The Packers schedule reaches its final preseason checkpoint on Aug. 28, when Green Bay hosts the Arizona Cardinals in a game that should help clarify a few roster and role battles before the Aug. 30 cut to 53 players.
This is not just a warmup. The Packers used their Aug. 26 joint practice with Arizona to get a look at several players, and the preseason finale now gives Matt LaFleur another chance to sort out who is ready for Week 1 and who is still fighting for a roster spot.
What to watch in the preseason finale
One of the biggest questions is at right guard. About the second week in camp, Anthony Belton moved into the backup role after Zach Bako-Bewele had been taking three or four snaps with the No. 1 offense. That battle matters because Bako-Bewele is coming off a partially torn patellar tendon, and Week 1 at Minnesota is still a possibility if he can keep progressing.
The game also has clear value on the defensive line, where the Packers could use one more look at depth options before finalizing the roster. Several Packers are likely to be evaluated in that group as the team tries to determine which backups can survive the next round of cuts.
MarShawn Lloyd’s workload is another storyline
MarShawn Lloyd is also part of the conversation. His return to action has been slowed by injury-marred seasons, and he described the process as “more of a slog.” Matt LaFleur may limit Lloyd’s touches again, which would make the game more about evaluation than workload.
Lloyd’s situation is a reminder that preseason games can still matter even when the starters do not play much. For Green Bay, the key is not just getting through Aug. 28, but using it to make cleaner decisions before the Aug. 30 roster cut.
Why it matters now
The Packers schedule is moving from camp evaluation into roster construction. With one preseason game left, the staff has a final live look at players competing for Week 1 roles, and the decisions made here could affect the depth chart at right guard and on the defensive line.
That makes Aug. 28 more than a date on the calendar. It is the last major checkpoint before the Packers settle on their 53-man roster and start turning toward Minnesota.
