The Green Bay Packers are one of the most exciting young teams in the NFL. After a slow start to the 2023 season, Jordan Love and his inexperienced offense found a groove and set the NFL on fire in route to a 7-3 finish, 9-8 overall record, and an upset of the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. Going into 2024, expectations are much higher now that Love and the offense have a full season under their belts.
There have been significant changes on both sides of the ball, not the least of which was the firing of Joe Barry as defensive coordinator and the subsequent hiring of Jeff Hafley. Long-time fan-favorites David Bakhtiari and Aaron Jones are also no longer on the team.
There are many decisions that Green Bay needs to make between now and the end of the season in terms of what their final 53-man roster is going to look like. For now, we’ll take a look at what that roster might look like and try to predict some new starters at key positions.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Quarterbacks (2)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Jordan Love and Sean Clifford
Cut: Michael Pratt
Pratt may have been better during OTA’s than Clifford, but he still has not taken a single NFL snap. Clifford, on the other hand, was Love’s backup last year and played well in the preseason last year.
While the Packers may cut Pratt, he will be signed to their practice squad.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Running Backs (3)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, Marshawn Lloyd
Cut: Emanuel Wilson
With Jacobs being a high-profile free agent signing and Lloyd being a third-round pick, they are the only two running backs that should be thought of as locks for the Packers’ final 53-man roster. Dillon is back on an extremely team-friendly deal that does not have much guaranteed money. If he gets out-played by Wilson in training camp and preseason, he could easily find himself cut.
That being said, he is also a major part of the locker room culture in Green Bay, and that goes a long way. In the end, Dillon will likely make the roster for what could very well be his last season with the Packers. Wilson may be signed to the practice squad, or another team could pick him up as their third running back.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Wide Receivers (6)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath
Cut: Samori Toure, Grant DuBose, Alex McGough, Julian Hicks, Dimitri Stanley
With health being a concern, the Packers may elect to take seven wide receivers, but given the need for more depth at other positions, it is more likely that they will take six. The top four, Reed, Watson, Doubs, and Wicks, are all bonified NFL wide receivers. Melton came on strong late last season and is as good a fifth option as any.
Heath made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent last season and likely will again. His body of work in his brief NFL career is already better than the other wide receivers’ in camp.
McGough and DuBose may be signed to the practice squad, but it may be time to end the Samori Toure experiment. Hicks and Stanley are just training camp bodies.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Tight Ends (4)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims, Tyler Davis
Cut: Henry Pearson
No real surprises with this prediction. Davis missed all of last season with a torn ACL but is such a good player on special teams that the Packers (especially Rich Bisaccia) will want him back.
Pearson is listed as a fullback on Green Bay’s depth chart. He likely will be cut but signed to the practice squad.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Offensive Linemen (9)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Jordan Morgan, Jacob Monk, Travis Glover, Donovan Jennings
Cut: Royce Newman, Lecitus Smith, Caleb Jones, Kadeem Telfort, Luke Tenuta, Andre Dillard
Every season, the Packers seem to have a new undrafted free agent or two that make their final 53-man roster. This year it will be Donovan Jennings, a promising offensive tackle that can play multiple positions on the line.
The big question here is what will the starting five look like, and since we’re doing predictions, here is what it could possibly be:
- Right Tackle: Jordan Morgan
- Right Guard: Sean Rhyan
- Center: Zach Tom
- Left Guard: Elgton Jenkins
- Left Tackle: Rasheed Walker
The Packers view Tom as a potential future Hall of Famer at center, so moving him there makes sense. However, he also will be in Green Bay for a very long time. Myers, who has been the starting center for the last few years, will likely not be.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Defensive Ends (5)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox
Cut: Deslin Alexandre, Kenneth Odumegwu
No surprises here either. The five that made the 53-man roster last year will make it again. Kenneth Odumegwu, as a product of the NFL’s international pathway program, will not count towards Green Bay’s practice squad, so he will be signed there.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Interior Defensive Linemen (5)
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Make the 53-Man Roster: Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden
Cut: Jonathan Ford, Spencer Waege
No real surprises here either. Ford could be signed to the practice squad, but he has done very little since being a seventh-round pick in 2022.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Linebackers (6)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Edgerrin Cooper, Ty’Ron Hopper, Eric Wilson, Christian Young
Cut: Keshawn Banks, Kristian Welch, Arron Mosby, Ralen Goforth
Walker is a former first round pick that has amassed over 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons. McDuffie is the only player on the Packers’ roster that has played in Jeff Hafley’s system before. Both Cooper and Hopper were Day Two draft picks this year. Wilson and Young will be key special teams contributors.
That being said, don’t be surprised if Banks and Welch make some noise during camp and ruin this prediction.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Cornerbacks (6)
USA TODAY NETWORK-WISCONSIN
Make the 53-Man Roster: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine, Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon, Kalen King
Cut: Benny Sapp III, Robert Rochell, Gemon Green, Zyon Gilbert
With Jaire Alexander assuming on starting boundary job, the biggest question is who will play the second starting boundary role. Eric Stokes had his fifth-year option declined and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. If he is healthy, he could easily win the job.
However, both Ballentine and Valentine played well last season when forced into starting duty. Nixon is the starting nickel and an All-Pro kick returner. King played well in his second-to-last-year of college before having a down season last year. Prior to his poor most recent season, he projected to be a Day One pick.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Safeties (4)
Make the 53-Man Roster: Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, Kitan Oladapo
Cut: Zayne Anderson, Anthony Johnson Jr., Tyler Coyle
This revamped room will be made up of McKinney, whom the Packers signed away from the New York Giants, and the three safeties that they took in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Anderson and Johnson may be signed to the practice squad.
Green Bay Packers 2024 Specialists
Kicker: Anders Carlson
Punter: Daniel Whelan
Long Snapper: Peter Bowden
That’s right: Carlson will win the kicking competition and go on to have a fantastic season. Whelan will return as the punter and holder. Meanwhile, former Wisconsin Badgers long snapper Peter Bowden will take the role away from Matt Orzech.
