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Packers' training camp depth chart projection: 90-man roster
Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Training camp is right around the corner for the Green Bay Packers. Rookies, injured players, and quarterbacks reported on Wednesday, and the rest of the roster reports on Sunday. Monday is the first real practice.

It's been a crazy new league year for the Packers. The team signed safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs. Several internal free agents have been re-signed, prominently running back AJ Dillon and cornerback/kickoff returner Keisean Nixon.

And general manager Brian Gutekunst also decided to release running back Aaron Jones and left tackle David Bakhtiari, two of the most important pieces of the offense over the last decade.

Now that the dust has settled, let's take a look at the current state of the roster and where things are likely to go from here.

Zach Tom, Tucker Kraft, Donovan Jennings, and Alex McGough start training camp on the PUP/active list — they might be activated at any point and are not expected to miss significant time. Kitan Oladapo has been placed on the NFI list.

Quarterbacks (3)

  • Presumed starter: Jordan Love
  • Backups: Sean Clifford, Michael Pratt

How we got here: Love proved in 2023 that he is the future, so not much to add there. Gutekunst mentioned that he's comfortable with Clifford as his QB2 after taking him in the fifth round last year, but he also added Michael Pratt in the seventh round as a developmental prospect.

Running backs (7)

  • Presumed starter: Josh Jacobs
  • Backups: AJ Dillon, MarShawn Lloyd, Emanuel Wilson, Ellis Merriweather, Jarveon Howard, Henry Pearson (FB)

How we got here: Jacobs has been brought in to replace Aaron Jones as the primary starter because he's younger and presumably more durable. Dillon wasn't expected to be re-signed, but his market was cold and the Packers decided it was worth it. Lloyd is a third-round pick, so he might come in as an immediate backup over the veteran. Wilson, Merriweather, and Howard are more developmental pieces, and Pearson is a FB/TE hybrid who could replace Josiah Deguara in that role.

Wide receivers (11)

  • Presumed starters: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed
  • Backups: Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath, Samori Toure, Grant DuBose, Alex McGough, Julian Hicks, Dimitri Stanley

How we got here: The Packers used six draft picks to get receivers in the last two drafts, so depth is certainly not an issue. Maybe they don't have a clear number 1 or even clear starters, but Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love have taken advantage of that.

Tight ends (6)

  • Presumed starter: Luke Musgrave
  • Backups: Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims, Tyler Davis, Joel Wilson, Messiah Swinson

How we got here: Gutekunst took Musgrave and Kraft on day 2 last year. Even though it's rare for rookie tight ends to have immediate impact, both played at a high level. Now, the team expects even more, including to allow the staff to utilize both at the same time. Ben Sims is an interesting developmental piece they claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, and Tyler Davis is an impactful special teamer.

Offensive linemen (15)

  • Presumed starters: Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom
  • Backups: Jordan Morgan, Andre Dillard, Jacob Monk, Luke Tenuta, Royce Newman, Caleb Jones, Kadeem Telfort, Travis Glover, Lecitus Smith, Donovan Jennings

How we got here: No unit changed more than the offensive line since we first made this exercise after free agency. The team drafted Jordan Morgan, Jacob Monk, and Travis Glover, signed veterans Andre Dillard, Lecitus Smith, plus undrafted players Donovan Jennings.

Before the draft, David Bakhtiari had been released and Yosh Nijman had signed with the Carolina Panthers. They have solid young starters in Walker and Tom, plus a Pro Bowl left guard in Elgton Jenkins. But the room will have a lot of competition.

Interior defensive linemen (8)

  • Presumed starters: Kenny Clark, TJ Slaton
  • Backups: Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Jonathan Ford, Spencer Waege, James Ester

How we got here: The Packers got two day 3 DL last year, and that put them in a more comfortable situation, especially because Karl Brooks had immediate impact as a sixth-rounder. Clark is still the leader of the unit, while Slaton and Wyatt rotate depending on the situation. Unlike last year, it will be rare to see three interior defensive linemen on the field at the same time because of the defense's transition to a 4-3 base.

The Packers didn't add defensive linemen in the draft, but signed UDFA James Ester and claimed Spencer Waege off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers.

Edge (9)

  • Presumed starters: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith
  • Backups: Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox Jr., Keshawn Banks, Arron Mosby, Deslin Alexandre, Kenneth Odumegwu

How we got here: Gary and Preston are the veterans and leaders - Smith took a paycut to stay. Lukas Van Ness, last year's first-round pick, is expected to grow into the primary backup role. However, Kingsley Enagbare's injury isn't as serious as previously thought, so he will be available from the get go. The other players will fight for roster spots, and maybe for the fourth place in the rotation if the Packers don't sign anybody else.

Linebackers (8)

  • Presumed starters: Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie
  • Backups: Eric Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, Ty'Ron Hopper, Kristian Welch, Christian Young, Ralen Goforth

How we got here: The Packers made some bad high investments at the position, including taking Quay Walker in the first round and paying big money to extend De'Vondre Campbell. Now Campbell has been cut, and Walker will have to be the primary starter.

The Packers invested heavily in the the LB position with two day 2 picks, and Edgerrin Cooper has a realistic chance of starting from day 1.

Most likely, Cooper will eventually become the starter, but he will have to earn that. During OTAs, the starters in base were veterans Walker, McDuffie, and Wilson.

Cornerbacks (9)

  • Presumed starters: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon
  • Backups: Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, Kalen King, Robert Rochell, Zyon Gilbert, Gemon Green

How we got here: Jaire is the star of the unit, but beyond that it's wide open. Stokes might be the starter, but at this point it's hard to say for sure that he's above Valentine on the depth chart. The nickel position is a concern, and the Packers could use Nixon or a safety like Javon Bullard or Evan Williams there.

The draft investment wasn't high, but Kalen King was expected to be picked earlier than the seventh round, where Green Bay took him.

Safeties (8)

  • Presumed starters: Xavier McKinney, Anthony Johnson Jr.
  • Backups: Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, Kitan Oladapo, Benny Sapp III, Zayne Anderson, Tyler Coyle

How we got here: McKinney was a really needed addition and the only player with a secured spot. Anthony Johnson Jr., last year's seventh-round pick, would be the team's second safety at this point.

However, safety was one of that positions where Brian Gutekunst pounded the table during the draft, adding three pieces in Bullard, Williams, and Oladapo.

Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens left the team in free agency, and the team hasn't re-signed Rudy Ford either.

Special teams (6)

  • Presumed starters: Anders Carlson, Daniel Whelan, Matt Orzech
  • Backups: Greg Joseph, James Turner, Peter Bowden

The kicker competition is the big factor here after sixth-round pick Anders Carlson had a tough rookie season, which included a huge miss against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. So, right after the season, the team added former Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny. They also signed veteran Greg Joseph to create a real three-head competition. Recently, the team released Podlesny and claimed James Turner off waivers from the Detroit Lions.

Veteran long snapper Matt Orzech is under contract for two more seasons, but the team added UDFA Peter Bowden, who is the consensus top long snapper of this year's class. Punter Daniel Whelan is back under an exclusive-rights free agent tender and has no competition at this point.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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