Final roster prediction before Packers cut down to 53 players
By Tuesday afternoon, the Green Bay Packers must have their roster trimmed down from 80 to 53 players. The work got started on Sunday when the team released linebacker Ty Summers. That leaves 26 more decisions to make between now and Tuesday’s deadline.
Here’s one final attempt at predicting the roster:
OFFENSE (26)
QB (2): Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love
RB (3): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor
WR (7): Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Amari Rodgers, Juwann Winfree
TE (4): Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis
OL (10): Elgton Jenkins, David Bakhtiari, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr., Royce Newman, Yosh Nijman, Zach Tom, Sean Rhyan, Jake Hanson, Rasheed Walker
Thoughts: Taylor wins out at running back based on special teams and pass pro, while Tyler Goodson eventually returns on the practice squad. In what’s soon to be a saturated market at running back, neither Taylor nor Goodson is likely to get claimed, making the idea of just two running backs all the more appealing. I still think the Packers keep three. I’d take Samori Toure over Winfree, but Winfree does more on special teams and the quarterback trusts him. Again, the hope would be to return Toure on the practice squad. Keeping 10 offensive linemen is probably necessary because Bakhtiari and Jenkins are both question marks to start the season. Walker, a draft pick who played well in the season finale, gets the nod over Caleb Jones, who could probably use a year on the practice squad.
DEFENSE (24)
DL (5): Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Dean Lowry, TJ Slaton, Devonte Wyatt
OLB (5): Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare, Tipa Galeai
ILB (4): De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Krys Barnes
CB (6): Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles, Kiondre Thomas
S (4): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Shawn Davis, Dallin Leavitt
Thoughts: Not much mystery here. Around 19-20 of these spots are already locked in. Once again, Heflin made disruptive plays this preseason, but can the Packers afford to keep six defensive linemen? Maybe he sticks if the Packers only have two running backs on the first 53. Galeai, Thomas and Leavitt make the roster because of their advantages over counterparts on special teams.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
K (1): Mason Crosby
P (1): Pat O’Donnell
LS (1): Jack Coco
Crosby’s status lingers over this whole thing, but the Packers continue to sound hopeful that he’ll be ready for Week 1. Is there going to be a long snapper available who is better than Coco, who had a strong preseason? His snapping has been solid, but he did overrun a few tackle attempts in the finale.
