Prior to Training Camp - Predicting the 53 Man Roster

[GreenBaySlacker]

To be fair....a 2nd round pick for Josh Sweat would also be beneficial to the Packers defense LOL.....had to.

I know what you mean though.

If we felt like we needed another pass rusher. There's cameron jordon, clowney, and bosa left in FREE agency.

I honestly don't think we need any pass rushers. We have so many I have a hard time remembering them all.

Parsons, LVN are the starters. Cox, Oliver , Dennis-Sutton. Besides them I'm confident Cooper, franklin, McDuffie will be getting some more blitzes , as advertised by Gannon. As well as our interior dline being capable of getting some hits on the QB. Hargrave, brinson, McClellan, Brooks, and Wyatt....

I mean that defense is stacked top to bottom if you ask me.

I'm a bit more worried about OT depth. If morgan or Tom go down, we are playing the shuffle again. Stealing a guard most likely and shifting guys around again... Would be nice to just have another LT that can plug in leaving the rest of the line alone.. I love that we build our oline to be multi dimensional like that. But just because we can, we should have to .. LT is important enough to have a legit extra. Maybe I'm wrong. You can't pay everyone, and good LTs aren't cheap.


Can someone tell me why we didn't resign walker? His contract in Carolina was surprisingly low for a guy with that many starts. He would've been a great #2 LT at that price. Maybe Kinnard is that guy? But a it stands, it's my only concern.

Haversik has me comfortable about out kickers, even if the rookie is shanking short ones

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

Actually another guy that’s floating under radar is Jonathan Ford. He played in College at Miami between 333-346lbs and his 6’5.1” Length kept his weight well distributed.

What’s kinda funny is he’s bounced back n forth between Chicago and Green Bay. If we recall he was drafted in the 7th Round by us in 2022 and kept the Miami draft streak alive at #233 overall. After being in GB developing a couple years, Chicago poached him off our PS after he maxed out his elevations. GB kept bringing him back the second Chicago tried to stash him again on PS. It’s been a tug o war either way for the big fella, but I can see where he’d be more mature now.

He’s a guy that could convert to NT more readily than Wooden did coming from 280lb area. Ford has played mostly 3T, but he’s 30 reps strong and can play around 335-340lb no problem. He's got more the size you’d like for Running Downs and actually has a nice punch and push inside that’s a carryover from Miami. He’s also a good tackler.

I don’t pretend to know if he fits with what Gannon has in mind, but he’s a homegrown player drafted by us and now made it to year 5.

I'm thinking McClellan at NT, with his burst and disruptive pressure.... Moving Hargrave and Wyatt to ends.... Would be a destructive front 3 that , if left one on one, those guys will not be stopped.... Because Parsons and LVN will be wrecking OTs, pretty much forcing the 1 on 1s in the middle. Flush those QB right into the hands of our speed rushers.

I honestly, as you know, am a big time Dline advocate. Always have believed you start building a defense up front. 5 guys on 5 guys. And you bring in some guys who would typically command a double to stop.... One will always break through and force the quicker throws. Leading to more mistakes... Then the second part is having a secondary who can play man, and be physical enough to tackle without getting hurt. Because the only way to neutralize a dominating power dline, is to throw over the top and take big chunks of yards, forcing the dime out of us... We need a secondary that won't hemorrhage yards every time the offense goes deep.

 

[tynimiller]

If we felt like we needed another pass rusher. There's cameron jordon, clowney, and bosa left in FREE agency.

I honestly don't think we need any pass rushers. We have so many I have a hard time remembering them all.

Parsons, LVN are the starters. Cox, Oliver , Dennis-Sutton. Besides them I'm confident Cooper, franklin, McDuffie will be getting some more blitzes , as advertised by Gannon. As well as our interior dline being capable of getting some hits on the QB. Hargrave, brinson, McClellan, Brooks, and Wyatt....

I mean that defense is stacked top to bottom if you ask me.

I'm a bit more worried about OT depth. If morgan or Tom go down, we are playing the shuffle again. Stealing a guard most likely and shifting guys around again... Would be nice to just have another LT that can plug in leaving the rest of the line alone.. I love that we build our oline to be multi dimensional like that. But just because we can, we should have to .. LT is important enough to have a legit extra. Maybe I'm wrong. You can't pay everyone, and good LTs aren't cheap.


Can someone tell me why we didn't resign walker? His contract in Carolina was surprisingly low for a guy with that many starts. He would've been a great #2 LT at that price. Maybe Kinnard is that guy? But a it stands, it's my only concern.

Haversik has me comfortable about out kickers, even if the rookie is shanking short ones

Both trenches are thin in anything past starters if we are honest....defense you have LVN, Wyatt, Hargrave, Parsons....and Parsons is out. At edge we have no one beyond Sorrell that had more than 100 snaps last year (Cox broke 100 in 2024)...now yes odds say that out of Sorrell, Cox, DDS, Oliver someone will rise some and be that psuedo #3 type that Enagbare was in 2023 and 2024....but a whole lot of young unproven commodities albeit all with arguably very high ceilings. In the middle beyond Wyatt and Hargrave we got Brooks as the most experienced and then a collection of unknowns in Brinson, Stackhouse, McClellan...throw in Riley and Ford also...

Offensive line we got are assumed 5 with Morgan, Banks, Rhyan, Belton and Tom...but beyond that it is again a bunch of unproven or limited rep type guys with Kinnard being the most experienced and then you likely see guys like Burton or Travis Glover getting called on...with a slew of guys GB has liked but haven't shown it like Monk, Williams, Jennings...

 

[Heyjoe4]

Often many of us prior to training camp start fleshing out in our heads the roster and where we might see that UDFA slip in or a spot we might still add to and such...what you got?

OFFENSE - (24)

QB (2)
Jordan Love
Tyrod Taylor

RB (3)
Josh Jacobs
Marshawn Lloyd
Chris Brooks

TE (4)
Tucker Kraft
Luke Musgrave
Josh Whyle
RJ Maryland

WR (6)
Christian Watson
Jayden Reed
Matthew Golden
Savion Williams
Bo Melton
Skyy Moore

OT (9)
Jordan Morgan
Aaron Banks
Sean Rhyan
Anthony Belton
Zach Tom
Darian Kinnard
Jager Burton
John Williams
Donovan Jennings

DEFENSE - (26)

DE/DL (11)
Devonte Wyatt
Karl Brooks
Javon Hargrave
Warren Brinson
Chris McClellan
Jordan Riley

Lukas Van Ness
Barryn Sorrell
Collin Oliver
Danis Denis-Sutton
Brenton Cox

LB (5)
Edgerrin Cooper
Zaire Franklin
Isaiah McDuffie
Nick Niemann
Ty'Ron Hopper

CB (5)
Carrington Valentine
Keisean Nixon
Benjamin St. Juste
Brandon Cisse
Domani Jackson

S (5)
Xavier McKinney
Evan Williams
Javon Bullard
Kitan Oladapo
Johnathan Baldwin

Special Teams - (3)
Smack - K
Orzech - LS
Whelan - P

PUP - Micah Parsons

Looks good to me. It's a very talented roster, overall. The group with the most uncertainty is CB, IMO.

I'm curious, under the TE group, who is RJ Maryland? I think the sleeper in that group is Whyle, who flashes at times. I was just curious about where RJM came from, and why you like him.

It seems like yesterday that the S group was a huge liability. By acquiring McKinney and drafting Williams and Bullard, Gluten remade that group very quickly. (Arguably, Bullard can be called a S or slot SB. He has the physique of a S and IMO plays more like a safety, regardless of where he lines up.)

 

[Heyjoe4]

I wouldn't be surprised to see them add a RB, either. Let's see if Lloyd can even make it through 1 practice without getting a cramp in his pinky toe and having to shut it down for the rest of the year.

I don't think Gluten has much choice but to add a veteran RB. Even if Jacobs doesn't get charged, the NFL can and will punish players over domestic abuse allegations, and severely. If that does happen, there will be a lengthy investigation by the NFL, well I think it could be lengthy. So Jacobs could start the season, only to be suspended down the road.

That affects he timing of when Gluten adds a veteran RB. The need though is apparent. Let's hope Lloyd puts the last two years waaaaay behind him and comes out firing.

 

[tynimiller]

Looks good to me. It's a very talented roster, overall. The group with the most uncertainty is CB, IMO.

I'm curious, under the TE group, who is RJ Maryland? I think the sleeper in that group is Whyle, who flashes at times. I was just curious about where RJM came from, and why you like him.

It seems like yesterday that the S group was a huge liability. By acquiring McKinney and drafting Williams and Bullard, Gluten remade that group very quickly. (Arguably, Bullard can be called a S or slot SB. He has the physique of a S and IMO plays more like a safety, regardless of where he lines up.)

RJ Maryland was a sure handed consistent four year contributor for SMU that many scouts had a mid-ish Day3 or later grade on him. Majority saw 5th-priority UDFA. While his overall line from college isn't crazy at 113 receptions / 1,495 yards / 19 TDs / 13.2 Yards per Reception....but when you see how consistent he's been it stands out IMO:

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6'4' 236lb body type that SMU slid into the slot a decent amount last year but in his past he's got significant amount of backfield snaps and I see could be that moveable Hback type that Fitz was for us before. Not a world changer and would be of the most value when you look up and didn't realize he was in there for 20 snaps or so, just doing his job....but he has some TE wiggle and athleticism is there to be used in the passing game. 4.51 forty speed is legit fast for a TE honestly. For context Musgrave is a 4.61 guy and Kraft a 4.69 guy.

 

[Heyjoe4]

RJ Maryland was a sure handed consistent four year contributor for SMU that many scouts had a mid-ish Day3 or later grade on him. Majority saw 5th-priority UDFA. While his overall line from college isn't crazy at 113 receptions / 1,495 yards / 19 TDs / 13.2 Yards per Reception....but when you see how consistent he's been it stands out IMO:

You must be logged in to see this image or video!

6'4' 236lb body type that SMU slid into the slot a decent amount last year but in his past he's got significant amount of backfield snaps and I see could be that moveable Hback type that Fitz was for us before. Not a world changer and would be of the most value when you look up and didn't realize he was in there for 20 snaps or so, just doing his job....but he has some TE wiggle and athleticism is there to be used in the passing game. 4.51 forty speed is legit fast for a TE honestly. For context Musgrave is a 4.61 guy and Kraft a 4.69 guy.

Thanks for the details. A 4.51 40 is very fast for a TE. Being able to play the hybrid receiver/blocker TE is valuable. Kraft can block, I think, but clearly is better used as a receiver. Musgrave can't block and I don't know about Whyle, other than his play improving as last season wore on. Maryland would fit nicely with this group and give MLF the FB he cherishes.

What happened to Fitz? I didn't know he wasn't with the team, or won't be for long.

 

[Heyjoe4]

My guess is that the Packer's eventual 'swing' tackle is not currently on this roster.

Given that brought in a veteran at the backup QB position, I expect them to do the same thing with regard to a backup tackle. I imagine they'll see who's available once the cutdowns begin.

Just a hunch.

Agreed. Looks like Gluten picked up a winner in the 5th round (Jager Burton) as a depth player at G/C. But yeah, they need another T. At this point, Gluten could sign a waived veteran or make a trade. Either way, depth at T is needed.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I think that either Bo Melton or Savion will let go by the end of camp, whichever is the least valuable WR (I know that Melton is also a CB).

I expect a veteran WR to take that spot. We are just too thin at WR if Watson or Reed goes down again.

Interesting. If it did come down to cutting Melton or Williams, I'd cut Melton. Williams has more upside IMO.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I think that either Bo Melton or Savion will let go by the end of camp, whichever is the least valuable WR (I know that Melton is also a CB).

I expect a veteran WR to take that spot. We are just too thin at WR if Watson or Reed goes down again.

Watson and Reed have the #1 and #2 WR spots locked in, respectively. Golden hasn't really been tested but he's fast and can catch almost everything. He'll be fine and may compete for more snaps.

This as good a starting 3 as I've seen in a while. But outside of these three, there isn't a "sure thing" WR on the roster. Adding a vet during cutdowns makes sense if it also makes financial sense. Injuries are gonna happen, somewhere, sometime.

 

[tynimiller]

Thanks for the details. A 4.51 40 is very fast for a TE. Being able to play the hybrid receiver/blocker TE is valuable. Kraft can block, I think, but clearly is better used as a receiver. Musgrave can't block and I don't know about Whyle, other than his play improving as last season wore on. Maryland would fit nicely with this group and give MLF the FB he cherishes.

What happened to Fitz? I didn't know he wasn't with the team, or won't be for long.

Fitz's ruptured his achilles against Chicagor late last year. He may never play football again. FTR RJ is a guy likely not to see the field a ton this year but fully I think is more than worthwhile as that 4th TE and ST contributor. Real good chance he starts out on PS but he is one of my favorite UDFAs across the league.

 

[mradtke66]

Would be nice to just have another LT that can plug in leaving the rest of the line alone..

About 1/3 of the league doesn't have the 1 LT you can plug in and you want us to have two?