Green Bay Packers: Breaking Down Final Roster and Week 1 Starters
The Green Bay Packers roster may not be carved in stone through the end of the 2015-16 season, but thanks to the league deadline for final cuts on Saturday, for the first time this year we now know which players will take the field for Green Bay in Chicago on Saturday.
However, don't get attached to the roster that follows, because defensive linemen Datone Jones and Letroy Guion, who are suspended for one and three games, respectively, don't count toward the 53-man roster until they return, the Packers will have to cut two players to make room for them.
The Packers do things differently than many other NFL teams, and that's reflected in the roster that follows. Which other NFL teams currently feature two fullbacks and two undrafted rookies on their 53-man rosters?
Let's break down the 53-man roster as it currently stands heading into Week 1 after cuts. Starters are listed in bold. Though this isn't technically a depth chart, players are listed in the order they would be expected to appear.
Quarterbacks
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Quarterbacks (3): Aaron Rodgers, Scott Tolzien, Brett Hundley
There were no surprises regarding the Packers final roster at quarterback, though it was surprising to see such a strong competition between journeyman quarterback Matt Blanchard and rookie Brett Hundley throughout the offseason, even if it was in name only.
Hundley, of course, was always going to make the roster as the Packers third signal-caller; Green Bay traded up 19 spots in the 2015 NFL draft to land him, and by the end of the preseason, Hundley made the Packers front office look pretty brilliant for doing so.
Take a look at Hundley's stat line for the preseason: 41-of-59 for 570 yards, six touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 107.3.
Not bad for a fifth-round rookie.
If we go by the numbers, Rodgers could have the best season of his career in 2015. In fact, last season was his best to date in terms of accuracy; his interception rate of just 1.0 percent was the lowest of his career. His passer rating of 112.2 was his highest mark since 2011.
Though injuries have not been a problem through the majority of Rodgers' career, he has struggled with them the last two seasons. However, his chances of playing a full 16 games (and into the postseason) are looking good for 2015.
"I have no restrictions with my body," Rodgers told Fox Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig in May. "I'm feeling good. I'm at a decent weight where I want to be."
Running Backs
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Running Backs (5): Eddie Lacy, James Starks, Alonzo Harris, John Kuhn (FB), Aaron Ripkowski (FB)
The running backs group was quite possibly the most interesting when it came to final cuts, considering that the team had a three-way competition for the third halfback spot in practice-squad holdover Rajion Neal and undrafted rookies John Crockett and Alonzo Harris, as well as a double-fullback situation.
The question ahead of the final roster deadline was whether the Packers would keep both fullbacks, and, if not, whether they would potentially keep four halfbacks. But veteran John Kuhn and rookie Aaron Ripkowski are, at least for the next season, two sides of the same coin.
Kuhn's lead-blocking role has been instrumental to Lacy's success, and that's not something Ripkowski could absorb right away. But the rookie has proven to be a dynamic special teams player, and he'll contribute there throughout his first season even if he doesn't see the field much on offense. By 2015, when Kuhn's one-year deal expires, Ripkowski should be able to handle the gig alone; his success lead-blocking for Oklahoma's top rushing offense in 2014 portends as much.
As for the halfbacks, everyone had a different horse in the Harris-Crockett-Neal race, but ultimately, and surprisingly, it was Harris who won the day. Some wondered how that could be, when Neal had nine receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown in the preseason and Crockett was coming off three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in college at NDSU.
Ultimately, however, the Packers must have felt that rookie receiver Ty Montgomery could line up in the backfield to give them a receiving threat there but that they wanted a Lacy-esque player on the roster as insurance should anything happen to their star rusher.
Harris could develop into that. The 6'1", 237-pound halfback out of Louisiana-Lafayette is both nimble and powerful, impressing with a 4.66-second 40-yard dash time at his pro day, per NFLDraftScout.com. He finished his college career with 37 starts, 704 carries, 3,330 yards (averaging 4.7 yards per carry) and 44 touchdowns.
Though Harris may not seem as natural of a receiver as Neal would have been, he also had 29 receptions for 234 yards and one touchdown in college.
Wide Receivers
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Wide Receivers (5): Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, James Jones, Jeff Janis
The speculation over whether the Packers would keep five or six receivers on the final roster can finally end. One can assume that had he not struggled with a concussion throughout almost all of training camp, second-year receiver Jared Abbrederis might have rounded out the group at six.
However, the Packers cut the fan favorite, though they were able to sign him back to the practice squad Sunday after he cleared waivers, as Ryan Wood and Weston Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media reported.
As for those who made the cut, the Packers look prepared to open the season with Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Ty Montgomery taking the field in their standard 11-personnel package featuring three receivers.
Some may question if a trio of receivers whose total experience averages out to two years can replace the kind of production that veteran Jordy Nelson, out for the season with a torn ACL, would have brought to the offense in 2015.
There's no question that Cobb becomes Aaron Rodgers' go-to target, absorbing the majority of the 146 targets that Nelson had in 2014, per Pro Football Focus.
As for Adams, expect him to play above his experience level as he seeks to have a truly breakout year in 2015. Adams finished his rookie season with 38 receptions for 446 yards and three touchdowns, but more important than his numbers, which reflect his usage as a No. 3 receiver, is the fact that he has developed chemistry and trust with Rodgers.
"Davante is a very polished player, and he has an excellent demeanor for a guy who’s going to be a star. I mean, he carries himself like a star—which is a very high compliment," Rodgers said in June, per Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin.
Though Jeff Janis has the size (6'3, 219 pounds) one might look for on the outside across from Adams, it was rookie Ty Montgomery who got No. 3 snaps after Nelson went down, as ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reported. Montgomey was a versatile weapon last year for Stanford: He had a team-high 61 receptions for 604 yards and three touchdowns, as well as 23 rushes for 144 yards and one touchdown.
However, Montgomery may no longer be the presumed No. 3 heading into 2015. On Sunday, former Packers wideout James Jones signed with the Packers after being waived by the New York Giants, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported. He gives the Packers needed veteran experience at the group and could slot in as the other outside receiver with Adams.
When the Packers use four-wide sets, they can use Montgomery's versatility to their advantage and line him up in the backfield or from the slot.
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Tight Ends
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Tight Ends (3): Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Kennard Backman
As expected, the Packers kept three tight ends on the final roster, and rookie sixth-round draft selection Kennard Backman beat out former Packers practice-squad player Justin Perillo and undrafted rookie Mitchell Henry.
Backman scored his first NFL touchdown in the third preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles and had five receptions for 54 yards.
The Packers will have both Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless available for the Week 1 opener against the Chicago Bears, but Rodgers has the edge in terms of who will start.
Quarless is facing a potential suspension as a result of allegedly discharging a firearm in July, but as Brian Carriveau of 247Sports reported, Quarless' impending trial has been pushed back to Sept. 21.
Through the preseason, Rodgers had five receptions for for 58 yards and a touchdown in 70 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. In 68 snaps, Quarless had seven receptions for 62 yards but didn't reach the end zone.
Rodgers played 543 snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus, and had five starts. Quarless received more snaps than Rodgers last season, with 715, and 11 starts, per Pro Football Focus.
Offensive Linemen
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Offensive Linemen (9): David Bakhtiari (LT), Josh Sitton (LG), Corey Linsley (C), T.J. Lang (RG), Bryan Bulaga (RT), Don Barclay, JC Tretter, Lane Taylor, Josh Walker
The Packers kept a whopping nine offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, no doubt spurred into doing so by the many injuries the starting five suffered through the offseason and training camp.
Luckily, the injuries all seemed to happen at the right time, if there is such a thing. Left tackle David Bakhtiari, who was sidelined with a knee injury, returned to practice on Sept. 1, as Vic Ketchman of Packers.com reported. Like most of the starters, he didn't dress for the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints.
Josh Sitton told Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette on Sept. 1 that his injured ankle "feels good," and that if it were the regular season he would have played through it.
Sitton and T.J. Lang finished among the top five guards in the league last season, per Pro Football Focus. As for Lang, the right guard ended camp going through the concussion protocol but will most likely be ready for the Week 1 opener.
The only starter not touched by injuries yet this offseason is center Corey Linsley, and the Packers would like to keep it that way. After being thrown into the fire when presumed 2014 starter JC Tretter went down with an injury in training camp, Linsley graded out as the fifth-best center in the league last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Moreover, 2015 will be the first time Rodgers has the same center from the previous season since 2011, the last year he played with Scott Wells.
Defensive Linemen
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Defensive Linemen (5*): Mike Pennel (LDE), B.J. Raji (NT), Mike Daniels (RDE), Josh Boyd, Bruce Gaston [*Suspended: Datone Jones, Letroy Guion]
It's a good thing that the Packers line up most often in defensive sub-packages that require only two defensive linemen to be on the field, because this unit is not looking deep to start the season.
Right now, B.J. Raji and Mike Daniels will likely be the two defensive linemen on the field in sub-packages; when the Packers are in base defense, expect Mike Pennel to line up as the second end. Pennel performed so well in training camp and the preseason that he has leapfrogged veteran Josh Boyd as the best player to step in for Datone Jones and Letroy Guion as they miss one and three games, respectively, due to suspension.
Speaking of Jones and Guion, assuming that the Packers want both players on the 53-man roster this season, they'll have to clear two roster spots when they return. That will happen as early as next week, after the Week 1 opener agains the Bears, when Jones' suspension ends.
It's not clear which players would have to be jettisoned in order to accomodate Jones and Guion, but offensive line and cornerbacks seem to be the two groups who have the most depth to choose from.
Linebackers
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Linebackers (9): Clay Matthews (LOLB), Sam Barrington (BLB), Nate Palmer (MLB), Julius Peppers (ROLB), Mike Neal, Nick Perry, Jayrone Elliott, Andy Mulumba, Jake Ryan
Prior to training camp, it was reasonable to expect that Carl Bradford's name would have made the list of players on the 53-man roster, while Nate Palmer might not have made the cut. But once practice got underway, the chasm between Palmer's and Bradford's play continued to grow.
Is it disappointing that a 2014 fourth-round draft pick didn't make it to his second season with the Packers? Absolutely. But ultimately, Bradford didn't offer enough at outside linebacker, the position he played in college and at which he started his first NFL training camp, or inside linebacker, where the team moved him before the 2014 season.
One of their most problematic positions in 2014, the Packers must demand nothing but excellence at inside linebacker this season, and that starts with having the right players on the roster. The combined inexperience of Sam Barrington, Palmer and Jake Ryan is staggering.
Luckily, the three of them account mainly for one position, because Clay Matthews will most likely spend first and second downs inside, as he did in the second half of 2014, next to Sam Barrington. But on third downs, when Matthews' pass-rushing prowess is needed on the outside, Palmer will come in and attempt to prove he can eventually start full-time next to Barrington.
The Packers looked to the future when they kept young outside linebackers Jayrone Elliott and Andy Mulumba. Mike Neal becomes a free agent in 2015. Nick Perry now does, too, after the Packers declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract. And given his methods, it seems unlikely that general manager Ted Thompson will want to keep Julius Peppers' $10.5 million cap hit for 2016 on the books, at least as it currently stands.
Thus, Elliott and Mulumba will have an important role to fill in 2015 in showing defensive coordinator Dom Capers that they can handle a bigger role if called upon in 2016 and beyond.
Cornerbacks
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Cornerbacks (7): Casey Hayward (LCB), Sam Shields (RCB), Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, Micah Hyde, LaDarius Gunter, Demetri Goodson
Arguably Green Bay's deepest position heading into 2015, cornerbacks took up a significant chunk of real estate on the 53-man roster.
The Packers were expected to keep veterans Casey Hayward, Sam Shields and Micah Hyde and rookies Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins, but the team also felt it could not let go of second-year player Demetri Goodson and undrafted rookie LaDarius Gunter.
For now, expect Hayward to start outside along with Shields in the Week 1 opener against Chicago; recent comments by cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt indicate as much.
"He's my starter," Whitt said after the final practice of training camp, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. "So I'm fine with him. ... I think Casey can be a really, really good player, and I think he's going to show it. I could be wrong, but he's going to have to prove me wrong."
If Hayward doesn't cut it outside, rookie Randall could be a candidate to move outside later in the season. That would allow Hayward to move back into the slot, where he was the highest-performing player in the league at that position in 2014, per Pro Football Focus.
In the preseason, rookies Gunter and Rollins lit it up. Gunter finished with five passes defensed and an interception and had zero missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus. Rollins had three passes defensed and nearly came away with two picks against the New England Patriots. Rollins' basketball skills from when he played point guard for four years at Miami of Ohio have been on display all preseason in his coverage ability and quick feet.
Safeties
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Safeties (4): Morgan Burnett (SS), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (FS), Sean Richardson, Chris Banjo
The safeties group broke down as expected by the end of final cuts; the only player approaching the bubble was Chris Banjo, but all four of these players deserved to make the final roster.
Defensive back Micah Hyde, who could play at safety as well as in the slot in 2015, is listed among the cornerbacks.
In 2014, Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix each had one interception. Burnett's performance was one of his best in recent memory, with 130 combined tackles (a career high), 1.5 sacks and four passes defensed. Pro Football Focus graded him the No. 16 safety in the league.
Clinton-Dix had a solid rookie season, but the second half looked much better than the first. In the NFC championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, the safety intercepted Russell Wilson twice and also had three passes defensed in that game—half of his regular-season total.
Think of Sean Richardson, whom the Packers paid $2.55 million over one year to prevent him from signing with the Oakland Raiders, as a specialist in defending the run. Those are the situations in which he'll be most effective on the field, as well as contributing on special teams.
Special Teams
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Special teams (3): Mason Crosby (K), Tim Masthay (P), Brett Goode (LS)
No surprises here. Though it seemed for awhile this offseason that punter Tim Masthay could lose his job to his competition, Cody Mandell, ultimately the Packers let Mandell go by the end of training camp.
Mandell had repeated issues holding for Crosby, as Ryan Wood of Press-Gazette Media reported at the time, which factored heavily into his release.
Still, the pressure for Masthay to improve remains strong. In 2014, Masthay posted a career low in net yards per punt with 37 and had two punts blocked. He also had the lowest average net yards per punt of anyone at his position through the 2015 preseason, per Pro Football Focus, with 40.6.
After eight seasons in Green Bay, kicker Mason Crosby is entering the final year of his contract in Green Bay.
Complete 53-Man Roster
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Quarterbacks (3): Aaron Rodgers, Scott Tolzien, Brett Hundley
Wide Receivers (5): Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, James Jones, Jeff Janis
Running Backs (5): Eddie Lacy, James Starks, Alonzo Harris, John Kuhn (FB), Aaron Ripkowski (FB)
Tight Ends (3): Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Kennard Backman
Offensive Line (9): David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang, Bryan Bulaga, Don Barclay, JC Tretter, Lane Taylor, Josh Walker
Defensive Line (5*): B.J. Raji, Mike Daniels, Mike Pennel, Josh Boyd, Bruce Gaston
Linebackers (9): Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal, Nick Perry, Jayrone Elliott, Andy Mulumba, Sam Barrington, Jake Ryan, Nate Palmer
Cornerbacks (7): Sam Shields, Casey Hayward, Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, Micah Hyde, LaDarius Gunter, Demetri Goodson
Safeties (4): Morgan Burnett, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Sean Richardson, Chris Banjo
Special Teams (3): Mason Crosby (K), Tim Masthay (P), Brett Goode (LS)
*Suspended: Letroy Guion, Datone Jones
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