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The Green Bay Packers first preseason game of the 2022 season is in the books. There were some encouraging moments throughout the game, as well as moments that left you scratching your head wondering what the team had been working on for the past few weeks at training camp.
There were some very solid performances from players looking to carve out roster spots in Week 1. But there were also players who struggled to make their mark, and ultimately contributed to the final score, which was 28-21 in favor of the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay's opponent.
We've already taken a look at some of the players who initially stood out in this one, so now it's time to take a look at the players who struggled in Week 1 of the Packers' preseason slate. Let's dive in and look at three players who struggled in Green Bay's preseason opener.
3 Packers players who struggled in preseason opener
3. Jordan Love
We'd be remiss to not mention Jordan Love when it comes to Packers players that struggled in the preseason opener. Love wasn't bad the entire way through, and actually had some very good moments during his outing, but his overall struggles are hard to overlook.
Love completed 13 of his 24 passes for 176 yards, while connecting for two touchdowns but also throwing three interceptions. He had a passer rating of 66, which isn't exactly good either. Overall, it was a surprisingly inconsistent performance from Love, who was expected to excel during preseason play.
The interceptions are the most concering piece, although they all weren't his fault, but it was clear Love's accuracy was a bit out of tune last night. This isn't supremely concerning for Green Bay considering it's only their first preseason game, and Love won't play much given Aaron Rodgers is back in town this season. But it is worth noting Love was vastly outproduced by Danny Etling behind him, so the Packers may have to keep a closer eye on their quarterback room than initially expected.
2. Ray Wilborn
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Love's roster spot isn't really in jeopardy as a result of his Week 1 struggles, but the next two guys on this list could be in some serious trouble. Let's start with linebacker Ray Wilborn, who made virtually no impact despite playing more than half of the Packers defensive snaps. Wilborn finished the game with just one lone tackle and no other stats despite playing 30 snaps on the night.
Green Bay struggled to defend the run at times, and Wilborn was a big part of their struggles. He failed to hit his gaps and slow down plays, and when he was called upon to rush the passer, he made little to no impact. It was a tough night for Wilborn, who is looking to latch on with a team after going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Wilborn may have a bit of an advantage over some of the other linebackers he's competing against for his special teams contributions, but if they continue to outplay him over the next few preseason contests, Wilborn could find himself out of a job in the blink of an eye. Wilborn had a solid spring with the Packers, and there's still time for him to turn things around, but his performance against the 49ers left a lot to be desired.
1. Tyler Davis
Tyler Davis faced long odds to make the Packers roster even after spending most of the 2021 season on Green Bay's practice squad. Those odds may have become much longer after he struggled to do much of anything in Week 1 of the preseason for the Packers. Davis failed to register a catch on two targets, one of which bounced off his hands and was promptly intercepted, and also struggled to block in the run game as well.
Davis is fourth on the Packers tight end depth chart, and he certainly won't be moving up that list anytime soon if continues to put together stinkers like the one from the preseason opener. Davis has upside, but he needs to show he's capable of reaching it if he intends on sticking around in Green Bay.
Davis still could be a likely practice squad candidate, but he showed no signs of becoming an NFL player against the 49ers reserves. Davis' struggles aren't overly concerning considering the Packers are well stocked at tight end, but it would have been nice to see Davis develop into a solid prospect for them to potentially cash in on down the line. Instead, it looks like Davis may end up looking for his next team sooner rather than later, which isn't good news for the 2021 sixth-round draft pick.
