What did the Packers' rookie defensive ends show in Sunday's de facto exhibition?
This past Sunday, Barryn Sorrell saw his most extensive workload to date, while Collin Oliver made his NFL debut.
For all intents and purposes, the Green Bay Packers played an exhibition game this past Sunday.
All but a few starters spent the regular-season finale on the sidelines. The list included quarterback Jordan Love, lead running back Josh Jacobs, top wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and all but one of the preferred starting offensive linemen. And while the defense did roll with Evan Williams and Javon Bullard for meaningful snaps, backups -- some with extremely limited NFL experience -- saw the majority of the action.
But while the Packers ran out a JV squad, their opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, played their normal lineup. That provided Green Bay with a rare opportunity to evaluate its reserves against a real NFL team, albeit one eliminated from playoff contention more than three weeks earlier. In particular, rookie defensive ends Collin Oliver and Barryn Sorrell saw extended playing time just ahead of the wild-card round.
With the pass rush struggling in the wake of Micah Parsons’ season-ending knee injury, Oliver and Sorrell’s performances take on additional importance. So, what did the two rookies show this past weekend?
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