Green Bay Packers: EDGE Best and Worst Case Scenarios
By Kenny Jilek
Rookies
The edge-rushing position here in Green Bay is very top-heavy with the top three guys clearly set on the depth chart, but there is a spot or two wide open, and these guys each have a real chance to compete to make the roster.
Jonathan Garvin
We’ll start with the only guy that was actually drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Garvin played mostly defensive end in college at Miami, but that was in a 4-3 defense, so he’ll transition to outside linebacker in the Green Bay Packers’ 3-4 scheme.
Like Roberts, he is more of a run stopper on the edge as he recorded 10.5 sacks in his final two seasons, but 26 tackles for loss. Being different can be great if you’re trying to make a roster for the first time, and being a run stopper could help him carve out his niche on this team. As a draft pick, he comes into camp with a slight leg up on the others, but as one of the last picks of the seventh round, it wouldn’t matter a ton if he didn’t make the roster.
Tipa Galeai
Fun Fact: Galeai played with Jordan Love at Utah State the past two seasons, and they wore the same number ten on opposite sides of the ball, so in a way, it’s poetic that they both ended up in Green Bay. Galeai is 6’5″ and only 229 pounds, which makes him a pure speed rusher. He’s great at winning quickly with his first step outside, and he has a killer spin move to counter it.
Carving out a spot is the biggest thing for these guys, and with bigger-bodied edge guys like Za’Darius Smith and Rashan Gary at the top of the depth chart, Galeai could be a great mixup for offensive tackles to have to deal with. He’ll look to make the roster based on his speed and quickness, though he might benefit from some time on the practice squad to bulk up a bit for the NFL game.
Delontae Scott
In Scott’s senior season at SMU, he totaled nine sacks and seventeen tackles for loss in thirteen games. He was living in opposing backfields, but he was also playing in the American conference. Those teams aren’t all just pushovers, but they’re not close to what he’ll face in the NFL.
There’s a lot of competition for that fourth spot, but Scott has probably the most college production of any of this trio of rookies coming to camp this year. He’ll need to use that to give him the confidence to be able to compete with all five of the other edge rushers fighting for essentially one spot. However, if two guys really stand out and other options around the roster are uninspiring, then a fifth guy could be added, and that would give Scott and anyone else the best chances to make the team.
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What do you think of the possible best and worst-case scenarios for these Green Bay Packers edge players, and who do you think will make the team? Let us know in the comments below or @DairylandXpress. Next up in this series will be inside linebackers. Past articles in this series are linked below if you missed them.