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The preseason finale has come and gone for the Green Bay Packers. The next time the team steps onto a football field for a game, it will be at NeoQuimica Arena, in Brazil, for the regular season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 6.
The preseason was a net positive for Green Bay, with two wins in three games, a good showing by the starting offense in the one drive they played against the Cleveland Browns, and some promising individual performances.
But that doesn't mean there are no questions left to be answered. And some of them are hard to do so late in the roster-building process.
Kicking game
It's wild how inconsistent Anders Carlson is. His roster spot looked probable going into the preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, and a lock after he converted a 54-yard field goal . But then we had to have the full Anders Carlson experience, and he missed a 32-yard field goal late in the game. Greg Joseph had a rough practice on Tuesday, but he played well on Saturday, which included converting a 55-yard field goal.
The situation is completely open, and head coach Matt LaFleur said the team will consider everything, which includes outside options.
"We have a really good sample size, and we'll see what happens around the league," head coach Matt LaFleur said. "Certainly, there were some really good moments. Both of those guys went in there and hit a 54-yarder and a 55-yarder. And then there's a poor moment out there. A lot of good, some we know we can get better at. We'll wait and see."
The Packers might still decide to trade for or claim another kicker, but it will depend on which players will become available around the league over the next few days.
Backup quarterback
Last year's fifth-round pick Sean Clifford and rookie seventh-round pick Michael Pratt haven't separated from each other during the preseason. Pratt was slightly better, but it's not clear if it's enough to make him surpass the incumbent backup.
Against the Ravens, Pratt was better in the first half, but had a tough interception (and got hurt after attempting a tackle in the return). After all, he finished with a 78.5 rating, completing eight of 12 passes for 80 yards, a TD, and the aforementioned INT. Clifford completed only six of 14 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, with a 77.4 passer rating.
"They competed hard," LaFleur mentioned. "For the most part, they did what we asked them to do. There's a couple throws where you always want back."
The head coach decided to rotate both quarterbacks, giving two drives for each at a time.
"I just wanted those guys to play with the same group," LaFleur added. "It was only fair to do that to see how they performed.
Offensive line issues
The first big decision is who will start at right guard. Rookie Jordan Morgan was on track to do so early in camp, but he injured his shoulder and couldn't play in the preseason. That's particularly impactful for a rookie, so Sean Rhyan might begin the season ahead.
And that's not the only topic upfront. Behind Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, there isn't a clear answer to be the swing tackle. Veteran Andre Dillard seems to be ahead in the competition, but he couldn't play on Saturday because of an injury, which gave Kadeem Telfort a chance to keep the battle alive.
Related: Green Bay Packers' 53-man roster prediction after the preseason finale
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