Heading into training camp, the Green Bay Packers coaching staff and front office knew that there would be some very difficult decisions to make when it comes to the roster. While they would love to keep everyone, that isn’t how the business of the NFL works. After carrying 90 players for the offseason, that number needs to be cut down to 53 by August 29th.
This is the worst part of the job, as front office personnel and coaches have to tell a player that they are being released, ending their pursuit of a 53-man roster spot. Practice squad spots will certainly be offered, as the situation will remain fluid as waiver claims are also made.
The bottom of an NFL roster is constantly churning. For the Packers, there were a number of players who were on the outside looking in on a roster spot coming into training camp but did enough to lock in a spot.
One of those players was defensive tackle Karl Brooks. Green Bay doesn’t like to cut players that they use a draft pick on, but sometimes, it is bound to happen. The defensive line is one position that looked like it could be the case as there were a lot of players on the depth chart.
However, Brooks played so well during training camp, that he could be part of the regular season rotation in the trenches. A sixth-round pick, Brooks has looked more deserving of a roster spot than Colby Wooden, a fourth-rounder in April, who also should make the team.
Another defender that has locked in a spot is cornerback Carrington Valentine. The seventh-round pick out of Kentucky hit the ground running in the spring during the Packers’ OTAs and never stopped.
He has quickly ascended the depth chart and could be in the lineup in Week 1 if Eric Stokes isn’t ready to go. Even when Stokes is healthy enough to return, Valentine has played well enough to warrant snaps on game day.
On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Sean Clifford has cemented his spot on the roster. There were a lot of people unsure if Clifford would win the backup quarterback job behind Jordan Love, but he was very good in training camp.
He played well enough to keep the Packers from bringing in a more experienced option behind Love. Clifford also faced competition from Danny Etling and Alex McGough, both of whom he beat out for the backup job.
Last but not least, on the offensive side of the ball, was offensive tackle Rasheed Walker. The Packers have a long history of being able to develop late-round offensive linemen and Walker could be the next in line.
A seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker is making a second-year leap and has cemented his spot as a backup tackle on the team. While many thought that the battle for the starting spots along the offensive line was over, that may not be the case.
After a clean outing against the New England Patriots, Walker found himself taking reps with the first-team group at practice this week. Zach Tom moved over to the center spot, as Josh Myers’ grip as the starting center may not be as strong as originally thought.
