GREEN BAY – The Packers on Tuesday conducted their final public practice before Thursday night's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here are five things we learned:
1. Xavier McKinney is fitting nicely into Jonathan Gannon's defense.
The two-time All-Pro safety has been his usual consistent self while patrolling Green Bay's secondary through the first two weeks of training camp.
With new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon favoring a scheme that features safeties, McKinney has flashed in virtually every practice, whether it's been his work against tight ends in 1-on-1 periods or his several pass breakups in team 11-on-11.
McKinney also snagged a diving interception off Jordan Love in practice last Monday, one of the few the Packers' starting quarterback has thrown in camp.
"I'm in a good headspace and I think I'm in season form," McKinney said. "Obviously the more I play and the more experience I get, it's a lot easier and the game completely slows down for me. But being very aware of calls and understanding when I can be aggressive, when not to, so I think I've had a great camp so far."
McKinney picked off a remarkable eight interceptions during his record-shattering debut with the Packers in 2024 but still played at an All-Pro level last season despite only having two INTs.
Associated Press voters agreed as McKinney was still voted second-team All-Pro. Pro Football Focus also recently rated McKinney as a top three safety entering the 2026 season alongside Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton and the LA Chargers' Derwin James.
Having just celebrated his 28th birthday on Sunday, McKinney is excited to see what awaits him in Gannon's scheme in Year 7. As a whole, the defense has looked good in camp and had another strong showing in Tuesday's red-zone period.
"It gives guys (the chance) to be able to play in different spots and show different tools in their toolbelt," McKinney said. "I think it's gonna allow us to really be able to make a lot of plays on the ball, be ball productive. Just kind of show different skill sets that we all have."
2. Head Coach Matt LaFleur expects Jordan Love to play in Pittsburgh…meaning most of the healthy starters will, too.
If that plan holds, it'll be the fourth consecutive year that Love has played in the preseason opener since becoming the Packers' starting quarterback in 2023.
Love suffered an injury to his non-throwing hand in last year's opener against the New York Jets, which caused him to miss a week of practice.
The Packers have performed extensive research, though, that suggests giving starters some work in the preseason not only improves early-season performance but also can help with injuries.
"I'd say it's pretty fluid in regards to how many snaps," LaFleur said. "But I do think there's a lot of value for all our guys to just get mentally prepared to go play a game, whether it's one play, whether it's three plays, 10 plays, the whole game. I think there's a ton of value in that, just getting your process down."
While it remains to be seen how many starters will play against the Steelers, LaFleur ruled out running back Josh Jacobs for this week due to the groin injury that's sidelined him since last week.
3. The Packers are getting healthier on offense while Carrington Valentine nears a return on defense.
Receivers Jayden Reed (ankle) and Matthew Golden (toe), and tight end Josh Whyle (neck) were all back on the field after missing two practices apiece.
Golden and Whyle each made plays in team, as well. Whyle opened with a one-handed catch on a pass to the flat while Golden had a couple receptions of his own.
Valentine (hamstring) participated in early individual drills, his first on-field work since Aug. 2, before rehabbing during the second half of the one-hour, 31-minute session.
The cornerback competition has picked up since Valentine was last on the field, with rookie Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon and free-agent signing Benjamin St-Juste rotating with the ones.
The Packers are still without Domani Jackson, who hasn't practiced since before Family Night. LaFleur confirmed before practice that the rookie sixth-round pick is still working his way back from undergoing core muscle surgery in the offseason.
"He just has been trying to work through some of the stuff, and hopefully he'll be out there shortly," LaFleur said.
Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton missed practice with an illness.
4. Zach Bako-Bewele continues to make progress.
It's uncertain whether Green Bay's starting right tackle will play in Pittsburgh, but Bako-Bewele has looked good since returning to 11-on-11 periods on Sunday.
The fifth-year veteran missed the offseason program after undergoing knee surgery to repair the partially torn patellar tendon that ended his 2025 season.
However, Bako-Bewele took reps in three straight practices and can feel the rust starting to fall off while also thinking less and less about his knee.
"Trusting it is probably the main thing that I'm working on right now," Bako-Bewele said. "Just being able to plant off that foot, being able to anchor on that foot. Physically, obviously there's still some soreness but that's to be expected. I haven't played football in nine months."
5. Adam Vinatieri left an indelible impact on Zaire Franklin.
After partaking in his first Packers Family Night, Franklin made his first trip to Canton, Ohio, on Saturday to celebrate former Indianapolis teammate Adam Vinateri's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Vinatieri was a special teams captain during Franklin's first two seasons with the Colts, a responsibility that was then passed down to Franklin following Vinatieri's retirement in 2020.
"Vinny had a really profound impact on me," Franklin said. "He taught me a lot about how to carry myself in the meeting room. How to ask questions the room is thinking about that nobody wants to ask. How to not challenge a coach but work with them to help everybody be better.
"I had a chance to meet up with him and talk with him, and he gave me some gems I really needed at the time, too, so I was glad I was there with him again."
