4 Packers on roster bubble heading into offseason workouts
The Green Bay Packers have begun offseason workouts and will start their first week of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on May 22nd. That gives players precious time to get ready to make a significant first impression with the coaching staff.
If you haven’t been paying attention, Green Bay is in the process of a youth movement. They’ve shed veterans like Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, Adrian Amos, Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard and Marcedes Lewis in favor of younger, unproven players.
The changes the philosophy around Green Bay, as they aren’t trying to win immediately for the first time in a long time. Don’t get me wrong; they will still battle their tails off to win every game. However, they’re evaluating their talent and focusing on improving it across the board.
The addition of a 13-man draft class will certainly help the youth movement. That also means fewer opportunities for other players on the team, placing these four veterans in jeopardy of losing their roster spots if they don’t come to play.
These four veterans on the Green Bay Packers are already on the roster bubble heading into the critical offseason workouts.
Jonathan Garvin
The Packers were thin at outside linebacker entering the offseason, with their lack of depth being exposed after Rashan Gary went down with an injury. They used their 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness and he’s expected to line up all over the field. Fellow rookies Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks could also take some snaps on the edge.
Garvin made the initial 53-man roster last season, as the Packers kept five outside linebackers. Gary, Preston Smith, Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare are locked into the top four spots this year. That leaves Garvin to battle with LaDarius Hamilton, Justin Hollins and others for the final spot.
Patrick Taylor/Tyler Goodson
Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are locked into the top positions at running back, leaving no questions about how that pecking order will play out. However, there are plenty of questions about the bottom of the depth chart, including how many running backs Green Bay will keep and who they will be.
Surprisingly, the Packers only kept two running backs on their initial 53-man roster last year, placing Goodson and Taylor on the practice squad. This year, the two will try to prove they’re worthy of Green Bay keeping a third and will have to battle seventh-round draft pick Lew Nichols in the process. It’s unlikely all three stick around, even on the practice squad.
Sean Rhyan
Is it too early to begin thinking about Green Bay cutting a 2022 third-round pick? The case is there for Sean Rhyan, who played zero offensive snaps last year and only one snap on special teams despite being healthy.
Next. 5 most important defensive players heading into offseason workouts. dark
If Green Bay keeps ten offensive linemen again this year, the following six players are locks; Josh Myers, David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Jon Runyan Jr., Zach Tom, and Yosh Nijman. Two more–Royce Newman and Jake Hanson–will very likely make it. That leaves two spots for Ryan to battle for. The Packers really like Caleb Jones and Rasheed Walker and could keep both tackles if Tom moves inside.