14 Days Until Training Camp: Roster Projection

With exactly two weeks to go until the start of training camp, here's how the Green Bay Packers' 53-man roster could shake out.

Bill Huber | Jul 13, 2021

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Training camp begins on July 27, with the first practice a day later. Who will emerge as the 53 players on the final roster? Here’s our throw of the dart based on past performance and what we saw during offseason practices.

Made it (3): Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Kurt BenkertDidn’t make it (2): Jake Dolegala, Blake BortlesWhy: I’ve thought all along Rodgers would come back. It’s more of a hunch than anything but, one, Rodgers cares about his legacy and, two, he cares about Davante Adams, who is entering his final season under contract. If Rodgers returns, there’s little use for Bortles on the roster. If Rodgers doesn’t return, Bortles would bring a veteran set of eyes for Love. Either way, Benkert showed enough during limited offseason reps to merit a longer look.

Made it (4): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Kylin Hill, Patrick TaylorDidn’t make it (1): Dexter WilliamsWhy: Hill, with his excellent receiving skills and incredible history of ball security, is the front-runner for the No. 3 job behind the potent one-two punch of Jones and Dillon. With a two-game suspension to open the season, tight end Sternberger won’t officially be on the opening roster. So, we’ll go with a fourth runner, Taylor, a three-down back at Memphis who sat out his rookie season following foot surgery. Williams, a sixth-round pick in 2019, just hasn’t been good enough in the passing game to warrant another chance barring dramatic improvement.

Made it (6): Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Amari Rodgers, Devin Funchess, Juwann WinfreeDidn’t make it (6): Equanimeous St. Brown, Malik Taylor, Reggie Begelton, Chris Blair, Bailey Gaither, DeAndre ThompkinsWhy: As big-bodied receivers, it could be a battle between Funchess and St. Brown for a spot on the roster. Funchess dropped too many passes at Carolina, missed the final 15 games of the 2019 season in Indianapolis with a broken collarbone and opted out of the 2020 season in Green Bay. But St. Brown hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire, either, in his three seasons. Blocking could be the deciding factor. Winfree had a strong set of offseason practices to potentially topple Taylor for the final spot.

Made it (5): Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Jace Sternberger, Dominique DafneyDidn’t make it (2): Bronson Kaufusi, Isaac NautaWhy: The versatility of Deguara and Dafney means the Packers don’t have to bother with a fullback. Sternberger, a third-round pick in 2019, was thrown for losses with a concussion in camp as a rookie and a concussion late last season. He might need a strong training camp to stick around because Dafney impressed as a receiver and on special teams in his late-season opportunities.

Made it (9): LT David Bakhtiari, LG Elgton Jenkins, C Josh Myers, RG Lucas Patrick, RT Billy Turner, T/G Royce Newman, T/G Cole Van Lanen, G Jon Runyan, G Simon Stepaniak Didn’t make it (7): T Yosh Nijman, G Ben Braden, G Zack Johnson, G/T Coy Cronk, G Jacob Capra, G Jon Dietzen, C Jake HansonWhy: This will be like the wild, wild west. Patrick had a solid season in his first season as a full-time starter but there could be a fleet of low-cost challengers – Newman, Runyan and Braden among them. Offensive line coach Adam Stenavich hyped Braden as a potential starter but he’s played only four snaps on offense in four years. Among the reserves, Nijman is the only true offensive tackle. An undrafted free agent in 2019, he’s got a superb combination of size and athleticism. It’s now or never to put it together. If he can, he’d be a tremendous asset.

Made it (5): Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Kingsley Keke, Tyler Lancaster, TJ SlatonDidn’t make it (2): Jack Heflin, Willington PrevilonWhy: This seems like a slam dunk, with the fifth-round pick Slaton taking the roster spot manned last year by Montravius Adams and, later, Billy Wynn and Snacks Harrison. Heflin (2021) and Previlon (2020) are undrafted free agents.

Made it (4): Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Randy Ramsey Didn’t make it (4): Tipa Galeai, Jonathan Garvin, Delontae Scott, Carlo Kemp (also DL)Why: The Smith Bros. and Gary commanded the overwhelming majority of the snaps last season and will do so again this season. That means any reserve spots will come down to special teams, and Ramsey is one of the team’s best in that department. Garvin, a seventh-round pick last year, couldn’t even get on the field for special teams as a rookie so he’ll need to take a big step forward to last a second season. Scott and Galeai were productive college pass rushers at mid-level colleges; Kemp has the size to move up and down the line.

Made it (5): Krys Barnes, De’Vondre Campbell, Kamal Martin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty SummersDidn’t make it (3): Oren Burks, De’Jon Harris, Ray WilbornWhy: There’s strength in numbers, if not strength in game-turning production. Barnes (10) and Martin (six) combined to start 16 games as rookies. After misses on B.J. Goodson, Antonio Morrison and Christian Kirksey, Campbell is the latest Hail Mary on a veteran. He’s got a chance to be a real asset, though. The battle for the last spot or two will include three draft picks: Burks (third round, 2018), Summers (seventh round, 2019) and McDuffie (sixth round, 2020). Special teams, obviously, will loom large, and Summers and Burks were two of the most productive last season. But McDuffie offers new blood and a chance to upgrade the position over the long haul.

Made it (6): Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Eric Stokes, Chandon Sullivan, Josh Jackson, Shemar Jean-CharlesDidn’t make it (3): Ka’dar Hollman, Kabion Ento, Stanford SamuelsWhy: The first four are locks. After that? Jackson showed some serious potential as a second-round pick in 2018 with his 13 passes defensed as a rookie, but he has only two the past two seasons. Maybe the fresh start provided by new defensive coordinator Joe Barry will be just the ticket. The same goes for Hollman, a sixth-round pick in 2019. Jean-Charles could be the nickel of the future, especially if Sullivan prices himself out of Green Bay with another solid season in 2021. Former undrafted free agents Ento (in 2019) and Samuels (in 2020) have flashed some potential.

Made it (4): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Christian UphoffDidn’t make it (3): Will Redmond, Henry Black, Innis GainesWhy: Redmond has played a lot on defense and on special teams but the Packers need to do better. With a solid training camp, Scott could move into the role of third safety. Uphoff’s final season at Illinois State was wiped out due to COVID but he looked like a player at the Senior Bowl. His size and speed could make him a weapon on special teams and a developmental prospect on defense.

Made it (3): K Mason Crosby, P JK Scott, LS Joe FortunatoDidn’t make it (3): K JJ Molson, P Ryan Winslow, LS Hunter BradleyWhy: Will Fortunato beat out Bradley? Your guess is as good as mine. But after three years of inconsistent snapping, it’s time for a more reliable option than Bradley – whether it’s Fortunato or a late-camp addition. Same goes for Scott, who has fallen into deep funks during each of his first three seasons.

Published Jul 13, 2021

BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.