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          Packers stars Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers set for preseason debuts

          Aaron Rodgers was slated to play Friday, finally, after spending the first two games of the Packers preseason on the sideline. AP Photo/Jeffery Phelps
          • Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff WriterAug 27, 2016, 01:25 AM
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              Rob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA. You can follow him on Twitter at @RobDemovsky.
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          Aaron Rodgers will make his preseason debut on Friday against the San Francisco 49ers, and Jordy Nelson will not.

          This will likely be the quarterback's only game action for the Green Bay Packers before the regular-season opener Sept. 11 at Jacksonville. Rodgers was a healthy scratch the first two games this summer.

          Nelson, who was activated off the physically unable to perform list last week and practiced for the first time (on an extremely limited basis) this week, was among 13 players who were on Green Bay's will-not-dress list.

          However, Nelson made the trip to California and did some work on the field before the game, catching passes from Rodgers.

          Given that Rodgers said he doesn’t expect to play in next Thursday’s preseason finale at Kansas City, the quarterback won’t get any game action with Nelson before Week 1. Nelson has not played in a game since he tore the ACL in his right knee more than a year ago in a preseason game at Pittsburgh.

          Friday's game is also the preseason debut for outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers, who were healthy scratches for the first two games.

          Among the biggest concerns on the will-not-dress list was Clark, the Packers’ first-round pick, who sustained a back injury in practice this week.

          The rest of those ruled out before the game were QB Brett Hundley (ankle), FB Aaron Ripkowski (knee), S Morgan Burnett (back), LB Jake Ryan (hamstring), LB Joe Thomas (shin), C Jacob Flores (knee), C Corey Linsley (hamstring), G Josh Walker (knee), WR Jeff Janis (hand), TE Mitchell Henry (hand) and DT Letroy Guion (knee).