Green Bay Packers: Which Linebackers Will Make the Final Roster?

The Green Bay Packers have 16 linebackers currently on their roster. I tend to believe that only nine or 10 of those players will make the final roster.

The current group of linebackers are Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Sam Barrington, Nick Perry, Mike Neal (also a hybrid defensive lineman), Carl Bradford, Nate Palmer, Jayrone Elliott, Andy Mulumba, Adrian Hubbard, Joe Thomas, Josh Francis, Jake Ryan, Tavarus Dantzler, James Vaughters and Jermauria Rasco.

Ryan was drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft and looks to have a promising future, while Dantzler, Vaughters and Rasco were signed as undrafted rookie free agents.

Speaking of undrafted rookie free agents who are linebackers, the Packers have had at least one of those players make the final roster for four straight years now.

It started in 2011 when Jamari Lattimore made the team that way. In 2012, it was Dezman Moses who defied the odds. In 2013, it was Mulumba, and last year it was Elliott.

Can one of the three undrafted rookie linebackers from this year make the team? Perhaps, but it will be very tough based on the depth at the linebacker position.

The first thing you have to do is look at the players who will probably make the roster. I think you would have to put Matthews, Peppers, Barrington, Ryan, Perry, Neal and Bradford in that group.

That's seven linebackers right there.

Now one could say that Perry and Neal aren't locks to make the squad this year, as they are in the last year of their contracts. That may be true, but both had decent seasons in 2014.

Neal played in all 16 games in 2014 and had 33 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Perry played in 15 games (after playing in just 17 games total in 2012 and 2013) and had 22 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble.

Bradford is another name you might question, but Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently noted that the Packers are high on the progress of No. 54.

Matthews, Peppers and Barrington look to be three of the four starters at linebacker. The fourth spot looks to be a battle between Ryan, Bradford, Palmer, Thomas and Dantzler.

MIKE ROEMER/Associated Press

For now, let's assume that Ryan wins the job alongside Barrington at inside linebacker. That means that the Packers would probably have two backups at that position.

If that's the case, Bradford would most likely be one of those backups, with Palmer, Thomas and Dantzler battling for the other spot.

Now let's also assume that Perry and Neal will back up Matthews and Peppers at outside linebacker. If that's true, then a number of players may be fighting for one or, at the most, two spots.

I would believe that Elliott would be at the top of that list. No. 91 was a force in training camp last summer and also played well when given the opportunity in the regular season at both outside linebacker and on special teams.

Others fighting for a spot on the roster at outside linebacker would include Mulumba, Hubbard, Francis, Vaughters and Rasco.

If the Packers keep nine linebackers in 2015, my final list would be Matthews, Peppers, Barrington, Ryan, Neal, Perry, Bradford, Thomas and Elliott.

If the Packers keep 10 linebackers, I would add Hubbard to the list.

Bottom line, all this will work itself out during training camp and how the players perform in the preseason.

Perhaps there will be a surprise cut. One never knows.

One thing is for sure. The competition will be intense with all the players battling for a spot on the roster.