GREEN BAY — Although head coach Matt LaFleur’s intention to play his starters for the second straight preseason game is undeniably newsworthy — not to mention important, in his mind, for getting his Green Bay Packers ready for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Minnesota — the vast majority of Friday night’s exhibition matchup with the Denver Broncos will still be played by players trying to keep/earn a roster spot. 

To that end, while quarterback Jordan Love and the other starters have work to do at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High, LaFleur and the coaches and general manager Brian Gutekunst and the scouts will be focusing on players who’ll be among the tough decisions to be made in advance of the Aug. 30 cutdown to the initial 53-man roster.

“There’s a good handful of guys that you know are locks,” LaFleur said at midweek. “And then [the other players] obviously you communicate with Gutey on when we’re making those decisions. There’s still a handful of spots certainly up for grabs.”

With that in mind, here are three aspects of Friday night’s Packers-Broncos matchup worth watching:

1️⃣ RISKY BUSINESS

Even as LaFleur cites a study that shows playing preseason snaps is actually beneficial for preventing injuries early in the regular season — although he never cites what the study is, exactly — there is no denying the risk.

All LaFleur has to do is rewind a year to last preseason, when Love suffered a left (non-throwing) thumb injury in the preseason opener against the New York Jets that required surgery to repair the torn ligament he suffered while being sacked.

It’s no wonder that Love, while understanding and accepting LaFleur’s insistence on playing the starters, has zero interest in staying in the game any longer than necessary.

“No, I’m ready to get out of the game, for sure,” Love said at midweek, eliciting laughter from reporters. “I’ve been in some preseason games where things happen. You might get hit, take a wrong hit and now you’re out for camp, like last year. I was definitely glad to get in, get out, be healthy and not take any hits [last week in Pittsburgh]. That’s always the goal.”

It’ll be the goal again on Friday night, although Love acknowledged there are benefits to playing a road preseason game in particular.

“It’s another away game, so another chance for us to just have that communication in the huddle, make sure everything’s on point and we’re hearing everything right,” Love said, pointing out that the Packers kick off regular-season play in the Twin Cities. “It’s a lot different than being at practice with just the music blasting, so just being in that environment [is valuable].

“If we’ve got to go to silent count, just make sure the operation’s smooth, everything’s crisp. We’ll be seeing new looks, so make sure everybody’s on the same page. Really just getting those game jitters out, so when Week 1 hits, everybody’s ready to fly around.”

2️⃣ JORDANS HELPING JORDANS

Jordan Morgan has been solid in his first training camp at his natural left tackle position, but he’s still got plenty to prove heading into the season. After playing 22 snaps last week against the Steelers, he figures to get more work against the Broncos, even as Gutekunst insists the team is fully confident in him.

“I think we’re very comfortable with him there,” Gutekunst said. “Again, he’s going to have to go out and do it over full season and year in and year out. But he’s done a really nice job [since] the spring, a really nice job so far [in camp]. I’m looking forward to getting some more reps here in the preseason and then get ready for the regular season.

“We think he’s got a super bright future to be a really good player in this league. I’m sure he’ll go through his ups and downs like they all do at that position because that’s one of those positions where you’re going to have some of that. But I’m excited for him.”

Love says he’s similarly comfortable and that he feels Morgan has a better understanding of what he likes to do as a quarterback.

“I think just consistently understanding in protection how he needs to move and where the pocket is for me,” Love said. “For a tackle, it’s all about understanding the drop back. What type of footwork am I taking? Am I getting a seven-step drop? Am I taking a three-step drop? And understanding where he can push the D-ends. I think it takes a feel for that. I think that’s where he’s improved.

“I think he’s definitely improved tremendously. And I think it’s one of those things where I just want to get to the games and see how we just keep building and how he looks out there. But [I’ve] definitely got a lot of confidence in him, a lot of trust. That’s one of those things where my back’s going to be to him all game. So I’ve got to have that confidence that he’s going to hold it down.”

3️⃣ TWICE WOULD BE NICE

There’s no denying that rookie kicker Trey Smack, No. 3 quarterback Kyle McCord and oft-injured backup running back MarShawn Lloyd had reasons to celebrate their performances against the Steelers.

Smack was 3-for-3 officially with 37-, 38- and 58-yard field goals — plus a 58-yarder on his first kick that didn’t count because of a penalty on the Steelers.

McCord played so well (12 of 16 passes for 102 yards and a 91.1 passer rating) that the Packers jettisoned his competition for the No. 3 job, undrafted rookie Kyron Drones, not long after the team returned to Green Bay.

And while Lloyd’s final numbers (four carries for 13 yards, one reception for minus-4 yards) weren’t impressive, it was a win that he got out of the game healthy after all the injuries he’s battled the last two years.

During the week, all three players downplayed their successes, emphasizing exactly what LaFleur and the coaches wanted to hear: There’s more work to be done for all of them.

“That’s just kind of my job, to make kicks,” Smack said. “So I’ve got to keep going with that, build on the confidence part. I mean, that’s what I’m supposed to do. That’s why I’m here. So that’s kind of the way I view it.”

McCord, who spent last season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, is trending toward being on the Packers’ squad this season if he keeps this up. The Packers historically haven’t carried three QBs on the 53-man roster.

“Obviously getting drafted to Philly last year, you think you’re going to spend four years there and then, boom, you end up in Green Bay a year later,” McCord said. “I think the thing is to continue to put your head down and working, and that ultimately leads you to success and puts you exactly where you need to be.”

As for Lloyd, LaFleur said he plans on getting him even more involved in this game.

“Now, he’s got to keep going. It’s one game,” LaFleur said. “I’d like to get him more touches in the next game just to make sure he can handle the load and just continue to build him up.”

​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.