The Obviously Way-Too-Early Packers Roster Projection

With 11 draft picks and some veteran additions, the Green Bay Packers will take a 90-man roster into OTAs. Who will be the 53 players that emerge after training camp?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are coming off three consecutive seasons of 13 victories. They’ve earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs each of the past two seasons.

While those regular-season accomplishments only add to the sour taste of the postseason failures, the fact is the Packers are a really good team that added three key veterans (receiver Sammy Watkins, defensive tackle Jarran Reed and punter Pat O’Donnell) and 11 draft picks (including top-34 selections Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Christian Watson).

The battles for roster spots will begin with organized team activities on May 23 and continue with the start of training camp sometime around Aug. 1.

Here is a too-early prediction at the 53 players the Packers will take into the regular season. More than the guesses, hopefully you get a feel for some of the tough decisions that are ahead for general manager Brian Gutekunst.

Quarterbacks

In (2): Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love.

Out (2): Kurt Benkert, Danny Etling.

Watch out for: Etling, if only because he’s the fresh face and took better care of the football in college than Benkert.

Early viewpoint: There’s no reason to keep three quarterbacks on the roster and it’s hard to see any team wanting to trade for Love.

Pictured: Aaron Rodgers (USA Today Sports Images)

Running Backs

In (3): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor.

Out (3): Kylin Hill (PUP), B.J. Baylor, Tyler Goodson.

Watch out for: Baylor led the Pac-12 in rushing in 2021. According to Pro Football Focus, he forced 57 missed tackles on 227 carries compared to 38 missed tackles on 256 carries by Goodson. Then again, Goodson caught 31 passes with one drop compared to eight catches and two drops by Baylor.

Early viewpoint: Hill suffered a torn ACL at Arizona on Oct. 28. If he’s not ready, who will be the No. 3 back? Taylor perhaps changed the path of his career during the Week 18 game at Detroit, when he rushed 11 times for 53 yards and one touchdown.

Pictured: Patrick Taylor (USA Today Sports Images)

Receivers

In (7): Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure.

Out (5): Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor, Chris Blair, Rico Gafford, Danny Davis.

Watch out for: An ankle injury ruined Blair’s chances of competing for a roster spot last summer, but the Packers thought enough of him to keep him on the practice squad for most of the season.

Early viewpoint: Watkins, the fourth pick of the 2014 draft and the lone veteran addition to a group sent reeling by the trade of Adams, isn’t a lock to make the roster. The development of the rookies will have a role in determining if Watkins is simply Devin Funchess 2.0.

Pictured: Chris Blair (USA Today Sports Images)

Tight Ends

In (4): Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Tyler Davis, Josiah Deguara.

Out (3): Dominique Dafney, Alize Mack, Eli Wolf.

Watch out for: Davis played 111 snaps last season. While he caught only four passes, Gutekunst said, “I think we might have something there.” Mack, a seventh-round pick by the Saints in 2019, hasn’t played in an NFL game but looked good at the rookie camp.

Early viewpoint: Tonyan suffered a torn ACL at Arizona on Oct. 28. If he’s not ready for Week 1, he should be close so the guess is he’ll make the opening 53. It’s a quality group of role players that really needs Tonyan to return to his 2020 form.

Pictured: Tyler Davis (USA Today Sports Images)

Offensive Line

In (8): LT David Bakhtiari, LG Jon Runyan, C Josh Myers, RG Royce Newman, RT Yosh Nijman, T/G Sean Rhyan, OL Zach Tom, T Rasheed Walker.

Out (8): G/T Elgton Jenkins (PUP), C Jake Hanson, C Michal Menet, C Cole Schneider, G George Moore, T Jahmir Johnson, T Caleb Jones, G/T Cole Van Lanen.

Watch out for: Schneider was a four-year starter at Central Florida who did not allow a sack as a senior. Could he be Lucas Patrick 2.0 as an undrafted free agent who found a home as a versatile interior lineman?

Early viewpoint: The Packers took nine blockers into the regular season last year but the position versatility of Rhyan (at guard and tackle) and Tom (at all five positions) could allow the Packers to save a roster spot for elsewhere. Jenkins suffered a torn ACL on Nov. 21. It’s unlikely he’ll be ready for Week 1 but maybe he’ll be far enough along in his recovery to make the 53.

Pictured: Elgton Jenkins (USA Today Sports Images)

Defensive Line

In (5): Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Devonte Wyatt, Jarran Reed, T.J. Slaton.

Out: (4) Jonathan Ford, Jack Heflin, Akial Byers, Hauati Pututau.

Watch out for: It was only a rookie minicamp. And it wasn’t live competition in the trenches. But the 26-year-old Pututau showed his strength by pushing around some of the young offensive linemen.

Early viewpoint: The additions of the veteran Reed and the rookie Wyatt have changed the face of the defensive line. This has the makings of being a really strong unit to join with excellent starters at the other positions.

Pictured: Kenny Clark (USA Today Sports Images)

Outside Linebackers

In (6): Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare, Randy Ramsey, Tipa Galeai.

Out (3): La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones, Chauncey Manac.

Watch out for: As a sixth-year super-senior, Manac recorded 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for losses for Louisiana in 2021.

Early viewpoint: Enagbare tested horribly at the Scouting Combine (and even worse at pro day) but he looked athletic enough at rookie camp. If you want a rookie-camp overreaction, Enagbare could be a big-time steal. Ramsey, who missed last season with an ankle injury, and Galeai need to be assets on special teams.

Pictured: Kingsley Enagbare (USA Today Sports Images)

Inside Linebackers

In (5): De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Krys Barnes, Isaiah McDuffie, Ellis Brooks,

Out (3): Ty Summers, Caliph Brice, Ray Wilborn.

Watch out for: Brooks, a productive starter at Penn State, went undrafted but showed some real potential during rookie camp. His instincts seem on-point and he comes with a reputation for being a hitter.

Early viewpoint: At the top of the depth chart, Campbell and Walker could be superb together. At the bottom of the depth chart, holdovers McDuffie and Summers and youngsters Brooks and Wilborn will battle for the last spot or two.

Pictured: Quay Walker (USA Today Sports Images)

Cornerbacks

In (6): Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, TBA.

Out (3): Kabion Ento, Raleigh Texada, Kiondre Thomas.

Watch out for: Ento seemingly has been in Green Bay for a decade. An undrafted free agent in 2019, he spent 2019 on the practice squad, 2020 on injured reserve and 2021 on the practice squad. A former receiver, his athleticism has stood out on a number of occasions.

Early viewpoint: Maybe Jean-Charles or one of the other young cornerbacks will step to the forefront. But, as it stands now, the depth is perilous. Starting with the trade of Josh Jackson to the Giants for Isaac Yiadom during training camp last summer, Gutekunst tried and tried again to find competent depth. That might be the recipe again.

Pictured: Kabion Ento (USA Today Sports Images)

Safeties

In (4): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Tariq Carpenter, Shawn Davis.

Out (3): Vernon Scott, Innis Gaines, Tre Sterling.

Watch out for: Gaines was a great story last summer, having gone from DoorDash to making a dash for the roster. He lost out to Scott for a roster spot, but Scott spent his second NFL season with his butt glued to the bench.

Early viewpoint: The starting duo is tremendous. The depth? Questionable, at best. Carpenter, a seventh-round pick, has the tools. Davis was a fifth-round pick by Indianapolis in 2021 who played in one game for the Packers. Same as last year, if the Packers want to use Savage in the slot, they need to have a competent player to step in at safety.

Pictured: Innis Gaines (USA Today Sports Images)

Specialists

In (3): K Mason Crosby, P Pat O’Donnell, LS Steven Wirtel.

Out (2): JJ Molson, Dominik Eberle.

Watch out for: Whoever the Packers sign to challenge Wirtel.

Early viewpoint: Eberle has experience with new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia and boasts a strong leg, but Crosby is the heavy favorite to keep his job after a poor season.

Pictured: Mason Crosby (USA Today Sports Images)