Breaking Down the Packers’ Initial 53-Man Roster

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have their 53-man roster. How much will it change between now and the Sept. 11 season opener at the Minnesota Vikings?

It was a long day for general manager Brian Gutekunst and his staff as they removed 25 players from the roster. And the day’s not over. There is an enormous waiver wire to comb through on Tuesday night and a 16-man practice squad to assemble on Wednesday.

The initial roster includes 25 players on offense, 25 on defense and three specialists. There are two running backs; No. 3 will be on the practice squad. There are 10 offensive linemen, an acknowledgement of the concern level with tackles David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins. Two of the three backup safeties haven’t played in an NFL game.

There were surprises, such as the release of defensive tackle Jack Heflin. And there were great stories, including safety Micah Abernathy going from the USFL to injury replacement to the 53.

All 11 draft picks made it. So did long snapper Jack Coco, making it 18 consecutive seasons in which an undrafted rookie made the initial 53. That’s 12 rookies. In total, 23 players are 24 or younger.

Many of the 53 players listed below are not guaranteed a roster spot tomorrow, next week or next month, so there is no time to celebrate.

“I think the mindset is always, ‘We’re trying to find the best 11 to put out there,’” coach Matt LaFleur said this week. “And I think you could argue at some positions more so than others that there still are jobs on the line. Like we mentioned with some of the offensive line, in terms of who’s available and who’s not, I think these guys, they understand that and it is a day-to-day league. Plus, you never know who’s going to be available from another team. Our personnel people are going to work really, really hard. If they see an opportunity to upgrade our roster, I would think that they would jump at that.”

Quarterback (2)

Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love

Released: Danny Etling.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Rodgers and Love on the 53 with Etling on the practice squad as the developmental No. 3 was the expectation since May. The 28-year-old Etling completed 77.3 percent of his passes with a 123.3 passer rating and added a 51-yard touchdown run.

“I’ve been working really hard for a really long time, and I’m grateful for all these opportunities,” he said this week. “Last year, I was packing for Canada today. That was obviously a bad taste in my mouth because I knew how good I had gotten and I didn’t get a chance to show it last year. So, there’s definitely some validation for all the work I’ve put in and all the mental training I’ve done, and to finally get that opportunity to show everyone is a really good feeling.”

Running back (2)

Aaron Jones (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon

Released: Tyler Goodson, Patrick Taylor, Dexter Williams.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Jones and Dillon are one of the top tandems in the NFL. Last year, they combined for 2,306 yards and 17 touchdowns from scrimmage. The Packers figure to use them in tandem more often this season. If they stay healthy, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them approach 3,000 total yards and 25 touchdowns.

“Both of those guys in space, I think, can be really productive for us,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “So, it’s finding ways to get those guys into that space. But I’m sure we’re going to play our best 11, and it’s hard to think those guys aren’t in the best 11 for us.”

Going with two backs might seem like a gamble. It’s not. Let’s say Kylin Hill, who will start the season on the physically unable to perform list, starts practicing after Week 4 (which he can by rule) and is ready for Week 7. That would be six games. The Packers could activate practice-squad backs Taylor and Goodson (assuming they’re on the practice squad) three times apiece.

Receiver (7)

Christian Watson (USA Today Sports Images)

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

Released: Juwann Winfree, Travis Fulgham, Ishmael Hyman.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Aaron Rodgers was a “big fan” of Winfree. The Packers, instead, kept Toure, the seventh-round draft pick, as their seventh receiver. So, the Packers have three rookies (Watson, Doubs and Toure) and a second-year player (Amari Rodgers, four career catches) filling up four spots on the revamped receiver corps. How long until one or more of those young players is ready to be a major contributor?

“Getting 9 [Watson] back at practice, seeing him run around, he’s a different type of receiver,” Aaron Rodgers said. “He’s big, fast and athletic. If we can get some consistency from him, I feel really good about that receiving corps.”

Tight end (4)

Robert Tonyan (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis.

Released: Alize Mack (injured), Sal Cannella, Nate Becker (injured).

Post-Cuts Analysis: There were no surprises here. Anyone who thought the Packers might release Davis after a couple turnovers clearly wasn’t paying attention to anything said by coach Matt LaFleur or general manager Brian Gutekunst.

RELATED: Tonyan shows being cut doesn’t mean end of story.

Offensive line (10)

David Bakhtiari (69) and Rasheed Walker (63) (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: LT David Bakhtiari, LT Yosh Nijman, LG Jon Runyan, C Josh Myers, RG Royce Newman, RT Elgton Jenkins, C/G Jake Hanson, C/G/T Zach Tom, T Rasheed Walker, G Sean Rhyan.

Released: T Caleb Jones, C/G Michal Menet.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Even with Tom’s ability to play here, there and everywhere – maybe all at the same time – the Packers went heavy with 10 blockers. Clearly, that’s playing it safe as bookend tackles Bakhtiari and Jenkins return from knee injuries.

The surprise was keeping Walker, a seventh-round pick, over Jones, an undrafted free agent. Jones was ahead of Walker on the depth chart all summer but apparently not when it mattered. Walker probably made some of offensive line coach Luke Butkus’ hair fall out during the summer practices.

If Jenkins winds up starting at right tackle in Week 1 at Minnesota, it will be interesting to see whether Newman or Hansen (or Tom) emerges as the right guard.

Defensive line (6)

Jonathan Ford (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Dean Lowry, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Jonathan Ford.

Released: Jack Heflin, Chris Slayton, Akial Byers.

Post-Cuts Analysis: It should never be a surprise when a draft pick beats out a middle-of-the-road veteran. That’s life in the NFL. Ford was drafted in the seventh round for a reason. But there’s no measuring stick in which Ford outplayed Heflin or even Slayton. In the preseason, Slayton had 13 tackles and Heflin had 10. Ford had five and Wyatt, the first-round pick, had only one. If it’s a play on the goal line and the Packers are down one of their top players, who would you rather have as the fourth defensive lineman? Wyatt or Heflin?

“I’ve been through the same thing,” Clark said of Wyatt. “It’s tough because the offensive line is moving so fast and [defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery is] telling you to learn a different technique that you’re not learning in college. It takes time to understand that stuff. But he has a lot of ability. When he does do the stuff right, it looks great, like it’s supposed to. He has great twitch. I just tell him, you’ve just got to keep doing it. You’ve got to love the process. Don’t get down about what coach is telling you or if I’m telling you something or the next person is telling you something, don’t get down about it.”

Regardless of Wyatt’s immediate contribution, this is a loaded group. Clark, Reed and Lowry form an outstanding veteran trio, and Slaton took a big Year 2 jump in camp.

Outside linebacker (5)

Tipa Galeai (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Tipa Galeai, Kingsley Enagbare

Released: La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones.

Post-Cuts Analysis: As the primary backups to Gary and Smith last season, Garvin and Galeai combined for merely 2.5 sacks. That wasn’t good enough. Nonetheless, they’ll enter the season as the top backups once again.

Garvin was the No. 3 for most of training camp, Enagbare had a dominant stretch during the week of the joint practices against the Saints and Galeai was a No. 1 on all four phases of special teams.

“I wish I played this back in college,” Galeai said of special teams. “I’m building a love for special teams. I love it now. I love special teams. Of course, that’s what got me a job last year but also it’s football. You get to go out, run down and hit somebody. That’s the best part of it.”

Inside linebacker (4)

Quay Walker (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Krys Barnes.

Released: Ray Wilborn.

Post-Cuts Analysis: There wasn’t much mystery here. Campbell is the returning All-Pro and team leader, Walker is the potential-packed rookie, McDuffie is the second-year riser and Barnes is the steady former starter. This is a tremendous quartet.

The key to the defense will be how quickly Walker plays like a starter instead of a rookie starter. The preseason finale at Kansas City was a good sign.

“I was asking him why he was so far away from the defense (on the bench) late in the game, and he goes, ‘Because I can see everything from back here,’” coach Matt LaFleur said. “And that’s a great answer. Because that’s what I do when we call plays or whatever. I usually line up 30, 40 yards behind the sticks and try to see everything. He’s wise beyond his years to be able to get that perspective in that situation. I thought that showed a lot of maturity from him. But I love watching him run, he’s a big guy that can move, run sideline-to-sideline, and it’s going to be fun to watch him paired up next to another ‘creature’ and have two 6-foot-3 plus linebackers in there that can really run and are very good players.”

Cornerback (5)

Rasul Douglas (USA Today Sports Images)

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

Released: Rico Gafford, Kiondre Thomas, Kabion Ento.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Would the Packers keep Gafford or Thomas as a sixth cornerback? Turns out, it was none of the above. There might not be a team in the NFL that can match Green Bay’s Big Three. The depth will be provided by Jean-Charles and Nixon – two players with limited NFL defensive experience who had strong training camps.

Douglas rescued the Packers last season with his five interceptions. Was he just a one-year wonder? The answer is an overwhelming no.

“‘Sul’s kind of always talking, and I love that about him,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said last week. “It kind of reminds me of Charles [Woodson]. Now, Charles is a once-in-a-generation player, but I do feel like Rasul has a lot of the same characteristics with his ball-hawking ability, and his cover skills, and his understanding of concepts and then his trash-talking. I love 29. He is a hell of a player, and getting him back was a huge boost for our defense.”

Safety (5)

Dallin Leavitt (USA Today Sports Images)

Initial 53: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Dallin Leavitt, Tariq Carpenter, Micah Abernathy.

Released: Shawn Davis (injured), Innis Gaines (injured), De’Vante Cross.

Post-Cuts Analysis: The Packers entered camp with major questions about Vernon Scott and Shawn Davis as the projected next men up behind Amos and Savage. Well, neither are on the team anymore due to injuries. So, while the names have changed, the questions remain.

Leavitt, signed mostly to play special teams, is coming back from a shoulder injury. Carpenter is a rookie with a lot of talent, but he was on the bottom of the depth chart not long ago. Abernathy was signed due to injuries but his spot on the 53 was earned.

If there’s one spot where GM Brian Gutekunst might go shopping, it’s this one. Unless cornerback Rasul Douglas is the next man up.

Special teams (3)

Mason Crosby (USA Today Sports Images)

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

Released: K Ramiz Ahmed.

Post-Cuts Analysis: Crosby was activated from the physically unable to perform list and figures to be in the lineup for the Week 1 game at Minnesota. He is coming off a dismal season, but the Packers have a much better holder (O’Donnell) and might have upgraded their snapper (Coco). They’ll have five practices to build the chemistry needed to routinely kick the ball through the uprights.

“I think Jack’s done a really nice job of everything we’ve asked him to do,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “I think he’s worked extremely hard. Certainly, he’s far from a finished product at this stage of the game. He’s still a really young player, but he’s handled everything we’ve asked him to do really well.”

All 11 draft picks make roster

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Tracking the cuts

Cuts, by position

Mason Crosby activated from PUP

Key safety Shawn Davis released

Explosive Tyler Goodson released

Receiver Juwann Winfree released

Quarterback Danny Etling released

Once upon a time, Robert Tonyan was released

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Breaking Down the Packers’ Initial 53-Man Roster

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