Just because it was a rough preseason debut for the Green Bay Packers doesn’t mean there were no positive takeaways. The Packers got roughed up in the preseason opener by the New York Jets, and the performance of the starters was particularly disappointing.
For the starters, it’s just a preseason opener and nothing more. It’s a slice of humble pie that can take you back to the drawing board and put an extra chip on your shoulder going forward. For the backups and roster hopefuls, however, a big performance can mean everything.
Which Packers players managed to see their stock on the rise despite the team having a rough outing overall against the Jets?
Packers players whose stock is rising after Jets debacle
1. Amar Johnson, running back
You know you stood out in a big way when the head coach is saying this about you after the game:
“I thought it was a good showing for him, thought he ran hard and obviously flashed some playmaking ability, so he’ll probably earn some more opportunities next week,” LaFleur said, via the Packers’ official website.
GBTD pic.twitter.com/73eZVMw3Km
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 10, 2025
When you can show off your speed, quickness, vision, and ability to literally bounce off tacklers in one clip, you’re going to stand out to everyone in the fan base. Amar Johnson had a great showing in the pre-draft process by running a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, and the Packers might have another UDFA gem on their hands.
With more opportunities on the way from LaFleur, maybe we’ve only begun scratching the surface of what this guy can bring to the table. Especially with MarShawn Lloyd still on the mend, there could be an opening in the Green Bay backfield.
2. Colby Wooden, defensive line
The Packers have been eager for a breakthrough from Colby Wooden since he was drafted back in 2023, and it might finally be the year where it clicks for him. Wooden had six tackles against the Jets and a batted pass at the line of scrimmage. He made a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and just looked like a player who has really progressed from what we’ve seen in the past.
Over the course of his first two NFL seasons, Wooden has not even reached 300 snaps total, but it looks like he has added some good weight and will be able to play all over the defensive front for Jeff Hafley this coming season.
He was lined up over the nose at one point and showed an outstanding anchor with great leverage and quickness off the snap.
3. Barryn Sorrell, edge rusher
One of the best parts of the preseason is watching pass rushers feast on backup offensive lines. It’s obviously something you have to grade on a little bit of a curve each year, but typically you can see which guys have “it” in the pass rush department in the preseason more than most other positions.
And Barryn Sorrell has “it”.
There were a number of people who felt like the Packers got a steal in the fourth round when they took Sorrell from Texas’s star-studded defense, and it looks like he’s going to be playing a role rather quickly for this team.
He had a pair of quarterback hits for Green Bay in the preseason debut and was winning his matchups off the edge with relative ease. When a guy puts this kind of stuff out there in a preseason game, all of a sudden, that high RAS starts to take on a new meaning. Sorrell was one of the best athletes in this rookie class off the edge.
He’s another player who deserves more opportunities going forward and after this debut against the Jets, he’ll likely get them.
