I’ve spent the last few months going through each position group for the 2018 Green Bay Packers, so now it is time to see how the roster could shape up as a whole. After a week and a half of Training Camp and the Family Night practice this is how I see the final roster looking:
- QB Aaron Rodgers
- QB DeShone Kizer
With depth at so many other positions, I can’t see the Packers keeping 3 QBs. I believe Brett Hundley will play well enough to become a trade candidate to another team for a low round draft pick.
- RB Aaron Jones
- RB Ty Montgomery
- RB Jamaal Williams
- FB Aaron Ripkowski
During the two game Jones suspension, I expect Devonta Mays to be active and move back to the Practice Squad. Ripkowski and Joe Kerridge will fight for the Fullback role, but “The Ripper” has a lot more game experience..
- WR Davante Adams
- WR Randall Cobb
- WR Geronimo Allison
- WR J’Mon Moore
- WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The rookies have too much raw skill to lose their roster spots to Trevor Davis. Deangelo Yancey is the biggest threat to their spots, and he could be the 7th WR to make the active roster.
- TE Jimmy Graham
- TE Marcedes Lewis
- TE Robert Tonyan
I have Tonyan making the roster over Lance Kendricks because of his Special Teams value. However, he also has the ability to develop into a contributor in the pass game.
- LT David Bahktiari
- LG Lane Taylor
- C Corey Linsley
- RG Justin McCray
- RT Bryan Bulaga
- T Byron Bell
- G Lucas Patrick
- T Jason Spriggs
- T Kyle Murphy
I like Byron Bell a lot, and have not been impressed with Jason Spriggs so far. However, he has so much athleticism for a guy his size, and Packers o-lineman have a history of figuring things out in year three. I had Cole Madison making this team, but there seems to be ominous news regarding the 5th round pick.
- DE Mike Daniels
- NT Kenny Clark
- DE Muhammad Wilkerson
- DE Dean Lowry
- NT Montravius Adams
- DE James Looney
This is the deepest position group on the team. Daniels, Clark, and Wilkerson could be a top three d-line group in the league, and the emergency of Lowry and Adams gives them tremendous versatility. As the Eagles proved, a great d-line can get you a long way in the playoffs. Looney is a guy who has the look of a young Mike Daniels, and looks to be a steal in the 7th round.
- EDGE Clay Matthews
- EDGE Nick Perry
- EDGE Vince Biegel
- EDGE Reggie Gilbert
- EDGE Kendall Donnerson
Donnerson is my surprise pick to make the roster. His combine numbers are similar to Von Miller. His college tape and competition level are suspect, so I don’t expect him to contribute on Defense immediately, but he has the size/speed combo to be a ferocious Special Teamer. Kyler Fackrell brings no value to this team, and I can’t see him making the roster unless he shows something that has been missing the first two years.
- ILB Blake Martinez
- ILB Ahmad Thomas
- ILB Oren Burks
- ILB Marcus Porter
The Jake Ryan injury hurts. Green Bay was already thin at ILB, and now they need to find a replacement on early downs. Oren Burks and Ahmad Thomas will rotate as the pass down backers. This has to be a position of great concern (even more so with the loss of CJ Johnson), and I believe if there are any doubts over the next two weeks, Brian Gutekunst will bring in a veteran.
- CB Tramon Williams
- CB Kevin King
- CB Jaire Alexander
- CB Josh Jackson
- CB Lenzy Pipkins
- CB Herb Waters
This is the deepest position group the Packers have had at CB since they won the Super Bowl. They need the young guys to step up, but for once they have the talent level to succeed. I could see Davon House replacing Herb Waters on the active roster, but the coaches have been raving about him for so long, I wanted to save him a spot.
- S Haha Clinton-Dix
- S Josh Jones
- S Kentrell Brice
- S Jermaine Whitehead
- S Marwin Evans
I have Evans and Whitehead making the team over Raven Greene because of their Special Teams track record. It sounds like Kentrell Brice will be okay after the injury scare, so they have some promising depth at the position.
- K Mason Crosby
- P JK Scott
- LS Hunter Bradley
Practice Squad
- QB Tim Boyle
- RB Devonta Mays*
- WR Deangelo Yancey
- C Austin Davis
- G/T Kofi Amichia
- DE Connor Sheehy
- DT Tyler Lancaster
- EDGE Naashon Hughes
- CB Donatello Brown
- S Raven Greene
Boyle is the perfect developmental prospect at QB. Yancey would be tough to sneak on the PS again this year, but would be a major luxury if it happens. The Packers have some great young depth on defense, so it would be nice to stash them on the Practice Squad to help out in case of injury.
Green Bay will have some difficult roster decisions to make at WR, OL, ILB, and CB over the next four weeks. I’ve tried to anticipate where they will go, but please let me know what you think in the comments or on Twitter @andrewmertig.
Andrew Mertig is a a lifelong Packers fan and draft enthusiast. He has covered the NFL draft for radio and television stations in Green Bay. He is currently a host of the Pack-A-Day podcast and a writer for PackersTalk.com. You can follow him on Twitter @andrewmertig
7 responses to “Green Bay Packers Roster Predictions”
Good predictions. However, one thing was missed. The receiver from Whitewater is very good and lighting it up!! That’s all I have.
kumerow, at this point, should be on roster.. also 1st cuts will bring many opportunities at ILB and OLB
Fackrell is too important on special teams units to be cut over a guy like Porter. And Greer Martini has been getting the #1 unit snaps over Porter anyway.
Dennis. I’m rooting for Kumerow big time. I can’t wait to see Rodgers throw the ball his way!!!
Rodgers to Graham. Get Used To It. Finally a big time tight end in Green Bay again. I’ve wanted this guy for years. Seattle finally utilized him in their last year with him. Poor Russell Wilson is running for his life on every play. Reminds me of Peyton’s father Archie Manning with the Saints who most people missed. What a shame!!! Archie was one hell of a football player with a terrible team. He never threw his team under the bus. Should be in the HOF with Fran Tarkenton for their ability to extend a play.
Kumerow will make the 53 man roster and Donnerson could be another surprise with proper coaching. He came along at the right time with Pettine in and Capers out. Let’s see what two first round picks can get us next year. Two blue chip players one on offense and one on defense. Offensive line and EDGE,preferably Nick Bosa.
This is two weeks old now, and we’ve seen a little stuff, and I’d have to say this is a pretty accurate forecast of the eventual composition of the 53 man roster, IMO.
Of course, I’ve been told by some posters that we shouldn’t be presumptive, and ignorant, and full of hubris, etc. and make predictions about the Packers roster on Packer fan boards. Isn’t that right, Packerpeople?
I would argue a couple of positions.
1) I just don’t get the Kyler Fackrell stuff. This is a guy who stays healthy and suits up. He has the most important ability…AVAIL-ABILITY. He’s a core special teams guy. He has finished 5th on the team in sacks the last two years. He plays the run.
So….this guy who is always available and plays the run well is “useless” because he doesn’t have more sacks? Seriously? Frankly, I’d be really surprised if he’s not on the 53 man roster. It’s obvious the coaching staff likes this guy.
2) Apparently, people think it would be desirable for Rodgers to be throwing to a bunch of rookie WRs who are off running the wrong routes. Why else keep three of them on the 53?
After the top three….Adams/Cobb/Allison….we only have one remaining guy who has any experience in the NFL as a receiver and that’s Trevor Davis. And Davis was one of the top return guys in the league last year.
Now, he’s been injured all training camp and hasn’t shown anything, and that’s bad. But I’m assuming that he’s going to be healthy enough to play and , again, I’d be surprised if we released him.
If Cobb, for example, gets hurt…..we’ll be lining up Adams and Allison and rookies for the rest of the season. So I’d keep Davis, and I’d put Kumerow on the 53, and maybe one other guy….probably MSV at this point.
Truthfully, I’d suspect the Packers drafted 3 WRs hoping they’d get one good one out of it….that’d be about average. And they didn’t anticipate Kumerow. So one of these guys like Brown or Moore is going to be put on the practice squad, maybe both. They might get poached.
Kizer over Hundley for sure, but considering the importance of the position, we might keep three QBs. And I think Tonyon has shown enough in these games to make people think about keeping him. Traditionally, the #3 TE is a special teams/project kind of guy…..that’s not Lance Kendricks.
Of course, it’s possible we’ll keep 4 TEs. We’ve done it before.
All in all, I think it’s a pretty good roster prognostication and there’s a very good chance the author got almost 50 of the eventual 53….that’s pretty good considering it was written before any of the exhibitions.