The Green Bay Packers opened their preseason schedule with a 28-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, and the game provided meaningful information about where this roster stands heading into the 2026 regular season.

There’s plenty to unpack from the Packers’ first live action, including some snaps for most starters, including quarterback Jordan Love, and defensive changes under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

Valuable reps for the starters

Even though 16 players did not suit up for the game, several main starters were on the field. Quarterback Jordan Love, three of the five starting offensive linemen, the top wide receivers, and several of the best defensive players all participated, with the obvious exception of edge defender Micah Parsons.

“I think it’s important for those guys to knock the rust off,” general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke on Packers TV before the game. “Even if they only get one series, two series, the process of going through that is important.”

Head coach Matt LaFleur echoed that sentiment during the week, saying the Packers want their starters playing a certain number of snaps despite the obvious injury risk. Green Bay’s reasoning is that the risk of injuries during the regular season decreases when players get preseason reps. The organization made a deliberate choice to get its core players into game action early.

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Defensive structure looks different under Gannon

The scheme was vanilla, as expected for a preseason opener. Gannon won’t put much on tape this early. But structural differences from the past two years under Jeff Hefley were already visible.

The Packers deployed more blitzes from the defensive backs, particularly from the slot. Safety Kitan Oladapo, playing in the slot, recorded a sack in the second quarter. In terms of coverage, it’s too early to draw firm conclusions because much of it will be game-specific during the regular season. That said, knowing how Gannon operates and what LaFleur prefers, it is fair to expect more soft zones throughout the regular season.

One area of concern was tackling. The Packers missed several, including a sequence where Keisean Nixon and Oladapo both whiffed on the same ball carrier and allowed extra yards. That’s a spot where improvement is necessary.

Second-round rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse, however, stood out as a more aggressive presence. He made a strong tackle saving a touchdown late in the first quarter, and his physicality was noticeable throughout. Cisse is a stronger player for the cornerback position, and getting a rookie to contribute in that area could be significant for Green Bay.

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Offensive line depth is a real concern

Jordan Morgan is a fine solution at left tackle. He played well in pass protection, showing a strong base and strong legs while limiting pressures. Run blocking remains limited, and that’s not an area where he thrives. But the expectation is that he will be a viable starting left tackle for the Packers this season.

The larger problem is depth along the offensive line. Left guard Aaron Banks and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele didn’t play Thursday, forcing LaFleur to shuffle the lineup. Fifth-round rookie Jager Burton started at left guard, Jacob Monk started at right guard, and Anthony Belton moved to right tackle. As the game progressed, the Packers moved Monk to center, inserted Donovan Jennings at right guard, and kept Belton at right tackle with center Sean Rhyan no longer playing with the second unit.

Belton has only played tackle since Family Night, both in practice and in the preseason opener. If the Packers envision him as a starting right guard during the regular season, it’s difficult to understand why he isn’t getting reps there in the preseason, at minimum with the backups after Love left the field.

Burton played fine at left guard, but Monk was underwhelming. Green Bay doesn’t have a clear answer at right guard. Burton, Monk, and Belton could all compete for that spot, and Burton appears to be the best option at this point. The problem is that Burton has essentially played left guard throughout training camp because Banks can’t practice. For the Packers’ sake, Banks needs to return at some point during camp so Burton can move to the right side and fill that void.

Offensive line depth remains a significant concern, and it’s something Green Bay will have to monitor closely over the next two preseason games and, ideally, resolve before the regular season begins.