Green Bay Packers: 7 Under the Radar Names to Watch During Training Camp
By Paul Bretl
Kurt Benkert – QB
Until we see otherwise, I’m going to operate under the assumption that Aaron Rodgers is going to be at training camp, even if it’s not on the first day–meaning that the first two roster spots at the quarterback position will be accounted for. If that’s the case, then Kurt Benkert may end up on the practice squad, but if the Green Bay Packers roster three quarterbacks as they did in 2018 and 2020, then I think he is the favorite to win that job.
Benkert has been on the Atlanta practice squad the last three seasons and has no regular-season NFL snaps. Although there weren’t a ton of reps to go around during mini-camp, as Schneidman noted, Benkert took advantage of his opportunities, “impressing about as much as a QB3 can in mini-camp.” Benkert has more NFL experience than Jake Dolegala, and Blake Bortles could very well be at the end of his career after sitting on Denver’s practice squad for a portion of last season.
Vernon Scott – S
Vernon Scott saw some playing time last season — just 90 defensive snaps, according to PFF ($$) — but with the third safety spot on this roster up for grabs, I haven’t seen him being talked about enough for that job. In this new Joe Barry defense, we can expect to see a lot of two-high safety looks, which suits Scott well after spending his college career with Gary Patterson at TCU. If Darnell Savage sees more action in the slot this season, then Adrian Amos will need a running mate on the back-end.
Scott is also a willing tackler and comfortable playing closer to the line of scrimmage–again, two key facets to the safety position in this Barry defense. Overall, I just think he is a very good fit for this defense and is someone who could see their playing time take a big jump this season.