{"id":300462,"date":"2025-08-19T11:37:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:37:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/300462\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T11:37:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:37:14","slug":"5-positional-battles-to-watch-as-training-camp-winds-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/300462\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Positional Battles To Watch As Training Camp Winds Down"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Green<\/p>\n

Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker is trying to hold off Jordan Morgan and keep his starting job.<\/p>\n

Getty Images <\/p>\n

Tick, tick, tick \u2026<\/p>\n

Time is running out on training camp. And one week from today, Green Bay Packers\u2019 general manager Brian Gutekunst will set his 53-man roster.<\/p>\n

The Packers have two practices this week \u2014 one a joint practice with Seattle on Thursday \u2014 and face the Seahawks in their final exhibition game Saturday.<\/p>\n

There are still a few positional battles and roster spots on the line. Here are the most intriguing ones as training camp hits the homestretch.<\/p>\n

LEFT TACKLE<\/p>\n

Rasheed Walker vs. Jordan Morgan<\/p>\n

It feels like the Packers have tried giving Morgan<\/a> \u2014 their 2024 first round draft pick \u2014 this job since last season ended. And to his credit, Morgan has played well most of the summer.<\/p>\n

Still, Walker has made 35 starts<\/a> (including playoffs) over the last two seasons and more than held his own protecting Jordan Love\u2019s blindside.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it’s 100% a competition,\u201d Packers coach Matt LaFleur said on Sunday. \u201cI think Jordan’s put a lot of good stuff on tape.\u201d
Walker missed time midway through camp with a groin injury and hasn\u2019t played in either preseason game. He might need a solid game against Seattle to keep his job.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean shoot, no one’s really said it to me, but I just come to work every day and go to work,\u201d Walker said. \u201cThat’s all you can do. I’m a team first guy. I’m with the Green Bay Packers, so shoot, I’m going come to work every day, do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO. 3 QUARTERBACK
\nSean Clifford vs. Taylor Elgersma<\/p>\n

The Packers will almost certainly keep just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. But Clifford and Elgersma are battling to be No. 3, which would mean they\u2019d stick around on the practice squad.<\/p>\n

Clifford was Green Bay\u2019s No. 2 quarterback in 2023 and was on the practice squad last year.<\/p>\n

Clifford was in for just one series in last Saturday\u2019s preseason game against Indianapolis<\/a>, but made it count.<\/p>\n

Clifford led a 13-play, 68-yard drive and capped it with an 11-yard touchdown run that gave the Packers their first lead of the game at 23-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cYear 3 is one where you should see a major spike and I feel like in the games I’ve gotten into so far, I’ve felt extremely comfortable,\u201d Clifford said Monday. \u201cFeel like I’m seeing the field really well and I thought that was on display (against Indianapolis).\u201d<\/p>\n

Elgersma, a Canadian quarterback from the University of Wilfrid Laurier, came to Green Bay\u2019s rookie mini-camp in May as a tryout player and impressed. Elgersma, who played 12-man football in Canada, certainly faced long odds to stick around then \u2014 and now.<\/p>\n

But Elgersma had a solid performance against the Colts last week, completing 7-of-11 passes for 109 yards, posting a 96.4 passer rating and leading three of Green Bay\u2019s four scoring drives. Now, Elgersma has a real shot to make the practice squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, the most important thing is I focus day by day on getting better, but I do think that I have a high ceiling,\u201d Elgersma said. \u201cIf I can keep developing and keep spending time here, I can turn into a guy that can play on Sundays and give our team a chance to win every single time I\u2019m out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

RUNNING BACK<\/p>\n

The Packers were hoping second-year man MarShawn Lloyd would be a key cog here. But Lloyd \u2014 who played in just one game last year due to injury \u2014 is hurt again and certainly can\u2019t be counted on.<\/a><\/p>\n

The best bet is Emanuel Wilson, last year\u2019s primary backup to Josh Jacobs, keeps that job. And Chris Brooks, who played in 15 games last season, is No. 3.<\/p>\n

Israel Abanikanda, a fifth round draft pick by the Jets in 2023, has had a solid camp, though, both as a runner and a kick returner and could factor in with a big finish to camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I grew up, I\u2019ve got Nigerian parents, and they\u2019re very strong with me to never let things break me,\u201d Abanikanda said. \u201cSo that\u2019s always been my mindset, just to never let anything break me, just use everything to motivate you. God\u2019s always got a plan, so you have to follow that and keep working.\u201d<\/p>\n

LINEBACKER<\/p>\n

Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie and Ty\u2019Ron Hopper are locks to make the team.<\/p>\n

The fifth and final spot comes down to talented, but inconsistent Isaiah Simmons vs. reliable, but less gifted Kristian Welch.<\/p>\n

Simmons is remarkably athletic, but has struggled in Green Bay\u2019s two preseason games.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s been up to my standard,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cI just feel like I\u2019ve been thinking too much instead of just being myself. Trying to play too perfect, as opposed to just playing. You know what I\u2019m saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

Welch looked like a good bet to make the team last year, but was released on cutdown day. The Iola, Wis., native has been solid all summer, and is also a special teams standout.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s done a lot of good things,\u201d LaFleur said of Welch. \u201cCertainly his value is just his ability to go out and do a lot of things in terms of special teams. He’s a four phase guy, and then he’s got enough experience at linebacker that if you need to fill a hole, he can fill any of those three spots.\u201d<\/p>\n

NO. 6 WIDE RECEIVER<\/p>\n

Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams are the top five. If the Packers keep six \u2014 or more \u2014 they\u2019ll have tough choices.<\/p>\n

Mecole Hardman has two Super Bowl rings from his time in Kansas City and has ability in the return game. Malik Heath is a nice blocker, but lacks explosiveness.<\/p>\n

Undrafted Julian Hicks and Cornelius Johnson have had their moments this summer, but remain longshots.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good thing about it is they\u2019re all competing and they\u2019re all showing us what they\u2019re about,\u201d Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. \u201cAnd any time you\u2019re out there in a game scenario and you make plays, that stands out for sure. So it\u2019s been good to see.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker is trying to hold off Jordan Morgan and keep his starting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":183498,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2072],"tags":[7,41,345,2514,2513,4858,1724,598,5393,6,428,3993,11051,7167],"class_list":{"0":"post-300462","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-green-bay-packers","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-green-bay","10":"tag-green-bay-packers","11":"tag-greenbay","12":"tag-greenbaypackers","13":"tag-isaiah-simmons","14":"tag-jordan-love","15":"tag-jordan-morgan","16":"tag-marshawn-lloyd","17":"tag-nfl","18":"tag-packers","19":"tag-rasheed-walker","20":"tag-sean-clifford","21":"tag-taylor-elgersma"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115055234042163101","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}