GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Green Bay Packers have settled on their initial 53 man roster for the 2022 season with the key word being “initial.”
General Manager Brian Gutekunst pared his roster by going light at running back, heavy on the offensive line, hoarding his entire ’22 draft class and making sure his veteran kicker can extend a noteworthy streak. Keep in mind, many of the players who hit the waiver wire by the 3:00 PM deadline today will have to wait 24 hours to perhaps get another call from Gutekunst to welcome them back onto the 16 member practice squad.
Here’s how it shook out.
Quarterback (2) Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love. Cut – Danny Etling. Etling has been cut countless times since entering the league in 2018 but he livened up the room all summer. He’s NFL worthy.
Running Back (2) Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon. Cut – Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, Dexter Williams. Reserve/PUP – Kylin Hill. Can’t imagine Goodson or Taylor won’t return if they aren’t claimed by another team, both demonstrated ability to produce on the ground and through the air in this offensive system.
Wide Receiver (7) Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Amari Rodgers, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure. Cut – Juwann Winfree, Travis Fulgham. Waived/Injured – Ishmael Hyman. This isn’t the first time Gutekunst has kept seven receivers to start. All three draft picks, Doubs in particular, will get a chance to contribute. Toure versus Winfree had to be razor close. Keep track of Rodgers and Watson rushing attempts this year, the jet sweep action is back and may be a reason only the lightning and thunder duo are in the RB room.
Tight End (4) Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis. Cut – Cannella. Waived/Injured – Nate Becker, Alize’ Mack. This was about as clear cut a cut on the team.
Offensive Line (10) David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Jon Runyan, Josh Myers, Royce Newman, Yosh Nijman, Jake Hanson, Zach Tom, Sean Rhyan, Rasheed Walker. Cut – Caleb Jones, Michal Menet. The uncertainty over when Bakhtiari and Jenkins will actually play forced Gutey’s hand here by loading up. Hanson can play all three interior spots, Tom was even better than anticipated and Walker came on like gangbusters over the final two weeks of camp after injuries slowed him early. Rhyan is a third round pick who struggled but he stays because he’s a third rounder.
Defensive Line (6) Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, Jonathan Ford. Cut – Jack Heflin, Chris Slayton. Waived/Injured Akial Byers. An excruciating call here because both Heflin and Slayton were the two best defensive linemen in the three pre-season games. Granted, Clark, Lowry and Reed didn’t take a snap. Wyatt admittedly has a ways to go but he’ll eventually get there. Not sure if Ford will but his size is hard to ignore. The Packers would love to get both Heflin and Slayton back if they can.
Outside Linebacker (5) Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare. Cut – La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones. Hamilton got a good look a year ago but Enagbare really flashed some edge rushing ability in camp. Garvin and Galeai need to bring heat when given the chance spelling the top two.
Inside Linebacker (4) De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Krys Barnes, Isaiah McDuffie. Cut – Ty Summers, Ray Wilborn. McDuffie gets the “Big Year 2 Jump” award in camp making two Packer veterans expendable.
Cornerback (5) Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles. Cut – Rico Gafford, Kabion Ento, Kiondre Thomas. Nixon’s familiarity with Rich Bisaccia’s special teams helped him, Gafford’s speed must have been hard to pass up but both he and Thomas had coverage issues at times.
Safety (5) Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Dallin Leavitt, Tariq Carpenter, Micah Abernathy. Cut – De’Vante Cross. Waived/Injured – Shawn Davis, Innis Gaines. This may be the most surprising group. Leavitt, like Nixon is here to get the teams going in the right direction. The injuries derailed Davis and Gaines, Davis was running with the one’s for a while when Savage was out with his hamstring injury. Abernathy, a mid-camp signing from the USFL, opened eyes almost immediately.
Specialists (3) Mason Crosby, Pat O’Donnell, Jack Coco. Cut – Ramiz Ahmed.
Crosby finally came off the Physically Unable to Perform list, just in time. If he opened the season on the PUP, his streak of 241 consecutive games, trailing only Brett Favre’s legendary run in franchise history (255), and among the longest in NFL annals, will continue on opening day against the Vikings. Coco is a great story as an undrafted free agent but he may be on a short leash. Look for Ahmed to come back just in case Crosby hasn’t completely recovered from his off-season surgery.
My best bets for the sweet 16 practice squad: Goodson, Taylor, Winfree, Caleb Jones, Heflin, Slayton, Kobe Jones, Gafford, Ento, Davis, Ahmed. That’s only 11 but Gutey’s Pro Personnel Staff will be scouring the wire tonight.
As for My 53? Got 47 right. Kept Goodson, had Winfree over Toure, kept 9 on the line and didn’t include Walker, kept Heflin over Ford, Hamilton over Galeai, Gafford over SJC and Davis ahead of Carpenter.
