The Roster

Some no names will turn heads in camp and make this projection obsolete, but if I had to project the 53-man roster right now, this is how it would look.

QB (3)

Aaron Rodgers, Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan

RB (4)

Ty Montgomery, Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones, Aaron Ripkowski

WR (6)

Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, DeAngelo Yancey

TE (3)

Martellus Bennett, Lance Kendricks, Richard Rodgers

OL (9)

David Bakhtiari, Lane Taylor, Corey Linsley, Jahri Evans, Bryan Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Kyle Murphy, Don Barclay, Lucas Patrick

DL (6)

Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, (Letroy Guion), Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, Ricky Jean Francois

OLB (5)

Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, Vince Biegel, Kyler Fackrell, Jayrone Elliott

ILB (3)

Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, Joe Thomas

CB (6)

Kevin King, Damarious Randall, Davon House, LaDarius Gunter, Quinten Rollins, Josh Hawkins

S (5)

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Morgan Burnett, Josh Jones, Kentrell Brice, Marwin Evans

ST (3)

Mason Crosby, Jacob Schum, LS

PRACTICE SQUAD

RB Devante Mays, WR Malachi Dupre, OG Kofi Amichia

I believe Guion will not count as a member of the 53 man roster until his suspension is over. I like Brian Price to have a chance to make the 53 in his absence. Adam Pankey is my early favorite for an UDFA to make the 53.

This is the final year of the Janis experiment? I'll take that. Next up to get cut, Don the turnstile Barclay.

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Originally Posted by Zool

This is the final year of the Janis experiment? I'll take that. Next up to get cut, Don the turnstile Barclay.

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With Tretter gone, he's the backup center. If somebody shows he can fill that role, his status is as shaky as a 3-legged giraffe.

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Originally Posted by Joemailman

With Tretter gone, he's the backup center. If somebody shows he can fill that role, his status is as shaky as a 3-legged giraffe.

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Probably the part about losing Tretter that sucks the most. The Swiss army lineman is gone and we have a turd sandwich.

Harsh truth, Zool.

Matched my projection very closely:

Waters over Hawkins- coin flip, can't argue.
Janis over Yancey- strictly based on his ST skills but you are likely right, not many TT picks get clipped and Yancey is well thought of enough to get snagged before we can PS stash him.
Punter- Schum is on thin ice but I can't project a kid I've never seen punt a ball to beat him out at this point in the offseason.
Guion- Price or Ringo get to play for a month until he fulfills his suspension. Your parenthetical implies as much but thought I'd offer my opinion on who fills his chair in the interim.

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Originally Posted by HarveyWallbangers

Some no names will turn heads in camp and make this projection obsolete, but if I had to project the 53-man roster right now, this is how it would look.

QB (3)

Aaron Rodgers, Brett Hundley, Joe Callahan

RB (4)

Ty Montgomery, Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones, Aaron Ripkowski

WR (6)

Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, DeAngelo Yancey

TE (3)

Martellus Bennett, Lance Kendricks, Richard Rodgers

OL (9)

David Bakhtiari, Lane Taylor, Corey Linsley, Jahri Evans, Bryan Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Kyle Murphy, Don Barclay, Lucas Patrick

DL (6)

Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, (Letroy Guion), Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, Ricky Jean Francois

OLB (5)

Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, Vince Biegel, Kyler Fackrell, Jayrone Elliott

ILB (3)

Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, Joe Thomas

CB (6)

Kevin King, Damarious Randall, Davon House, LaDarius Gunter, Quinten Rollins, Josh Hawkins

S (5)

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Morgan Burnett, Josh Jones, Kentrell Brice, Marwin Evans

ST (3)

Mason Crosby, Jacob Schum, LS

PRACTICE SQUAD

RB Devante Mays, WR Malachi Dupre, OG Kofi Amichia

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We look really thin at ILB

Agreed. I think we see Josh Jones there in many sub packages but in base we will need to borrow from the OLB group (CMIII, Beigel) to fill snaps if we have an injury.

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Originally Posted by jklowan

We look really thin at ILB

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just an FYI for anyone trying to make a predicted final roster

last year we had 13 rookies on the final 53 after cut downs

so make sure you have plenty of rookies in there

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Originally Posted by red

just an FYI for anyone trying to make a predicted final roster

last year we had 13 rookies on the final 53 after cut downs

so make sure you have plenty of rookies in there

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I'd say 10-11. 8 draftees make it. The 2 7th round picks end up on the PS. Probably 2-3 UDFA's make the 53.

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Originally Posted by HarveyWallbangers

Some no names will turn heads in camp and make this projection obsolete, but if I had to project the 53-man roster right now, this is how it would look.

RB (4)

Ty Montgomery, Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones, Aaron Ripkowski

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Joe Kerridge over Ripkowski maybe? I wondered last year if they called him up just because they were so short handed or because they saw something in Kerridge they preferred over Ripkowski.

Oh - and I'm manning the Devante Mays support hotline, so add him to the list, I think they learned a lesson last year, and go back to 5 WRs!

No way Ripkowski gets cut. One of the best FBs in the league.

Packers roster will be interesting. They are sort of treading water as some of the young guys on the 2016 roster haven't stepped up to knock out some older guys. The Packers drafted 2 more WRs when the Packers really don't have room at that position without someone getting hurt. Trevor Davis needs to play his ass off in camp or he will be cut, and that doesn't mean the two rookies have a chance of making this roster either. Janis is a pretty important piece on special teams, but if there is a guy in camp like Yancy that can make plays on ST then Janis is gone. They will take the younger player. With drafting three running backs Monty can swing between receiver and RB, where ever they are going to need him the most. If the young backs step up and demonstrate they can handle the rushing load then Monty might swing back over to receiver. The roster battle on offensive will be between the young running backs and the young receivers. Which ever performs better will claim a roster spot.

I will be surprised if the Packers carry 5 safeties.

Also I didn't think Barclay played all that bad as a backup last year. I wouldn't want him full time as as starter but there isn't anyone better on the roster.

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Originally Posted by Deputy Nutz

Packers roster will be interesting. They are sort of treading water as some of the young guys on the 2016 roster haven't stepped up to knock out some older guys. The Packers drafted 2 more WRs when the Packers really don't have room at that position without someone getting hurt. Trevor Davis needs to play his ass off in camp or he will be cut, and that doesn't mean the two rookies have a chance of making this roster either. Janis is a pretty important piece on special teams, but if there is a guy in camp like Yancy that can make plays on ST then Janis is gone. They will take the younger player. With drafting three running backs Monty can swing between receiver and RB, where ever they are going to need him the most. If the young backs step up and demonstrate they can handle the rushing load then Monty might swing back over to receiver. The roster battle on offensive will be between the young running backs and the young receivers. Which ever performs better will claim a roster spot.

I will be surprised if the Packers carry 5 safeties.

Also I didn't think Barclay played all that bad as a backup last year. I wouldn't want him full time as as starter but there isn't anyone better on the roster.

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Overall, I think there is some pretty good depth on the team. I think the UDFAs that showed flashes last year (Allison, Hawkins, Brice, Evans) + a large draft class will do it. There are interesting battles at almost every position:

QB Will Callahan make the roster? I think he will knowing that Hundley is as good as gone next year.

RB I'm guessing two of the three rookies make the roster with the other on PS. Mays is least impressive to me--although Jones had fumbling issues in college and it's pretty glaring on his tape. I'm worried he'll be a fumbler.

FB Not sure there is room for Kerridge this year.

WR Allison, Davis, Yancey, Janis, and Dupre for three spots.

OL Probably comes down to Patrick vs. Amichia for the last spot.

DL Will Ringo and Price show enough to make the squad?

OLB Gilbert could push for a spot.

S I was impressed with Brice. He looked like he belonged in the NFL. Evans has great athleticism. Knowing Jones will play that CB/S (maybe ILB) hybrid role, Evans has a chance with his athletic ability.

Janis cut? That's simply not acceptable. I wonder if Mays could convert to fullback behind Ripkowski. I don't think Kerridge is worth keeping. I'll check into this deeper tomorrow.

Janis is a really good ST gunner - so he sticks.

8 LB and 11 DBs is pushing it

With them using 80+% sub-package defenses I'd say that's their minimum for DB's and LB's. I could see them going with 5 DL (with back-ups on the PS) and another ILB like Tripp for ST/injury protection.

Just eyeballed the salary situation:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/

Randall Cobb is no bargain.
I really don't get the Jared Cook -> Martellus Bennett downgrade. MB is not cheaper unless he flops.

I'm sure these are topics beaten to death elsewhere.

Janis over Davis; 8 O Linemen instead of 9 with Barclay or Patrick cut; 5 D Linemen - Guion gone even when the suspension ends; 4 Safeties instead of 5 with either Brice or Evans or both gone; 5 or maybe even 6 RBs instead of 4 with Mays or Michael kept - Mays cross-trained at Fullback (no way Kerridge stays, maybe more use of TEs at FB); I wouldn't be surprised if they cut Callahan and try to keep him on the practice squad again since we signed the BYU kid as a backup QB also.

Somebody is for sure gonna get injured, and somebody among the UDFAs probably will stand out and be kept also.

It should be an interesting preseason with all these quality (apparently) RBs and WRs competing.

Bennett is an upgrade over Cook. Isn't he the better and more willing blocker?

Amichie makes the squad. Will be a pleasant surprise, I believe.

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Originally Posted by Pugger

Bennett is an upgrade over Cook. Isn't he the better and more willing blocker?

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I looked around and couldn't find any TE comparisons - all draft and fantasy football.

I thought Cook proved himself to be a top receiver, would take him whether he could block or not.

Bennett is probably a better receiver (but they are different; Cook offers more speed). It's not even close blocking-wise. Bennett is right at the top at TE for blocking. Cook is serviceable at best.

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Originally Posted by HarveyWallbangers

Bennett is probably a better receiver (but they are different; Cook offers more speed).

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Cook was rated a better FF receiver last year in my google adventures (I call Rodgers/Brady a wash.)

But if you watched the Patriots games and think Bennett is better, OK. I remember him being a body-up sort of receiver for the Bears. He was good. Green Bay is his fifth team. (I see Cook is on his 4th, so maybe that is the NFL.)

I wonder how nfl analysts compare the two.

Bennett isn't some plodder. He can run, but Cook ran about as well as a TE can coming out and he hasn't lost a lot of his speed. What do you mean Cook was rated a better FF receiver? Bennett did better last year. If you are talking preseason, Bennett was still rated higher (even though he was the backup TE to Gronk).

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Originally Posted by Harlan Huckleby

Just eyeballed the salary situation:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/

Randall Cobb is no bargain.
I really don't get the Jared Cook -> Martellus Bennett downgrade. MB is not cheaper unless he flops.

I'm sure these are topics beaten to death elsewhere.

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Bennet is a big upgrade. Almost equal in pass game (more productive) and a world apart as a run blocker. Its about time we focused on dual threats at TE.

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Originally Posted by Harlan Huckleby

Cook was rated a better FF receiver last year in my google adventures (I call Rodgers/Brady a wash.)

But if you watched the Patriots games and think Bennett is better, OK. I remember him being a body-up sort of receiver for the Bears. He was good. Green Bay is his fifth team. (I see Cook is on his 4th, so maybe that is the NFL.)

I wonder how nfl analysts compare the two.

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Well, one of those guys was competing with Gronk for catches there blue dog.

Bennett did get significantly more money, I was just looking at first year with my initial reaction.

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Martellus Bennett signed a 3 year, $21,000,000 contract with the Green Bay Packers, including a $6,300,000 signing bonus, $6,300,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $7,000,000.

Jared Cook signed a 2 year, $10,600,000 contract with the Oakland Raiders, including $5,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $5,300,000.

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Jared Cook turned the Packer offense around last year, IMO.

The initial page I hit had JC listed as a better FF prospect than MB, but I see now that most sites had MB rated 10 slots better among NFL TEs.

Amichia was a LT that will play G and possibly C. I see him as either Barclay's successor (and possibly Jahri Evans') or he washes out.
They can afford to go light on ILB's vs. Safeties because they will play Jones/Burnett/Clay in there sometimes. I wonder if Reggie Gilbert or Johnathan Calvin push Elliott for a spot.

I expected them to draft another pass rusher, it makes me wonder if they saw some development in their young guys? Maybe they're counting on better pass rush from the DLine?

I am getting old enough to begin being addled.

Having a hard time differentiating twixt all the Devantes', Jones', and Adams'.

Looking forward to the TV announcers experiencing the same conundrum during the Super Bowl broadcast.

The Murphy/Amichie/ Patrick pre-season battle will be riveting.

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Originally Posted by Fritz

The Murphy/Amichie/ Patrick pre-season battle will be riveting.

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That ones up in the air. Yikes. We don't know a damn thing about how any of them play right now. But we have Evans for a year too.

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Originally Posted by Fritz

The Murphy/Amichie/ Patrick pre-season battle will be riveting.

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Hopefully riveting as in "they are all playing so well, how do we choose" instead of "holy shit, if one of these guys doesn't improve fast Rodgers is toast"

I think what you're saying, Bobblehead, is that barring a bunch of injuries, none of those three is gonna see the field much in the regular season. Jahri Evans, on the other hand, could just be a key piece, playing better (I hope and almost expect) than T.J. Lang did/would have.