Ranking the Packers (No. 42): Will Redmond

Will Redmond played a key role on the defense and was a top performer on special teams.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a tradition that stretches more than a decade, here is our annual ranking of the 90 players on the Green Bay Packers’ roster. This isn’t merely a look at the best players. Rather, it’s a formula that combines talent, salary, importance of the position, depth at the position and, for young players, draft positioning. More than the ranking, we hope you learn a little something about every player on the roster.

No. 42: S Will Redmond (5-11, 186, fifth season, Mississippi State)

It took three years for Redmond to finally get on the field and show his value.

Redmond entered the 2015 season at Mississippi State as one of the better cornerback prospects in the nation but his hopes of being a first-round pick were dashed after suffering an ACL tear at practice. San Francisco selected him with a third-round pick in 2016. He missed his rookie season with that injury and the first half of the 2017 season with an ankle injury before he was released. He finished that season on the Chiefs’ practice squad and competed for a roster spot with Kansas City in 2018 but was released at the end of camp. Green Bay quickly added him to its practice squad. Finally, on Nov. 6, 2018, he was added to the active roster and played in the first five games of his career.

Redmond played in 13 games with four starts at safety last year. He had 30 tackles in 271 snaps, giving him a tackle rate of one tackle for every 9.03 snaps, which was better than starters Adrian Amos (11.91) and Darnell Savage (14.18). He played more than 50 snaps in three consecutive games in October but was phased out of the secondary rotation with just five defensive snaps in the final seven regular-season games. Foot and hamstring injuries, along with the return of Ibraheim Campbell, were the main reasons why, though his six missed tackles – more than Amos despite playing 765 fewer snaps – didn’t help. According to Sports Info Solutions, he allowed 5-of-7 passing for 58 yards with one touchdown and one pass defensed.

Redmond was an underrated member of the special teams, where he tied Oren Burks for the team lead with nine tackles.

“Will Redmond had a great season for us and has really stepped up and become more of a vocal leader,” coordinator Shawn Mennenga said.

Why he’s got a chance: The Packers elected not to re-sign two stalwarts in the secondary, cornerback Tramon Williams and Campbell. Chandon Sullivan presumably will get the first shot at the nickel role. That creates an opportunity for Redmond to carve out a role as the sixth defensive back.