On Aug. 11, 2008, a young quarterback named Aaron Rodgers made his preseason debut as the new starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers against the Cincinnati Bengals.
On Aug. 11, 2023, a young quarterback named Jordan Love will make his preseason debut as the new starting quarterback for the Packers against the Bengals.
Time is a flat circle.
Love, a 2020 first-round pick who sat for three years behind Rodgers, is expected to play a few series on Friday night at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The preseason opener will mark the on-field beginning of a new era in Green Bay.
Here are five things to watch when the Packers take on the Bengals in the preseason opener on Friday night:
Young playmakers
It’s unclear how many snaps Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs will get as second-year starters, but Friday night will provide the first look at a bunch of rookie playmakers on offense, including second-round picks Luke Musgrave and Jayden Reed, third-round pick Tucker Kraft and fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks. Who is going to make plays for first-year starter Jordan Love and fifth-round pick Sean Clifford? The preseason opener is an important step for a group of skill position players that need to get up to speed quickly before Week 1. Watch for Musgrave’s speed, Reed’s snaps from the slot, Kraft’s blocking and Wicks’ route-running.
Starting battle at center
While Zach Tom has taken most of his snaps at right tackle and is listed as the starter at right tackle, the Packers are still hoping to squeeze more consistency out of Josh Myers at center. He’ll be the expected starter there on Friday night. However, it’s clear his job as a starter isn’t safe and the Packers are preparing Tom to play center if Myers isn’t up to the job. It won’t be surprising if Myers gets a long look at center and Tom eventually gets some snaps at center on Friday night. The Packers need to determine who is the best player at center before deciding the five best players along the offensive line.
Safety rotation
Arguably no position on the roster is more unsettled than safety, where as many as four players are competing for starting snaps entering the preseason. Darnell Savage looks like a likely starter, but Rudy Ford, Jonathan Owens and Tarvarius Moore all have an opportunity to be on the field next to him. While Ford was the early front runner, Owens — a starter for the Texans last season — is gaining steam as camp has progressed. In a setting where tackling is often shaky, Owens might stand out. Also keep an eye on Moore’s speed. He can fly. The Packers need a few players at safety to start standing out.
Interior defensive linemen
This might be the most encouraging position group of Packers training camp. Kenny Clark has looked dominant, Devonte Wyatt looks primed to take a big second-year jump, TJ Slaton is playing quality snaps at nose tackle, Jonathan Ford has “upped his game,” per Matt LaFleur, and rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks have consistently flashed as disruptive players. The Packers need all the young defensive linemen to step up around Clark this season. Camp has been a good start, but putting together consistently good reps in the preseason is the next hurdle for Wyatt, Slaton, Ford, Wooden and Brooks.
All eyes on Love
Of course, all eyes will be on Love, who is expected to play a few series. Mastering the pre- and post-snap process, building chemistry with young receivers, establishing more consistency with accuracy and avoiding injuries are all things to watch for Love on Friday night. Can Love read the field, go through the progression and get the ball to the right players? Will his downfield accuracy to speedy targets like Romeo Doubs and Luke Musgrave be more consistent? Can he take a hit and get back into live-game mode? It will be tempting to judge Love on the results against the Bengals, but playing quarterback is a process-driven position, and the preseason presents a lot of chaos and moving parts, especially with so many young players on offense. Hold off judgement until we can dig into the details of his performance in the preseason opener.
