Packers 53-Man Roster Projection Before OTAs

Here is an early look – yes, a way-too-early look – at the Green Bay Packers’ roster ahead of the start of OTAs on Monday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – All eyes will be on Jordan Love when the Green Bay Packers begin organized team activities on Monday. It will be an important time not only for Love but the 29 rookies who take up a big chunk of the 90-man roster.

So, consider our first 53-man roster projection of the year to be more educational than realistic.

Quarterbacks

Jordan Love and Danny Etling. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (2): Jordan Love, Danny Etling.

Fighting for practice squad (1): Sean Clifford.

Explanation: Etling’s never played in a game in five seasons. It’s now or never in his battle with the fifth-round pick Clifford. Let’s not forget Etling had a 123.3 passer rating last preseason on the strength of 17-of-22 passing. He’s got a good arm, plenty of athleticism and more than a year in the offense. Will that be enough to hold off a drafted rookie? All 20 draft picks made the opening 53 the last two years.

Running Backs

AJ Dillon leads Aaron Jones into the end zone. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (3): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Lew Nichols.

Fighting for practice squad (3): Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, FB Henry Pearson.

Explanation: This should be a fun battle. Taylor is a tough, no-nonsense runner who can protect. Goodson has some enticing playmaking ability and might immediately jump to the forefront if he’s something more than a speedbump in pass protection. But the tie goes to the draft pick almost every time. Nichols led the nation in rushing-receiving yards in 2021, when he ran behind two Day 2 NFL draft picks and caught 40 passes.

Receivers

Christian Watson will lead the receivers. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (6): Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Grant DuBose.

Fighting for practice squad (4): Bo Melton, Jeff Cotton, Malik Heath, Duece Watts.

Explanation: Watson and Doubs will lead the receiver corps, receivers coach Jason Vrable singled out Toure unprompted on Thursday, and Reed, Wicks and DuBose are 2023 draft picks.

Watch out for the undrafted rookies if Toure or DuBose struggle. Heath has size (6-foot-2, 213 pounds) and hands but a lack of speed (4.64 in the 40) and a bit of a checkered background, and Watts was a long-ball threat at Tulane who dropped too many passes. However, let’s give the edge to DuBose. His receivers coach at Charlotte raved about his blocking, which should make coach Matt LaFleur smile.

Tight Ends

Luke Musgrave (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (4): Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis.

Fighting for practice squad (3): Austin Allen, Nick Guggemos, Camren McDonald.

Explanation: Why keep Davis? Because of special teams – an area at which coordinator Rich Bisaccia has had a huge say in personnel moves. Davis led the team in special-teams snaps and was fourth in special-teams tackles last year. At 6-foot-8 and 253 pounds, Allen is an intriguing prospect who signed to the practice squad in January. He could push Davis for that final spot.

Offensive Line

Zach Tom (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (9): LT David Bakhtiari, LG Elgton Jenkins, C Josh Myers, RG Jon Runyan, RT Yosh Nijman, OL Zach Tom, G Sean Rhyan, T Rasheed Walker, T Caleb Jones.

Fighting for practice squad (7): T Jean Delance, T Kadeem Telfort, T Luke Tenuta, G Royce Newman, G Chuck Filiaga, C Jake Hanson, C DJ Scaife.

Explanation: Ten made it last year, but that was with Bakhtiari and Jenkins coming back from knee injuries and with three draft picks added to the mix. This year, Bakhtiari and Jenkins are healthy and no offensive linemen were drafted. Tom’s ability to play all five spots – perhaps at the same time – can allow the Packers to take nine. If that’s the case, Royce Newman, a fourth-round pick in 2021 who started 16 games as a rookie, would be on thin ice.

Defensive Line

Devonte Wyatt (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (6): Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton, Jonathan Ford, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks.

Fighting for practice squad (3): Chris Slayton, Jason Lewan, Antonio Moultrie.

Explanation: Ford was a seventh-round pick last year who spent all 18 weeks on the roster but didn’t suit up for a single game. All that work with position coach Jerry Montgomery should pay dividends in making the roster and playing this year, right? If not, watch out for Lewan. A scout thought he was Green Bay’s best undrafted free agent. At 6-foot-6 with 5.07 in the 40, there’s some potential for Montgomery to mold.

Outside Linebackers

Lukas Van Ness (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (5): Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Justin Hollins.

Fighting for practice squad (5): Jonathan Garvin, LaDarius Hamilton, Brenton Cox, Keshawn Banks, Kenneth Odumegwu.

Explanation: The Packers added Hollins at midseason, and he quickly moved past Garvin, a seventh-round pick in 2020, in the rotation. Will the Packers keep five or six? That’s the question.

Cox was a five-star recruit who was booted off the teams at Georgia and Florida. Position coach Jason Rebrovich’s message?: “Am I going to get this knucklehead that’s gone through this stuff or am I going to get a guy that wants to become a pro and have the opportunity to become a star in this league?” Banks started his final 47 games at San Diego State and ranks among the school’s career leaders in tackles for losses.

Odumegwu, part of the International Player Pathway program, will be eligible for a practice squad exemption.

Inside Linebackers

De'Vondre Campbell (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (4): De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson.

Fighting for practice squad (1): Jimmy Phillips.

Explanation: Wilson was re-signed in free agency. Signed before the trip to London, he wound up tying for the team lead in tackles on special teams. He’s a former 100-tackle starter with the Vikings, too, so it’s not as if he’s just another one of Bisaccia’s guys.

Cornerbacks

Jaire Alexander (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (5): Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes, Carrington Valentine.

Fighting for practice squad (5): Shemar Jean-Charles, Corey Ballentine, Kiondre Thomas, Tyrell Ford, William Hooper.

Explanation: Ballentine re-signed in free agency after emerging as a key member of the special teams, Jean-Charles is a former sixth-round pick who couldn’t get on the field last year, Thomas had an impressive preseason and Ford is an import from Canada. This will be a strong competition. Based on last year’s training camp, don’t be shocked if Thomas pushes his way onto the 53.

Safeties

Innis Gaines (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

On the 53 (6): Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, Dallin Leavitt, Innis Gaines, Jonathan Owens, Anthony Johnson.

Fighting for practice squad (3): Tariq Carpenter, Tarvarius Moore, Benny Sapp.

Explanation: This will be the most wide-open competition in training camp. Every player on the nine-man depth chart, even the undrafted Sapp, an FCS All-American, has a legit shot at making the roster.

Owens was a 17-game starter last year for Houston. He signed for the league minimum with no bonus, so the Packers might not view him as a legit challenger to replace Adrian Amos. Moore was an eight-game starter for the powerful 49ers before tearing his Achilles. He also signed for the league minimum with a meager $50,000 bonus.

Leavitt is a key player for Bisaccia, which is why he re-signed. Carpenter’s versatility and late-season play on special teams could give him the edge. Gaines started in Week 18. Johnson has all the hallmarks of being a seventh-round steal but there must have been a reason he was fielding calls about undrafted free agency when the Packers drafted him.

The last spot came down to Gaines vs. Carpenter vs. Moore. That Gaines started one game and moved into the defensive rotation down the stretch made the difference in this projection.

Specialists

On the 53 (3): K Anders Carlson, P Pat O’Donnell, LS Matt Orzech.

Fighting for practice squad (3): K Parker White, P Daniel Whelan, LS Broughton Hatcher.

Explanation: While Mason Crosby’s wife tweeted her goodbye in a welcoming message to safety Jonathan Owens and his wife, Simone Biles, the door might not be slammed and bolted shut. What if Carlson and White aren’t up to the task and Crosby remains unsigned in mid-August? Would the Packers turn back to Crosby, or would they continue their look to the future by going young and dealing with the growing pains?

O’Donnell vs. Whelan will be an interesting battle. Whelan has all the tools to be an NFL punter but O’Donnell’s steady experience would be a big asset if the Packers do indeed go with a rookie kicker. Orzech snapped for the Super Bowl champion Rams in 2021 and would seem to be a lock.

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