GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the Green Bay Packers keeping their starters and key backups on the bench, the backups fighting for roster spots took center stage for Friday night’s preseason game against the Cardinals.

Here are some studs and duds from the first half.

Stud: QB Kyle McCord

Kyle McCord got off to a rough start, with two incompletions on a three-and-out to start the game. Then, he was the equivalent of 5-gallon jug of gas and a blow torch.

In the first quarter, McCord converted a pair of third downs with completions to Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor. The pass to Neyor, on third-and-6, was a tight-window slant. That led to a field goal that tied the game 3-3.

Less than 50 seconds after Arizona took a 10-3 lead to start the second quarter, the Packers were in the end zone. First, McCord threaded the ball over the linebacker and hit J. Michael Sturdivant for a gain of 36. On the next play, McCord hit Sturdivant in stride up the left sideline for a 29-yard touchdown.

Stud: WRs J. Michael Studivant, Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor

If the Packers need to keep one of the young receivers because of Savion Williams’ calf injury, well, the first half was of no help.

J. Michael Sturdivant had the back-to-back explosive plays, Will Sheppard scored on a 12-yard catch to tie the game at 17 with 7:44 left in the half and Neyor had the man-hands catch on the third-down slant.

Sheppard struck again with an 81-yard punt-return touchdown with 4:06 left in the first half. Sheppard made a man miss near the catch point, and the Cardinals’ coverage unit rolled out the red carpet. Dani Dennis-Sutton couldn’t find anyone to block and Kitan Oladapo got just enough of the last man remaining.

Romeo Doubs had 94 total punt-return yards last season.

Stud: Edge Dani Dennis-Sutton

On the opening possession, rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton, who was inactive last week after overheating, had one sack, almost had another sack and drew a holding penalty. Plus, he had excellent coverage on Green Bay’s first kickoff.

Late in the first half, Dennis-Sutton almost had another sack but Anthony Campbell beat him to quarterback Kedon Slovis. On the next play, Dennis-Sutton bull-rushed his man into the lap of Slovis.

“I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable,” he said last week. “All the coaches have been helpful. Lot of positivity on feedback … so just continue to grow.”

Dud: TE Drake Dabney

The Packers are signing veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, meaning they’ll roll into the season with Tucker Kraft, Josh Whyle and Smith as their top three tight ends.

Who will be the fourth? On the first passing play of the game, Drake Dabney blew his block and got Kyle McCord clobbered.

Dud: CB Domani Jackson

General manager Brian Gutekunst usually keeps his draft picks. He hasn’t released a sixth-round pick since 2021. Domani Jackson, though, had a terrible first half.

Jackson gave up four catches in the first quarter and missed one tackle. Then, on the first play of the second half, Simi Fehoko got behind him for a 41-yard touchdown from Gardner Minshew.

The Packers are well-stocked at cornerback with Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste atop the depth chart and Kamal Hadden providing depth and special-teams ability. Maybe they’ll be able to get him on the practice squad, because he was a touted prospect at this point 12 months ago.

Dud: S Murvin Kenion

There were a lot of problems on Evan Hull’s 47-yard touchdown run, which gave the Cardinals a 17-10 lead with 10:48 left in the second quarter. The starting point was defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy getting blocked out of the hole. The damage could have been minimized but safety Murvin Kenion missed an open-field tackle.

Late in the half, Slovis completed a pass for 20 in front of Kenion.

As a safety, Job No. 1 is tackling.

Mixed Bag: DT Jaden Crumedy

Jaden Crumedy could have been a dud because of the play referenced above but he obliterated quarterback Kedon Slovis to set up Nyjalik Kelly’s interception. That positioned the Packers for Will Sheppard’s 12-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 17.

Mixed Bag: DT Nazir Stackhouse

Nazir Stackhouse needs to play better run defense to emerge on the right side of the roster bubble in a quality room. Late in the first half, he charged upfield to allow an explosive run. Plus, he was flagged for offside – a chronic malady for the defense as a whole.

However, midway through the second quarter, his powerful bull rush almost produced an interception.

Mixed Bag: LB TJ Quinn

On the opening punt, TJ Quinn raced down and forced a fumble, which bounced out of bounds. Later, on the near-interception forced by Nazir Stackhouse, Quinn dropped the interception.

What’s Next

Roster cuts are due at 5 p.m. Central on Sunday.

“We’ve been evaluating most of these guys since the spring,” Gutekunst said this week. “We talk a lot about we want to get these guys into their comfort zone, and early on, they’re not. You know, they’re learning, and they can be frozen out there at times because they’re still thinking and trying to figure out what is asked of them. Some guys still might be going through that, you know what I mean?

“And so it’s our job to kind of figure out when they do get to their comfort zone, what kind of player they’re going to be. The guys who are there right now, you’ve probably seen you know start to excel a little bit with what they’re doing.” 

37 Players Did Not Dress

Here’s the long – very long – list.

Quarterback: Jordan Love. (Tyrod Taylor was dressed but did not play.)

Runing back: Josh Jacobs. (MarShawn Lloyd was dressed but did not play.)

Receivers: Matthew Golden, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Skyy Moore, Savion Williams.

Offensive line: RT Zach Bako-Bewele, RG Jacob Monk, LG Aaron Banks, C Sean Rhyan, LT Jordan Morgan

Tight ends: Josh Whyle, Tucker Kraft, Thomas Yassmin, Luke Musgrave90 EDGE Lukas Van Ness

Defensive tackles: Warren Brinson, Karl Brooks, Devonte Wyatt, Jordon Riley, Javon Hargrave.

Edges: Micah Parsons, Collin Oliver, Brenton Cox, Barryn Sorrell

Linebackers: Zaire Franklin, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie.

Cornerbacks: Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon.

Safeties: Javon Bullard, Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams

Long snapper: Matt Orzech