{"id":79090,"date":"2025-08-17T10:48:47","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T10:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=79090"},"modified":"2025-08-17T10:48:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T10:48:47","slug":"five-roster-building-takeaways-on-packers-victory-over-colts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=79090","title":{"rendered":"Five Roster-Building Takeaways on Packers\u2019 Victory Over Colts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 The Green Bay Packers beat the Indianapolis Colts 23-19 on Saturday, which is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things but important in terms of assembling the roster. With one week left in training camp, here are five roster-centric takeaways from the game.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a surprise that Taylor Elgersma wasn\u2019t drafted. It\u2019s dumbfounding that he wasn\u2019t signed immediately afterward. Quarterbacks with intelligence and arm talent don\u2019t grow on trees. So what if he played against below-average competition in Canada? That\u2019s why a team has coaches.<\/p>\n

For Elgersma, talent hasn\u2019t been the question. It\u2019s how long it was going to take that talent to show up. After a rocky start in which he was overwhelmed physically and mentally by the Colts\u2019 pass rush, he settled in after halftime.<\/p>\n

He finished the game having completed 7-of-11 passes for 109 yards. That\u2019s pretty solid. On the final drive of the first half, he had three completions for 51 yards and one touchdown overturned by illegal-formation penalties, so the numbers should have been even better. On the other hand, as coach Matt LaFleur said, \u201cthere were a couple of times where he put the ball in jeopardy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Including Saturday\u2019s preseason finale against the Seahawks, there\u2019s one more week left in training camp, with roster cuts in exactly 10 days. Behind Jordan Love and Malik Willis, will the Packers pick the best quarterback, which is Sean Clifford? Or will they pick the best developmental prospect, which is Elgersma, with the possibility that this year\u2019s No. 3 quarterback\/practice-squad quarterback could be next year\u2019s backup?<\/p>\n

Running back: MarShawn Lloyd\u2019s Injury<\/h2>\n

MarShawn Lloyd\u2019s latest injury could add an additional wrinkle for Gutekunst when he picks his 53.<\/p>\n

If Lloyd had enjoyed a healthy training camp and preseason \u2013 in other words, had proven he was a reliable and durable player \u2013 the Packers could roll into the season with Josh Jacobs, Lloyd and Chris Brooks. However, Lloyd is injured. Again. After missing two weeks with a groin injury, he suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The injury is not believed to be serious but every injury is a big deal for a player who has been sidelined because of, in order, his hip, hamstring, ankle, appendix, hamstring, groin and hamstring.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s seven times on the sideline in his brief career, which is the same number as his touches in regular-season action.<\/p>\n

Even if the Packers believe Lloyd will be ready for the Detroit Lions in 22 days, can they really go into the season with three backs? Or, because of the injury history, will they have to go with four? And if it is four, will it be returning backup Emanuel Wilson, who fumbled and gave up a sack on Saturday but has a strong track record, Israel Abanikanda, who earned every inch of his 43 rushing yards against the Colts (and had a tackle on special teams), or Amar Johnson, who has a touchdown in each game?<\/p>\n

At this point, Abanikanda might be a slight favorite, though the team probably can get at least two of those three players back to the practice squad.<\/p>\n

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Whose stock is up? Whose stock is down? @JacobWestendorf has his weekly #Packers stock report. \u2b07\ufe0fhttps:\/\/t.co\/plfNEr2Vqs<\/p>\n

\u2014 Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 16, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Green Bay\u2019s offensive line was overwhelmed by a starting defense for the second consecutive week. In totality, the offensive line depth is the equivalent of a desert lakebed. Gutekunst drafted three linemen in 2024 and two linemen in 2025. Other than Jordan Morgan, who had another strong performance in place of injured left tackle Rasheed Walker, none of them seem ready to play. It hasn\u2019t helped that Travis Glover, a sixth-round pick last year, and John Williams, a seventh-round pick this year, are injured.<\/p>\n

The Packers have six candidates to be the five starters. Aaron Banks will start at left guard, Elgton Jenkins will start at center and Zach Tom will start at right tackle, Walker or Morgan will start at left tackle and Morgan or Sean Rhyan will start at right guard. Second-round pick Anthony Belton, the presumptive seventh man, was called for an appalling five penalties in the first half alone \u2013 giving him seven in two games \u2013 and gave up a couple pressures.<\/p>\n

Jacob Monk, Donovan Jennings and Kadeem Telfort have taken their lumps, as well.<\/p>\n

The good news is the Packers won\u2019t have to play their No. 2 line against the Lions in Week 1. As a veteran offensive line coach once said, an offense can survive having one bad player on its line. It can\u2019t survive with two. The starting five is strong. Whoever from the group of Morgan, Walker or Rhyan who doesn\u2019t start will provide strong depth. If the Packers have to go further into their depth chart, they might be sunk.<\/p>\n

Linebacker: Isaiah Simmons\u2019 Future<\/h2>\n

Isaiah Simmons offers tantalizing potential. A linebacker trio of Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker and Simmons could be like oceans and cover two-thirds of the world. Simmons has delivered strong play through portions of his career. However, with one week remaining in camp, time is running out.<\/p>\n

For as good as he\u2019s been on the practice field \u2013 and he has been quite good at times \u2013 the two preseason games have not gone well. Week 1 against the Jets was a struggle, and Saturday at Indy was a carbon copy in many ways. On the opening series, it appeared he was beaten twice in coverage. On the next possession, he missed a tackle.<\/p>\n

While Simmons played linebacker in college and has played it at times throughout his NFL career, the Packers have called this a \u201cnew\u201d position. Signing with the Packers gave him the opportunity to focus on playing linebacker rather than playing safety, linebacker and nickel. Nonetheless, he\u2019s looked lost too frequently.<\/p>\n

Cooper, Walker and Isaiah McDuffie were inactive on Saturday, a clear sign that they are the top three linebackers. Ty\u2019Ron Hopper, a third-round pick last year, has had a strong summer and is a slam-dunk to earn a roster spot. That means it could be down to Simmons and Kristian Welch for the last spot. If the fifth linebacker is about special teams, that\u2019s been Welch\u2019s calling hard through his NFL career.<\/p>\n

Injuries have ransacked the receiver room and impacted the running backs. Now, they\u2019ve piled up at safety.<\/p>\n

All-Pro Xavier McKinney is out with a calf injury. In his place, Zayne Anderson stepped in with the No. 1 defense and suffered a knee injury against the Jets. Those injuries gave Omar Brown, the star of Family Night, a chance to make a push for a roster spot. However, a chest injury sent him to an Indianapolis hospital.<\/p>\n

Even if Evan Williams and Javon Bullard start against Seattle in the preseason finale, they won\u2019t be on the field long. The last men standing at safety are Kitan Oladapo, who became the next next man up after Anderson\u2019s injury, and rookie Johanthan Baldwin. Baldwin, who got a nice contract as an undrafted free agent and was coached by a former NFL DB at UNLV, this week had an interception at practice in Green Bay and another in the joint practice against the Colts.<\/p>\n

McKinney, Williams and Bullard are locks, and Oladapo, who broke up a pass against the Colts, might be, as well. With Bullard doubling as the team\u2019s nickel defender, the Packers will keep at least one more safety on the 53. The injuries have opened the door for Baldwin to make a late push.<\/p>\n

More Green Bay Packers News<\/h2>\n
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With kickoff to #Packers-Colts approching, here are my 5\u20e3 most-improved players at training camp.https:\/\/t.co\/vmFRaFDTr8<\/p>\n

\u2014 Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 16, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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