The Green Bay Packers had another strong string of practices in Week 2 of the preseason. After holding a joint practice and preseason game with the Cincinnati Bengals last week, it was the New England Patriots who came to town.
This was a good test for a young Packers team, as the Patriots get very creative with their schemes and usually feast on inexperienced rosters. But, that didn’t phase Green Bay, who found plenty of success in the two joint practices in preparation for the preseason game on Saturday night.
There were a lot of standout performances this week, as the roster battles are getting tighter. Players are looking to cement their spot on the roster, as the coaching staff is going to have some very difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks.
Who played well during the joint practices this week against the Packers? Here are three players who stood out against the Patriots.
3. LT David Bakhtiari
The Packers and David Bakhtiari agreed to an amended practice schedule for the veteran this offseason. It is something that he has admitted he doesn’t love, as he wants to be out there with the guys. It has been the source of many jokes, but if it helps Bakhtiari stay healthy for the regular season, everyone will be happy about it.
Bakhtiari was back on the field this week and it certainly seems that the extra rest days are helping keep him fresh. As noted by Paul Bretl of Packers Wire, Bakhtiari didn’t miss a beat despite having a week off.
The star left tackle was matched up with star pass rusher Matt Judon and performed very well. If he can stay healthy in the regular season, Jordan Love’s blindside is going to be protected excellently.
2. LB Eric Wilson
The Packers have one of the best inside linebacker situations in the NFL. De’Vondre Campbell was an All-Pro during the 2021 season and Quay Walker is expected to take a nice jump in Year 2 of his career.
But, with Campbell a little banged up this week and sitting out, it provided other players a chance to step into more reps at practice. One of the players afforded that opportunity was Eric Wilson, who took full advantage.
The backup linebacker was making plays all over the field. According to Bretl, he had two pass breakups that led to interceptions and he forced a throwaway during the two-minute drill competition as he got pressure on the quarterback.
Wilson is entering his second season with the Packers and is an integral part of their special teams unit. Showing that he can also help out defensively in a pinch will only strengthen his hold on a roster spot.
1. WR Christian Watson
The Packers’ offense is something people are keeping a close eye on. Everyone wants to see how Love will do adjusting to being the starter. His transition will be very easy if Christian Watson continues playing at this level.
Watson has been a playmaking machine throughout training camp as opponents are struggling to slow him down. Against the Patriots he was routinely running open in the secondary, picking up chunk gains and scores.
In the red zone portion of the competition, Watson scored two touchdowns; a post route he beat the cornerback on and a jump ball he used his rare blend of size and athleticism to pull down. In the two-minute drill, he picked up chunk gains to help the offense get into position to score.
All offseason Watson has been hyped as a breakout candidate. His performance in practice and against other teams in joint practices has done nothing to slow down his hype train.
