The Green Bay Packers have passed the halfway mark of training camp and are now preparing for their first preseason game on Thursday. With each passing day, injuries and good or poor performances change the team’s depth chart and outlook. Here are three Green Bay Packers starters who are now fighting to hold on to their jobs in training camp.

Three Packers Starters Fighting to Hold On to Their Jobs, Number One: OL Anthony Belton

The Packers selected Anthony Belton in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The NC State alum played tackle in college. Unlike most of the other offensive linemen, the Packers did not cross train Belton at different positions last year in training camp and the preseason. Ironically, he ended up finishing the season at right guard after injuries struck the offensive line. He did not grade out well according to Pro Football Focus, but the coaching staff saw progress in his play by the end of the season.

The plan this year was for Belton to start at right guard after having an entire offseason to prepare for the job. Unfortunately, that’s not how it has worked out thus far at training camp. Belton has struggled and in recent practices, he was demoted to the second string despite other players being injured along the offensive line.

At practice earlier this week, the starting lineup was Jordan Morgan at left tackle, rookie Jager Burton at left guard, Sean Rhyan at center, Jacob Monk at right guard in place of Belton, and Zach Bako-Bewele (the former Zach Tom) at right tackle.

Both Burton and Monk have played well at training camp and either of them could push Belton for the starting right guard job.

Numbers Two and Three: CBs Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine

Cornerback Keisean Nixon has endured an up and down training camp. The Packers entered camp with Nixon and Carrington Valentine as the incumbent starters. They had two primary challengers in free agent addition Benjamin St-Juste and 2026 second-round pick Brandon Cisse.

Valentine has missed practice due to a hamstring injury. In his absence, Cisse played well and has taken over one of the starting spots with Nixon originally holding down the other spot.

But in the last few practices, St-Juste has taken over for Nixon at the other starting spot opposite Cisse. Meanwhile, Nixon has been lining up with the second-string defense.

Nixon was the team’s number one cornerback by default last season, but his play was wildly inconsistent. He started the season strong, but late in the season, he was burned far too often. Nixon had risen from slot corner to boundary corner, but he has never been a legitimate top cover corner. Thus far in camp, his inconsistent play has continued, and the team is giving St-Juste a look to see if he can provide the team with steadier play at the position.

Three Packers Starters Fighting to Hold On to Their Jobs: The Outlook

The offensive line appears to be the bigger issue at this point in training camp. Having the players along the line develop chemistry is vital to the success of the offensive line and the lack of continuity and chemistry hurt the offensive line last season.

Head coach Matt LaFleur preaches that he wants the best five players out there starting, and that means Belton will have to battle all season to hold on to his job as the starting right guard. The sooner the team settles on the starting five, the quicker the team will start to develop familiarity among their starters.

Meanwhile, at cornerback, the battle is more straightforward. Its uncertain when Valentine will be back and if he will be able to regain his starting job once he does. Cisse is the heir apparent at the position, the bigger question with him is when he’ll be ready to take on a starting role.

Neither Nixon nor Valentine are signed beyond this season while both Cisse and St-Juste are under contract for 2027.

It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff handles the team’s three preseason games and how these position battles play out. For now, the fight continues.

 

 

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