What will the Green Bay Packers roster look like in 3 seasons?
By Kenny Jilek
Green Bay Packers Linebackers
The current linebackers and secondary core on the team right now could very well be what we’ll be seeing in 2022 or it could be completely different. There are many performance and financial evaluations to still be made on a lot of young players in these groups.
Starting with linebackers, every single one of them comes into the 2020 season with something to prove. For Christian Kirksey, it’s proving that he can stay injury-free and put together a full season. The rest of the linebackers are young and looking to stick in the NFL.
Oren Burks and Curtis Bolton also have injury concerns, but with Burks now in his third NFL season, the excuses are gone and he needs to perform. Bolton was undrafted and looked great in the 2019 preseason, but tore his ACL and is now looking to make the active roster.
Related Story. Healthy Christian Kirksey is a Huge Boost. light
Then there’s Kamal Martin who was the Green Bay Packers’ fifth-round pick this draft and could do big things. Along with Ty Summers who was great on special teams and could look to improve off of that. Martin and Summers both have contracts that run through 2022, but there are many unknowns in this group that was headlined last year by Blake Martinez.
Like defensive line, this position has not been one that seems extremely important to the Packers front office. Burks was a third-rounder, but they do not seem willing to spend much or use a top-50 pick on the position. With that being said, a linebacker that can run sideline to sideline and play in coverage like Todd Davis or Anthony Walker would help this team a ton playing behind the very active Smiths who are given free rein on the edges.
Green Bay Packers Secondary
In the secondary, the safety position seems to be locked in for the foreseeable future with Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage who are both under contract through the 2022 season. Raven Greene is also a strong candidate to stay as he has done some great work as a box safety. He will need to stay healthy, but he has all the skills to consistently be in the lineup.
They also drafted Vernon Scott in the 7th round and have Will Redmond who is nothing more than a backup safety, but a serviceable backup behind the two obvious starters. They could draft another safety hybrid to play in the box if they are not happy with Greene, but they will likely not be taking a safety early in the next two drafts.
The cornerback position is more complex. Jaire Alexander has all the skills and coverage ability to be a top-tier cornerback in the league and when he and Kevin King are healthy and at their best, they are one of the best duos in the league.
However, they have lapses at times and King has a long injury history. Josh Jackson was a highly touted prospect coming out of Iowa, but he has not been in positions to succeed and hasn’t produced like the Packers had hoped. They do have Chandon Sullivan who was great in limited reps last year and could see plenty of time in the slot this season.
Not to mention that two undrafted free agents in Will Sunderland and Stanford Samuels both have a great chance to grab a spot on the roster, and Ka’dar Hollman, their sixth-round pick from 2019.
If they resign Alexander and King, then there is not much to worry about other than possibly getting someone else to play in the slot. However, paying Alexander and King would be tough, and if one of them leaves then expect a first or second-round pick to be used on a new cornerback.
Additionally, they could add Donte Jackson, Mackensie Alexander, or Daryl Worley to bolster the cornerback group when they hit free agency.