The Green Bay Packers are holding on-field competitions at several positions through two weeks of the 2024 season. Coach Matt LaFleur is using rotations at right guard, cornerback, linebacker and safety — not generally heavily rotated positions in-game — to provide opportunities to multiple deserving players.
“We’re not afraid to play a bunch of people,” LaFleur said Monday. “We’re fortunate we have a lot of players we have a lot of confidence in to put out there in the game.”
LaFleur said rotations help provide an excellent situation for competition, player development and protection against injuries.
Let’s check out the snap counts coming out of Week 2 at several positions:
Right guard
Sean Rhyan: 50 snaps (71 percent)
Jordan Morgan: 20 snaps (29 percent)
This split likely would have ended up closer to 50/50 had Morgan not injured his shoulder before halftime and missed the rest of the contest. Rhyan and Morgan were rotating series in the first half. LaFleur wasn’t able to give an injury update on Morgan on Monday, but it’s possible Rhyan — who made the start on Sunday — will be a full-time player at right guard for the foreseeable future. Another injury could really stunt Morgan’s first-year development.
Cornerback
Eric Stokes: 24 snaps (43 percent)
Carrington Valentine: 32 snaps (57 percent)
Stokes started at corner, but Valentine ended up playing more snaps against the Colts. LaFleur said it was a performance-based decision to give Valentine more opportunities. This could be a season-long competition opposite Jaire Alexander. Stokes is the former first-round pick, but he’s in the final year of his rookie deal. Developing Valentine, who is in Year 2, could be important for long-term health of the position.
Linebacker
Eric Wilson: 8 snaps (14 percent)
Edgerrin Cooper: 7 snaps (12 percent)
The Packers were planning to get Cooper on the field more in Week 2, but Wilson jam-packed his eight snaps with impact. He forced a fumble, helped make a crucial stop on third down and intercepted Anthony Richardson. After playing 11 snaps in the opener, Cooper saw only seven snaps on Sunday. Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie were every down linebackers again. This position will be one to watch all season as the Packers try to find the best two or three linebackers for various situations.
Safety
Javon Bullard: 42 snaps (75 percent)
Evan Williams: 20 snaps (36 percent)
Jeff Hafley made it clear that Williams deserved a role on defense in Week 2. No lies detected Sunday. Williams replaced Bullard next to Xavier McKinney for a handful of series. He was also on the field for the final play, an interception of Anthony Richardson on a Hail Mary. Unless the Packers have plans to play Bullard more in the slot (Keisean Nixon played 84 percent of snaps on Sunday), safety might continue to have a rotation between the two rookies.
Other snap count notes
— The Packers wanted more snaps for Luke Musgrave, and he ended up playing 31 to Tucker Kraft’s 56. It’s clear Kraft is TE1, and Musgrave won’t get extensive playtime unless the Packers are in 12 personnel. Kraft is just a better fit for what the Packers want to do most weeks.
— Josh Jacobs was on the field for 47 snaps. He received 32 carries.
— In a run-heavy game, Romeo Doubs (55 snaps, 79 percent) was the only receiver to be on the field for more than 60 percent of the offense’s snaps.
— Kingsley Enagbare (31 snaps, 55 percent) out-snapped Lukas Van Ness (20 snaps, 36 percent) once again. Neither had significant impact on the game. Interestingly enough, Enagbare out-snapped veteran Preston Smith, who played 28 snaps.
— Devonte Wyatt got 25 snaps (45 percent), second behind Kenny Clark (35 snaps, 62 percent) among interior defensive linemen. Wyatt was effective as a pass-rusher, and the Colts got pass-heavy at times. Karl Brooks got 23 snaps, more than TJ Slaton (19). The Packers want to keep the front fresh, so rotations here are common.