Now through the second week of the preseason, we can get an idea of what the Green Bay Packers roster could start to look like for the regular season. The coaching staff and front office have to cut the team down to 53 players, which will create some very difficult decisions needing to be made.
A week from now, the roster will have to be pared down. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic has tried his hand at predicting who could make up that group of 53 players. First, the unsurprising developments.
Schneidman is predicting that the Packers will keep only two quarterbacks on the roster. Sean Clifford has locked up the No. 2 job and played well enough that Green Bay won’t sign a veteran, at least for now.
Malik Heath is predicted to win the sixth wide receiver spot, which isn’t too surprising. He has been playing at a very high level and with Bo Melton getting injured last week, Heath took full advantage. Keep an eye on Grant DuBose, as the seventh-round rookie has played well and will probably be stashed on the practice squad if possible.
There are no major surprises in the trenches, as the Packers are predicted to keep 10 offensive linemen and five defensive linemen. If something arises that a player earns a spot elsewhere, the offensive line is likely where a cut will come from.
One of the biggest surprises in Scheidman’s prediction is that only two running backs, Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, will make the roster. Emanuel Wilson has been excellent in two preseason games and Patrick Taylor is a special teams contributor, but neither made the cut this time.
It would be extremely risky to keep only two running backs, but it is what the Packers did for a majority of the 2022 season and it didn’t hurt them. Keeping only two here enables them to keep other deserving players at different positions.
Another surprise is only four cornerbacks are being kept. Eric Stokes will be on the PUP list based on this list through Week 4 of the regular season. The Packers are banking on good health for Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon, otherwise, things get ugly quickly.
There are only four corners as Schniedman believes that six safeties will be kept. Anthony Johnson Jr. made the cut over Innis Gaines and Corey Ballentine, who is another solid special teams contributor.
Keeping only four cornerbacks also enables the Packers to keep undrafted rookie pass rusher Brenton Cox Jr. Cox is extremely talented but had off-field issues in college while at both Georgia and Florida. If the Packers can keep him on the straight and narrow, they are going to have quite a player on their hands.
