbs (meniscus) and safety Xavier McKinney (calf) with injuries that will come down to the wire for Week 1.

Beyond Reed, Dontayvion Wicks (calf) missed both Family Night and Week 1, while second-round rookie receiver Savion Williams dropped out of Family Night after four snaps with the first-team unit and didn’t dress up for the Packers’ loss against the Jets. It’s safe to say Green Bay was playing with less than a loaded deck on Saturday night.

Either way, rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden and Romeo Doubs played 10 snaps of outside receiver each. The only other receiver to line up wide was Malik Heath, a kick return unit contributor, who played two snaps on the perimeter. It’s worth noting here that Heath got an opportunity over Mecole Hardman, a roster bubble return specialist, who was also outsnapped 16-4 on the outside by Heath on Family Night.

With Reed out, the Packers split slot reps between Golden (two), Heath (four) and Doubs (two), along with a third-down rep where tight end Luke Musgrave was split out from the formation. Hardman got a lot of snaps in the slot on Family Night, but they came specifically at the end of practice in a two-minute drill where there were few substitutions. Otherwise, Heath outsnapped Hardman 22 to 11 in overall receiver reps (outside or slot) on Family Night. Versus the Jets, he got all six reps that didn’t go to Golden or Doubs at the position.

At least right now, the Packers seem more comfortable working Heath in as a receiver, inside or outside, than Hardman, who had two punt returns for zero yards and a muffed ball that fell into New York’s hands on Saturday. Hardman also didn’t get a single kick return opportunity, either. Gun to my head, I think Heath has the edge over Hardman, if Green Bay wants to keep a sixth receiver. They might not need to, though, depending on the health of Reed, Wicks and Williams by cutdowns.

Tucker Kraft missed Family Night with a groin injury but returned to outsnap Luke Musgrave nine to six at true tight end positions. Kraft also got a rep split outside, and Musgrave got one in the slot. If there’s anything to take away from how the Packers used their tight ends in Week 1 of the preseason, it’s that they still like getting both of them on the field. Out of 12 snaps, Green Bay was in 12 personnel (two tight end sets) bout half the time.

That tracks with the Family Night usage at the position, too, and how the Packers have treated the offense when Kraft and Musgrave have both been healthy. Here’s the stinger: They’re hardly ever healthy at the same time. Back in 2023, when both players were rookies and Musgrave was the starter instead of Kraft, LaFleur called 12 personnel sets at the third-highest rate in the league. Especially if Reed is out to start the season, Green Bay’s answer to replace the slot receiver might be a second tight end rather than forcing someone like Heath to fill the vacancy.