The Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have a big week ahead. The teams have a joint practice on Thursday in Green Bay and then play on Saturday at Lambeau Field to close out the preseason. It’s the final opportunity for bubble players to make a good impression ahead of the final roster cuts, and for the coaching staffs to make adjustments before the regular season.

Since it’s likely several starters won’t play during Saturday’s contest, we decided to take a look at the top matchups heading into Thursday’s joint practice session, simply because it’s guaranteed that starters on both sides will see plenty of action as long as they’re healthy.

So, with all that being said, let’s dive into the top things to look out for regarding the Packers defense and what it means for the Seahawks offense.

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The Packers’ ascending defensive front vs. a Seahawks OL figuring things out

Wendell: Development is the main word in regards to the Packers’ defensive front this year. Without major investment in the position, the team hired former New England Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington as the new defensive line coach to take more out of what the roster already had. So far, the results have been particularly impressive with Lukas Van Ness. The former first-round pick was always a raw project, and it seems like he’s finally reaching something close to his potential in his third training camp. There are still some questions along the interior of the defensive line, and undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse may be an intriguing answer to replace TJ Slaton and stop the run.

Evan: The Seahawks offensive line looks like it’s starting to figure things out and that’s evidenced by the fact the running backs ran for over 125 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first preseason game and then went for more than 200 yards against the Chiefs last week. The unit has allowed just one sack through two games and the starting five of has helped the offense score three touchdowns on four drives. It’s accomplished this without starting left tackle Charles Cross (finger injury) and Jake Sundell may be on the verge of stealing the starting center spot from Olu Oluwatimi, who has missed some time with a back injury.

That’s impressive, even if it’s the preseason, and it will be fun to see if Grey Zabel and Co. can move the Packers’ front around.

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A banged-up Packers secondary vs. a new-look Seahawks WR corp

Wendell: The Packers are already thin at cornerback, and Nate Hobbs will miss the rest of training camp and preseason after going through a knee surgery. That creates concerns, but also opportunities for depth players to step up. Outside of the starters Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, the other name who’s had chances and maximized them is converted wide receiver Bo Melton. Kalen King has always done relatively well. However, practice squad holdover Kamal Hadden and undrafted rookie Johnathan Baldwin had rough moments against the Indianapolis Colts. If the Packers won’t look to add external options, internal improvement is a must.

Evan: As we know, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are no longer on the team, but Cooper Kupp is around to take some of the heat off Jaxon Smith-Njigba and it sounds like the ‘Hawks struck gold with Tory Horton in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

With Sam Darnold tossing the ball around and the offensive line protecting the way it’s been protecting, the Seahawks receivers should have a pretty solid day against a banged-up Packers secondary.

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Packers’ depth at inside linebacker receives a solid test against a deep Seahawks RB room

Wendell: The Packers have Edgerrin Cooper as an ascending star, while Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie are veterans they trust. Last year’s third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper has made some strides in Year 2, but it still feels like the linebacker depth is suboptimal. Former top 10 pick Isaiah Simmons had a strong offseason program, but his performance has gone back down to Earth since the pads came up, and especially in preseason games. Kristian Welch is an impactful special teamer, but with hybrid edge/off-ball linebacker Collin Oliver still on PUP, defensive impact is also imperative if the Packers will keep a fifth player at the position.

Evan: Mike Macdonald said Monday he expects Kenneth Walker to participate in the joint practice session against the Packers, so the Seahawks should have their top-2 guys in him and Zach Charbonnet. They easily make up one of the NFL’s better running back duos and both guys can catch the ball, making them a very tough assignment for opposing defenses, especially middle linebackers.

There’s also the trio of George Holani, Jacardia Wright, and Damien Martinez to account for and they’ll be a big test for the Packers’ depth at ILB. Those three have combined for 252 rushing yards on 45 carries and 49 receiving yards off five receptions through the first two preseason games.

While this represents a fun matchup, there’s a big picture scenario that’s more important to monitor: Walker’s injury has been a nagging one, causing him to miss time here and there. If he can go through the full practice and a normal postgame recovery, it’ll be a very encouraging sign regarding his health entering the regular season.

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