UPDATED: Final Packers 53-Man Roster, Practice-Squad Projection After Trade

Roster: Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams.

PUP: Christian Watson.

Released: Mecole Hardman, Kawaan Baker, Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor.

Practice squad: Hicks, Neyor.

Analysis: The big receiver battle never really materialized. Heath led Hardman from wire to wire. The ace up Hardman’s sleeve, his return ability, never really showed up. Heath will be an asset with his physicality as a blocker and work on special teams, where he was in on two tackles on Saturday.

For the practice squad, a case could be made for Hicks, Johnson, Sheppard and Neyor. They’ve all had their moments, but the quarterbacks like throwing to Hicks – a sign that he gets open – and Neyor has the physical tools worth developing.

Tight Ends (3)

Roster: Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, John FitzPatrick.

Released: Ben Sims, Messiah Swinson, Johnny Lumpkin.

Practice squad: Swinson.

Analysis: Sims was the last player off the roster in this projection. Kraft and Musgrave can be every-down, every-situation players. With the emergence of FitzPatrick, a fourth tight end’s role would be limited to a handful of snaps on special teams. Going with three would leave the position a bit thin if there’s an injury, though.

Offensive Line (9)

Roster: LT Rasheed Walker, LG Aaron Banks, C Elgton Jenkins, RG Sean Rhyan, RT Zach Tom, T/G Jordan Morgan, T Anthony Belton, G/T Darian Kinnard, C/G Jacob Monk.

PUP: John Williams.

Released: T/G Kadeem Telfort, G Donovan Jennings, C Trey Hill, C/G Lecitus Smith, T Brant Banks, G Tyler Cooper, G J.J. Lippe.

Practice squad: Telfort, Cooper, Jennings.

Analysis: The Packers have kept 10 the last few years. By the end of the waiver process, they might be up to 10 again. What helps is the versatility. Rhyan is a guard who can play center. Morgan is a tackle who can play guard. Monk can play guard and center. Kinnard has played right guard and right tackle. So, there are enough movable pieces to cover for injuries.

Jennings is versatile, too. He played left tackle in college and moved to left guard last year as a rookie, worked at center throughout camp and started at right guard on Saturday. He was the casualty in this projection after the Kinnard trade.

If you’re looking for a Tuesday surprise, maybe it’s Cooper, an undrafted free agent and Wisconsin native.

Defensive Ends (5)

Roster: Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox, Barryn Sorrell.

PUP: Collin Oliver.

Released: Arron Mosby, Deslin Alexandre.

Practice squad: Mosby, Alexandre.

Analysis: This one seems simple. While Cox wouldn’t go so far as to say his job was safe, he had a sack/strip and another tackle for loss against Seattle. Sorrell said the knee injury sustained against the Colts last week isn’t significant. Assuming that’s correct, the Packers won’t have to start him on injured reserve to start the season. Mosby is a solid player and Alexandre had a big-time performance against Seattle with one sack, one pass deflection and one tackle on special teams.

Defensive Tackles (6)

Roster: Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse.

Released: James Ester, Devonte O’Malley.

Practice squad: O’Malley.

Analysis: This might be the toughest decision on the roster. Six is a big number here. Only two players are on the field at a time. On third-and-long, there might only be one. However, it’s almost impossible to choose between Wooden, Brinson and Stackhouse.

Wooden had a strong finish to camp. Without him, the Packers would be counting on rookies for depth. Brinson had an up-and-down camp, but his explosiveness has been on display at times and he’s a draft pick, which gives him an automatic leg up. Stackhouse’s momentum seemed to stall down the stretch but he’s a big man in a big man’s game.

For the practice squad, O’Malley had a sack in his first practice and a sack against Seattle.

Linebackers (5)

Roster: Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Edgerrin Cooper, Ty’Ron Hopper, Kristian Welch.

Released: Isaiah Simmons, Jamon Johnson, Jared Bartlett.

Practice squad: Johnson.

Analysis: Right when it seemed like Simmons played his way off the roster in the first two preseason games, he delivered a strong performance against Seattle. It’s not just that he had six tackles on defense (and another on special teams). It’s that he looked more sure of himself in pass defense.

Here’s something that hasn’t been discussed in the Simmons vs. Welch debate. Welch would love to be the Packers’ fifth linebacker with a special teams-only role. Would Simmons? 

That’s not to suggest Simmons isn’t a team player and would pout. It is to say that if Simmons (through his agent, David Mulugheta) believes there’s a better opportunity for the former eighth pick of the draft than being a flier on the punt team, maybe the Packers would do Simmons a favor and go with Welch, who had a better camp, anyway, and has a strong track record on special teams.

Johnson played well in the final preseason games, including a tackle for loss and pass breakup against Seattle.

Cornerbacks (6)

Roster: Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Nate Hobbs, Bo Melton, Kalen King, Kamal Hadden.

Released: Corey Ballentine, Micah Robinson, Tyron Herring.

Practice squad: Ballentine, Robinson.

Analysis: Melton is a lock and King might be in the running with Ty’Ron Hopper as the most improved player on the team. Going with three running backs and three tight ends – and only 23 on offense – means there’s an extra spot available for Hadden.

Coming off a hip injury, he perhaps not surprisingly struggled against the Colts. Having shaken off the dust, Hadden had a good practice against Seattle on Thursday and was excellent in the game. He was targeted five times and allowed zero completions. Plus, with Hobbs coming off a knee injury, it might make sense to take an extra player. Hadden’s strong finish gives him the edge over Ballentine, who would provide welcome experience on the bench, and Robinson, a seventh-round rookie. 

Safeties (5)

Roster: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson, Kitan Oladapo.

Released: Omar Brown, Johnathan Baldwin, Jaylin Simpson.

Practice squad: Baldwin.

Analysis: Anderson suffered an MCL injury against the Jets in the first preseason game. If he’s not ready for Week 1 against Detroit, he’ll be close. Teams can put two players on IR before cuts and designate them to return. Depending on the outlook for other injured players such as Monk, Anderson, Hobbs and the beat-up receivers, Brown could be an option given how well he played at the start of camp.

Specialists (3)

Roster: K Brandon McManus, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech.

Released: K Mark McNamee.

Practice squad: McNamee.

Analysis: This is the easiest decision in the history of decisions. McManus had a superb training camp and preseason, Whelan averaged merely 57.5 yards per punt on Saturday and finished second with a 53.7-yard preseason average, and Orzech didn’t have a bad snap all summer.