The final preseason game did not resolve many of my personnel questions.  They got good performances from multiple players at positions I thought were deep already, and poor to middling performances at positions of need.  The Packers will not practice on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, so there will be no more practices prior to the cut down deadline on Tuesday, August 27, at 4:00 p.m. EST. 

Remember, under the new rules up to two players can be placed on IR immediately (that is, today) and still be eligible to return for week 5 of the regular season.  If the Packers have more than two players who have to go on injured reserve, they will have to carry them on the 53-man active list (that is, not place them on waivers or cut them).  They can put any remaining players on IR on August 28 (after they made the team for most of a day) so that they will be eligible to return.    

New Injuries to Ralen Goforth and Jonathan Ford, who were carted off the field, only complicates things.  Goforth has an ankle injury and Ford has a calf injury.  Ford had 3 tackles (1 solo) and was tough to move for the most part.  Robert Rochell did not play against Baltimore due to a hip injury.  I do not know the severity of any of these new injuries.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

The Packers allowed 7 quarterback hits and no sacks.  The Packers rested their top six linemen: Walker, Jenkins, Myers, Morgan, Rhyan, and Tom.  Dillard also did not play but it was due to a shoulder injury.  It should be noted that on Sean Clifford's first 7 pass attempts, he was hit 4 times.  Clifford completed just one of his first 7 pass attempts for 13 yards.  The starting offensive line did Clifford no favors.  The starters were Telfort, Smith, Monk, Newman, and Glover.  Those starters opened some holes in the running game, as the Packers gained 12, 8, 2 (good for a first down on a 3rd and 2), and minus one.  That ended with a long field goal.  The next running play went for 2 and two incomplete passes caused a punt.  The next possession they gained 13, 3, 11, 4, 10, 4, 3.  That ended in a 36-yard field goal after Melton was penalized for a false start on 3rd and 7 and the Packers could not convert.  That is 71 yards on 12 carries, an average of 5.92 yards per carry.  It never really tapered off.  On the fourth possession (with Jones and Tenuta at the OT spots) they gained 25 yards on 5 carries with a long of 12.  That ended with a touchdown pass to Melton.  LaFleur praised the line for finishing blocks.

Caleb Jones replaced Telfort and Tenuta replaced Glover on the Packers' fourth possession, but that was just for one possession, with Telfort and Glover returning.   Jones and Tenuta returned later.  Tenuta got snaps at right guard and Donovan Jennings got snaps at left guard for quite a while.    On the fourth possession (with Jones and Tenuta at the OT spots) they gained 25 yards on 5 carries with a long of 12.  That ended with a touchdown pass to Melton.  LaFleur praised the line for finishing blocks.   

Dillard did not play because he is injured and didn't practice last week with a shoulder injury.  I still suspect that he is a good bet to make the roster, although being a vested veteran works against him (more on that later).  Newman got a lot of snaps, but I have seen worse.  Then again, the performances that were worse were mostly of Newman in prior years, and of Chris Hanson.  I think Monk and Rhyan can hold down the IOL backup roles with Glover, Telfort, and (sigh) Dillard making the team.

RUNNING BACKS:

 All of the running backs ran hard and had gaudy numbers.  I thought Wilson had a good day.  He also caught both of his targets for 26 yards.  FB (or is it TE?) Henry Pearson had no carries but caught a 4-yard pass.  Wilson should have locked up a spot on the 53-man roster.  I suppose it depends on the injuries to Lloyd (hamstring) and Dillon (stinger), and Dillon's status as a vested veteran.

QUARTERBACKS:  

Clifford did not have a good night.  He finished 6 of 14 for 53 yards with 1 TD and no interceptions.  He had a passer rating of 77.4.  After starting 1 of 7 for 13 yards, he returned and finished 5 of 7 for 40 yards.  That is nothing to write home about.  The Ravens only had their starting weak side linebacker playing.  Pratt finished 8 of 12 for 80 yards with 1 TD and 1 Interception.  He had a passer rating of 78.5.  Both had the benefit of a pretty good run game.  The pass blocking improved for Pratt after the Ravens substituted some of the second-string players out and mixed in some other prospects.  It improved for Clifford as well when he returned.  However, neither of them looked good enough to win a regular season game if Love missed time.  

TIGHT ENDS:

Ben Sims got the start.  Wilson caught 2 of his 3 targets for 11 yards.  He had a drop in the game.  This after LaFleur said he failed to flatten his route in last week's preseason game, contributing to a Clifford interception.  Sims and Swinson each got 1 target but did not have any catches.  I include Pearson in this category as well.  He caught one pass for 4 yards but he looked good, and caught a long pass in the scrimmage. Tyler Davis did not play due to injury.  Davis had a horrendous game last week after blocking well in training camp.  Tyler Davis is also a vested veteran.  Pearson was surprising but I don't think he did enough for a spot on the 53.

WIDE RECEIVERS:

The battle between Heath, Melton, and Dubose rages on.  Heath helped himself the most by catching 4 of 5 targets for 39 yards, a 9.8-yard average, and a touchdown.  Toure caught 2 of 4 targets for 28 yards.  Melton caught 1 of his 2 targets for 18 yards and a touchdown.  That was a nice catch as the window was tight.  Melton also had a false start that forced a field goal.  DuBose did not catch his only target.  Hicks, Wayne and Stanley were not targeted.  

Stanley failed to impress as a returner.  I have tired of watching him dance.  I expect Toure to be on someone's 53-man roster or at least on a practice squad, but I don't think it will be in Green Bay.  With so many young receivers ahead of him in Green Bay, Toure might choose to go elsewhere if he is not claimed on waivers.  Hicks and Wayne are good bets for the PS.  Some media observers think the Packers could trade Melton for a late draft pick.    

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN:

Wooden and Brooks started the game and looked good, particularly Wooden and over the course of training camp.  Brooks was pretty quiet all during camp.  Ford looked immovable for the most part.  Ester and Schad looked like they need another year.  Ford was injured but the severity of his injury is unknown.  The Packers face Philadelphia in 13 days.  The Packers did not play Clark, Slaton, or Wyatt.  Waege did not play due to injury.  Wooden and Brooks were always locks.  Ford was making a push to force the Packers to keep a 6th interior defensive lineman, but his injury makes that murky.   Waege is undersized at 284 pounds, and it shows in his anchor.   The same is true for Ester and Schad, who really just came into camp a few days ago.  Perhaps one of them gets an offer for the PS, but someone outside the organization is possible, even likely if Ford's injury is serious enough to force him onto the IR.

EDGE:

Mosby helped himself the most today with a sack/forced fumble and an interception of a bullet thrown by Devin Leary.  The sack was his only tackle.  Cox had just one assisted tackle.  Some observers think Cox is Edge #5 but others put Mosby there.  Cox is the better pure pass-rusher, while Mosby, who quietly had a very good camp, is the more complete player.  Both play special teams: Cox played 9 ST snaps (39%)  and Mosby played 12 ST snaps (52%) but they played 6 and 7 snaps, respectively, this week.  Mosby can play on ST units that don't involve kicking a football.  I note that the Packers elevated KeShawn Banks instead of Cox for the playoffs last year.  I think it might depend on personalities: which player has the most desire and upside to get better?  Banks got hurt, only returning for this game, so he was not able to mount a challenge like I had hoped//expected.  He only had 1 assisted tackle against Baltimore.  The Packers only had 2 quarterback hits and 1 sack.  Mosby had the sack and Morton had the other QB hit.

LINEBACKER:

Christian Welch helped himself the most today.  He had 5 tackles (4 solo), 2 passes defensed, one of which was an interception and the other was almost an interception, and he has had a very good training camp.  However, I suspect he is going to find out the life is not always fair.  The Packers did not play Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Eric Wilson, or Isiah McDuffie.  Hopper has shown enough (he has an outstanding trait in his run-stopping tackles) to make this team, and he is a 3rd round pick.  That is five and I just don't think they will keep 6, although Welch is considered an ace on special teams.  Eric Wilson and Welch are vested veterans.    

CORNERBACK:

Kalen King had the best day, although we don't know whether he was at fault for giving up the 48-yard touchdown pass.  He appeared to be lined up against Wallace but perhaps thought he could pass the receiver off to help deep, which did not arrive.  (Maybe King was correct and he should have been able to pass the receiver off.)  WR Wallace was all alone.  Zayne Anderson was playing deep safety, if I recall correctly.  King also came up and made a heavy hit to force a fumble.  King had 5 tackles (3 solo) and the forced fumble.  Green had 3 tackles (1 solo) plus another tackle on special teams.  The Packers rested Alexander, Stokes, Valentine, Nixon, and Rochell (injury, though).  That is 4 locks, with Rochell, Ballentine and King all having good claims to being worthy of a roster spot.  The nod might go to Ballentine who proved himself last year, with Rochell perhaps going to IR and King making the 53 if the Packers keep 6 CBs.

SAFETY:

Johnson had 4 tackles (2 solo) and a fumble recovery.  Anderson had a pass defensed.  Olapado committed an illegal block penalty on an interception return but had no other statistics.  He has shown some physicality with his tackling prior to tonight.  The Packers were always going to keep their three draft picks barring something extraordinary, plus McKinney and Anthony Johnson has done enough to get the nod for the fifth spot.  Zayne Anderson and Bennie Sapp are victims of a numbers game who would look good on the practice squad.  

SPECIALISTS:

Joseph made a 54-yard field goal and Carlson made a 55-yarder, but Carlson missed a chip shot.  Neither kicker took the bull by the horns, though Carlson made a slightly higher percentage through out the course of training camp and the games.  The Packers might look for someone outside the organization but no one obvious seems likely to get cut.  The nod goes to Carlson.  He is still on his rookie deal and the coordianator loves him.  Plus, Joseph is a vested veteran.  Orzech should have had more competition.  Orzech might be a cut candidate despite having some guaranteed money.  Whelan is a lock.

VESTED VETERANS:

As noted by Justis Mosqueda in his article, players who are vested veterans get their entire salary guaranteed if they are on the roster for the week one game.  For example, if Greg Joseph is the kicker for game one and shanks a bunch of field goals, enough so the Packers want to bring someone else in, the Packers would still owe him his entire $1.125M salary (assuming Joseph make a claim for his base salary after the season, something a vested veteran can only do once during their career) and then they would have to pay the new kicker as well.  If Carlson is the kicker for week one and stinks up the joint, the Packers would only owe him 1/18th of his $915K base salary, or $50,833 (instead of Joseph's $1.125M).  Orzech, Tyler Davis, Corey Ballentine, Andre Dillard, and Welch are also vested veterans of note.  There are more vested veterans but they are all locks to make the team.       

WHO IS GOING TO MAKE THE TEAM:

I don't know.  I have seen a couple of predictions that don't agree with each other.  Instead of spewing another prediction, let me suggest that the Packers might handle this in an aggressive, if not radical, way.  It has been reported that Dillon in prior years had a stinger and that the Packers are seeking a second opinion on his current injury.  The Packers could place Lloyd on IR tomorrow while designating him as one of their two exemptions to be allowed to return.  They might also put Dillon on the IR, making him also eligible to return.  Then, Jacobs and Wilson make the team.  The Packers waive Merriweather and Howard and later sign them to the PS.  Elevate them until Lloyd and/or Dillon return in Week 5.  That saves one or two roster spots.  

I imagine the Packers will keep one of Clifford or Pratt, but perhaps to save another roster spot they waive both, and then re-sign the player who clears waivers.  They might still have their choice.   Or, they could see if Bailey Zappe (Patriots), Tyler Huntley (Browns), Davis Mills/Case Keenum (Texans),  Taylor Heinicke (Falcons),  Jake Haener (Saints who might just keep 3 QB's), Desmond Ridder (Cardinals) or PJ Walker (Seahawks) as suggested by Andy Herman, or some other quarterback they like becomes available.  I don't think Pratt or Clifford could win a game if Love misses time.  I can see the Packers keeping just 3 TEs with Tyler Davis (would he have to be waived injured?) and Joel Wilson being out of luck.  I think they could sign Davis, Joel Wilson, and/or Swinson to the PS.  

 I think Melton is a lock if not traded.  I don't care too much about Heath/DuBose, but I would give the nod to Heath with Dubose to the PS.  6 WRs make the team.  I really like Robert Rochell and Kalen King.  Perhaps they make enough roster spots available or Rochell to IR and Ballentine and King being the 5th and 6th CBs.

It is going to be interesting.

Photo courtesy of Tork Mason, USA Today Network