Packers Pre-Training Camp 53-Man Roster Projection

The Green Bay Packers will take a 90-man roster onto the practice field on Wednesday. These could be the 53 left standing for Week 1.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers, on one hand, have a strong roster capable of finally delivering a Super Bowl championship to Titletown. On the other hand, it is a roster with some rather glaring holes on the eve of the first practice of training camp.

An initial run at our initial 53-man roster projection ended with 49 players, which doesn’t speak well of the depth at a few positions. Is the top backup at outside linebacker, cornerback or safety even on the roster? How about the long snapper? Given David Bakhtiari’s protracted comeback from a torn ACL, do they need to add a veteran offensive tackle? Will they sign a high-profile receiver?

With so much uncertainty and so many battles to be solved on the practice field and the three-game preseason, get ready for a wild training camp.

Quarterbacks (2)

On the 53: Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love.

Toughest cut: None.

Injury concern: None.

Analysis: Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers and 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love are the surest of things. The only other quarterback on the roster, Danny Etling, is in line for a spot on the practice squad so long as he shows enough promise serving as Love’s backup in the preseason.

Running backs (3)

On the 53: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor.

Toughest cut: None.

Injury concern: Kylin Hill (ACL) will open training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

Analysis: There aren’t many backfield duos better than Jones and Dillon. With Hill, a promising seventh-round pick last year, coming back from a serious knee injury, Taylor will enter training camp with a huge lead over undrafted rookies B.J. Baylor and Tyler Goodson.

Wide receivers (7)

On the 53: Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure.

Toughest cut: Juwann Winfree had a strong offseason last year and did it again this year. However, unless he (or Malik Taylor) completely outplays the rookies, it’s hard to see them getting another season. Out with the old, in with the new is a way of life as teams continually swap out the bottom of their rosters.

Injury concern: None.

Analysis: It’s an annual question. How many receivers will make the 53-man roster? During past training camps, the depth and potential of the receiver corps has been overstated. Perhaps this will be the year the Packers carry seven into the regular season. Lazard, Cobb, Rodgers, Watson and Doubs seem like locks, and Watkins sure seemed like one when coach Matt LaFleur said he is “going to be a big part of our offense.” So, that makes it six. That makes Toure, a seventh-round pick, a wild card. He caught Aaron Rodgers’ eye during the two minicamp practices, for what it’s worth. Also for what it’s worth, at season’s end, Lazard, Cobb and Watkins will be free agents, so the Packers might need to go heavy here based on future need as well as the young potential.

Tight ends (4)

On the 53: Marcedes Lewis, Tyler Davis, Josiah Deguara, Sal Cannella.

Toughest cut: Dominique Dafney.

Injury concern: Robert Tonyan (ACL) will open training camp on PUP.

Analysis: Tonyan was injured on Oct. 28. He will be ready to go, or close to it, when the season kicks off on Sept. 11 at Minnesota. Green Bay’s training staff typically takes a conservative approach, so the guess is Tonyan makes the 53 for a day, then gets put on injured reserve, where he’d miss only four games instead of the six if he is placed on the regular-season version of PUP. If Tonyan isn’t on the field for Week 1, Davis would move into a key role and Cannella, the USFL all-star who was signed last week, or Dafney could be added. If Tonyan can return to form, this would be a solid group with a receiver (Tonyan), blocker (Lewis) and fullback-type (Deguara).

Offensive line (9)

Offensive line (9)

On the 53: LT David Bakhtiari, LG Jon Runyan Jr, C Josh Myers, RG Royce Newman, RT Yosh Nijman, G/T Sean Rhyan, G/C Zach Tom, T/G Cole Van Lanen, T Rasheed Walker.

Toughest cut: C/G Jake Hanson, a sixth-round pick in 2020.

Injury concern: Bakhtiari suffered a torn ACL almost exactly 20 months ago yet will still open training camp on PUP. Elgton Jenkins (PUP) also will start camp on PUP.

Analysis: The fate of the season will hinge on a pair of reconstructed anterior cruciate ligaments. Typically, an ACL is a nine- or 10-month injury. Bakhtiari has doubled that timeline and still won’t be on the field for Day 1 of camp. Based on 10 months, Jenkins could make the 53 even if he’s not fully ready, though the odyssey with Bakhtiari and the importance of Jenkins could mean he starts the season on PUP. Bakhtiari and Jenkins are two of the best linemen in the NFL. They’ll need them on the field and playing at a high level in January. Meanwhile, on the interior, the Packers need Myers to take a big step forward after missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury.

Defensive line (5)

On the 53: Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton.

Toughest cut: Jonathan Ford, a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft, and Jack Heflin, an undrafted free agent last year who made a run to the 53. The first five are so formidable that they could afford to go light here and try to stash their sixth lineman on the practice squad.

Injury concern: Lowry will open camp on PUP but he might not stay there long.

Analysis: This could be the best unit on the team. Clark is a Pro Bowler, Lowry and Reed have been steady veterans, Slaton is a rising second-year player and the explosive Wyatt was drafted in the first round. If Wyatt plays to expectations, the Packers could have two big-time weapons up front.

Outside linebacker (5)

On the 53: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Randy Ramsey, Kingsley Enagbare, La’Darius Hamilton.

Toughest cut: Jonathan Garvin and Tipa Galeai played significant snaps last season but weren’t productive enough.

Injury concern: Ramsey (ankle) will open camp on PUP.

Analysis: If you were to break it down, Gary and Smith are locks and everybody else is on the bubble. Enagbare, a fifth-round rookie, perhaps has the edge over the others because he was just drafted. Hamilton didn’t get many snaps last season but showed a bit of a knack for rushing the passer. Ramsey was a high-quality player on special teams in 2020. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Packers grab a past-his-prime veteran at some point in camp or early in the season to improve the depth.

Inside linebacker (5)

On the 53: De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Krys Barnes, Ray Wilborn, Isaiah McDuffie.

Toughest cut: Ty Summers has played a lot of snaps on special teams since being drafted in the seventh round in 2019.

Injury concern: None.

Analysis: The combination of Campbell, an All-Pro last year, and Walker, this year’s first-round pick, could be special. Barnes was a pretty decent starter the past two seasons, so he’ll provide credible depth. Special teams, obviously, will determine the rest of the depth chart. McDuffie was a sixth-round pick last year and Wilborn has an intriguing combination of size and athleticism.

Cornerback (5)

On the 53: Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles.

Toughest cut: None.

Injury concern: None.

Analysis: Alexander, Douglas and Stokes form the best trio of cornerbacks in the NFL. If they can stay healthy for 17 games, then the shaky depth chart won’t be forced into action. Chances are, they won’t be so lucky. Nixon played 40 games in three seasons for the Raiders and broke up one pass. That’s one more breakup than Jean-Charles, a fifth-round pick last year. Last summer, the Packers had a parade of cornerbacks get opportunities during training camp. That could be the formula this summer.

Safety (5)

On the 53: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Shawn Davis, Tariq Carpenter, Dallin Leavitt.

Toughest cut: Vernon Scott was a seventh-round pick in 2020 who didn’t play at all on defense last year. So, maybe he’s not a tough cut at all.

Injury concern: None.

Analysis: Behind the top-flight starting tandem of Amos and Savage, the Packers didn’t have a single safety who played a snap of NFL defense last season until signing Leavitt on Monday. He played 249 snaps and started one game for the Raiders in 2021, when he led the team in tackles on special teams. With experience on defense and experience on Rich Bisaccia’s special teams, he’s in a good position to win a spot on the roster.

Special teams (3)

On the 53: K Mason Crosby, P Pat O’Donnell, LS Jack Coco.

Toughest cut: None.

Injury concern: Crosby will start the season PUP with an undisclosed injury.

Analysis: It will be incumbent Steven Wirtel vs. undrafted rookie Coco for the long-snapping gig. Wirtel wasn’t especially good during his half-season on the job last year, and Coco hasn’t done a punt snap in a game since high school. You’d have to think the scouts will be scouring the waiver wire during training camp unless someone really locks down the job.

Roster Cutdowns

The first practice will be held on Wednesday, and the roster cutdowns are set for three consecutive Tuesdays: to 85 on Aug. 16, to 80 on Aug. 23 and to 53 on Aug. 30.

Packers Training Camp Previews

Positional preview No. 1 – Quarterbacks

Positional preview No. 2 – Running backs

Positional preview No. 3 – Receivers

Positional preview No. 4 – Tight ends

Positional preview No. 5 – Offensive line

Positional preview No. 6 – Defensive line

Positional preview No. 7 – Outside linebackers

Positional preview No. 8 – Inside linebackers

Positional preview No. 9 – Cornerbacks

Positional preview No. 10 – Safeties

Positional preview No. 11 – Special teams

All-NFC North offense

All-NFC North defense