The Green Bay Packers (0-1) and Denver Broncos (1-0) will face off in NFL Preseason Week 2. Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. EDT from Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo. The game will broadcast live on NFL Network.
The Broncos are favored by 5.5 points on the spread, with the over/under set at 40.5 total points (50¢ YES / 51¢ NO). The Broncos are 70¢ favorite to win outright, while the Packers are 33¢ to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Packers vs. Broncos predictions and NFL picks for Friday, August 21.
My Packers vs Broncos Prediction
- Packers vs Broncos trade: Broncos 70¢
My Packers vs Broncos best trade is on Denver to win outright. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Packers vs Broncos Odds
Packers vs Broncos Preview
Green Bay Preview
Following a 28-9 loss at the hands of the Steelers in Green Bay’s first preseason matchup, the Packers will surely be looking for a huge bounce back as they head to Denver for a matchup with the Broncos on Friday.
In addition to the Pack’s first preseason defeat last week, head coach Matt LaFleur’s bunch has a lot to prove in 2026 following the team’s dreadful postseason collapse to its NFC North- rival Chicago Bears.
While the Packers made a huge move towards the end of last season having secured four-time All-Pro OLB Micah Parsons, the former-Cowboy is expected to miss at least the first four weeks of the upcoming regular season following an ACL tear that derailed his 2025 campaign in Green Bay.
Despite a relatively quiet free agency period, the Pack made several key additions via trade — notably landing both OLB Zaire Franklin and DT Javon Hargrave, who are expected to make big contributions for the Packers’ defense in 2026.
Green Bay also secured WR Jayden Reed with a 3-year, $50.25 million extension in the offseason. Reed returns as the Packers’ WR2 and will once again play alongside North Dakota State standout WR Christian Watson, and also second-year slot WR out of Texas in speedster Matthew Golden.
The Packers front office also made some significant moves to lock down their coaching staff, highlighted by signing Lafleur to a multi-year contract extension and bringing in Jonathan Gannon as the new defensive coordinator.
In the Packers’ first preseason loss, all of their backup QB options struggled to make an impact offensively, with former Buckeye QB Kyle McCord leading the team in pass attempts ahead of bothTyrod Taylor and Jordan Love (who played just one series).
25-year-old WR out of Nebraska Isaiah Neyor was the biggest difference maker for the Pack’s offense this past Thursday night with the rookie having caught four passes for 34 yards. In the backfield, both RBs MarShawn Lloyd and Damien Martinez saw some action as well.
Green Bay enters its Week 2 preseason matchup on Friday night as a sizable 33% underdog to prevail on Kalshi.
Denver Broncos Preview
The Broncos enter tonight's game with a ton of confidence, fresh off a dominant 27-7 road victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite Denver’s Week 1 dominance, head coach Sean Payton’s bunch actually had a relatively quiet offseason, largely focusing on retaining core internal talent whilst also making several key additions via trade.
The Broncos locked up RB J.K. Dobbins with a 2-year, $16-million deal, which was considered by many to be quite risky due to the significant injury history that has plagued the veteran tailback dating back to his time at Ohio State.
Dobbins was not the sole injury risk taken by Denver’s front office in the offseason, with the Broncos trading for WR Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins.
The former Alabama WR is remarkably athletic and quite the addition to assist QB Bo Nix by injecting elite speed and a dynamic playmaker to play opposite WR Courtland Sutton in what should be an extremely difficult matchup for any secondary.
On the defensive side of the football, Denver made a couple key moves by re-signing both LBs Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton, which should preserve the team’s defensive continuity.
The Broncos also rid themselves of DL John Franklin-Myers' contract in a lucrative deal with the Tennessee Titans, which gave Denver more cap space to sign CB Ja’Quan McMillian to a 1-year, $5.7 million deal, adding further depth to a secondary that already features three-time All-Pro Patrick Surtain II.
In Denver’s first preseason victory, both QBs Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger saw plenty of reps under center. Also, RB Jaleel McLaughlin — who was also signed to a one-year deal in the offseason — saw six carries as well.
The Broncos are a large 70% favorite on Kalshi to improve to 2-0.
Packers vs Broncos Prediction, Betting Analysis
While the Packers were the far more active team over the offseason, I was not impressed with Green Bay’s secondary units in the slightest in the team’s double-digit loss to the Steelers. On the other hand, the Broncos looked unbelievably dominant, winning by 20 points on the road.
Despite the Broncos’ steep price tag on Kalshi, I am still willing to take a shot on their moneyline considering the altitude adjustment required when playing in Denver.
Trade: Broncos 70¢
