Getty Green Bay Packers quarterback Tim Boyle hands off to rookie Dexter Williams during the preseason.
Right now, every team in the NFL is looking at last-minute moves that can help make their respective rosters whole ahead of Saturday’s 4 p.m. final deadline for cuts on the 53-man rosters.
Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst indicated Tuesday the Packers were looking at all options, including dealing away players and conditional picks, when it came to shoring up areas of concern heading into the regular season.
Could that mean the Packers will finally move on from veteran offensive guard Lane Taylor, as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky has suggested is likely? The Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders are both in the market for more depth on their offensive line, while the speedy development of second-round rookie Elgton Jenkins has made Taylor seem obsolete.
Should they make a move, inside linebacker could certainly use some help. Losing Curtis Bolton to a knee injury hurts, as he was promising and will now likely miss the roster.
Here are the final roster projections for the Packers heading into their final preseason game Thursday night at 7 p.m. against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lambeau Field.
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QB (3): Aaron Rodgers, Tim Boyle, DeShone Kizer
GettyAaron Rodgers celebrates with Davante Adams after the two connected for a touchdown reception.
Again, nobody wants to think about life without Aaron Rodgers, but the preseason slate has seen Boyle overtake DeShone Kizer in terms of production and consistency. Boyle looked comfortable against the Raiders, completing 16 of 25 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns, while Kizer’s role shrunk to just seven pass attempts for 24 yards.
The easiest solution? With a few other positions both deep and trim, keep both of them and let them spare throughout the season until they’re needed.
RB (4): Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams, Tra Carson, Danny Vitale
Dexter Williams would seem to have the greater potential when compared with Carson, but his inability to tap into it hardly at all during consistent reps in all three preseason games is concerning. Carson proves the better talent right now for the Packers No. 3 rusher, but Williams is knocking on the door along with less-likely Keith Ford.
Whomever the Packers choose, he will see limited touches behind ready-to-blow Jones.
Dexter Williams doesn’t back down
WR (7): Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jake Kumerow, Equanimeous St. Brown, Darrius Shepherd, Allen Lazard
Trevor Davis caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown after coming back from injury against the Raiders, but even an injury to St. Brown can’t erase what he has done this training camp. Aaron Rodgers likes all of his receivers, but the star quarterback has sung the praises of both Darrius Shepherd and Allen Lazard as the two have been the most effective receivers throughout exhibition action.
J’Mon Moore might have had a chance at one point, but his failure to make more than a seldom impression has foretold his exit from Green Bay — once he pays his parking citation.
TE (4): Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Jace Sternberger
Not much has changed about this group, either. A finger injury to Graham doesn’t change that he is the far-and-above top option. Lewis provides a veteran backup presence, while Tonyan and Sternberger — healthy once again — each offer the Packers offense worthwhile specialties suited for different tight-end looks.
OL (8): David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Corey Linsley, Billy Turner, Bryan Bulaga, Lane Taylor, Alex Light, Lucas Patrick, Justin McCray
The competition between Jenkins and Taylor stayed interesting with Taylor shining pretty shortly after the release of our first roster projections, but the equation becomes pretty easy if the Packers move on from him: Jenkins takes over as the starter and Patrick and McCray win spots as rewards for their steady preseason efforts.
Reportedly on the roster bubble, OG Lane Taylor has 2 years, $8.65M remaining on his contract.
His release or trade would leave the #Packers with dead cap hits of $2.375M in 2019, $1.375M in 2020, clearing $3.1M of cap space this season.
DL (6): Montravius Adams, Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Kingsley Keke, Tyler Lancaster, James Looney
GettyKingsley Keke stretches prior to the Green Bay Packers preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Unless Fadol Brown comes bursting onto the scene Thursday night against the Chiefs, Looney seems the better fit for the Packers in this situation. Brown had promise, but injuries have made him a tough sell with Looney showing some value.
The real treasures of this group are Lancaster and rookie Keke, who have shined in the preseason for different reasons. Both will help alleviate some of the stress brought on by a thin inside linebacker group, should that unit reach its final form with the players currently available on the roster.
Lancaster making run-stopping plays like this one doesn’t hurt, either. Not the Packers, anyway.
Really nice play here by Tyler Lancaster.
Watch him shed the block and get to the RB in a hurry.
Serious short area speed there by the big man.
OLB (4): Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Kyler Fackrell
Dealing away Reggie Gilbert on Wednesday signaled the Packers are happy with keeping just four outside linebackers. The starters have been obvious since the Packers spent big money on them in the offseason, while Kyler Fackrell and Rashan Gary can offer some support as second-stringers as they develop further in the system.
ILB (5): Blake Martinez, Oren Burks, Ty Summers, James Crawford, ???
I know, how unorthodox. An unknown predicted for a roster spot. Gutekunst said earlier this week that surprise moves happen in the 48 hours leading up to Saturday’s final roster cut deadline. Why not the Packers?
Burks isn’t as hurt as once feared, but he will still miss time. A knee injury killed Bolton’s chances just as he was nearing a lock on a roster spot. Otherwise, Summers has looked fine, better earlier in the preseason, but it is hard to imagine either him or Crawford being an effective No. 1 alongside Blake Martinez. If there is a spot where the Packers could benefit from making an under-the-wire trade, it would be at an inside linebacker position that has been in dire straits for weeks.
Should no deal get done, an inconsistent Brady Sheldon could also feasibly fill out the fifth spot for depth. A strong preseason finale would go a long way.
CB (6): Jaire Alexander, Tramon Williams, Josh Jackson, Kevin King, Tony Brown, Ka’dar Hollman
GettyGreen Bay Packers linebacker Tony Brown tackles Keke Coutee of the Houston Texans.
King’s hamstring problems persist, but Williams, Brown and Hollman have all showed that life without him — for however long that will be — isn’t going to be so bad. Hollman has been a breakout star in the preseason, but the rookie will need to prove his worth in limited regular-season reps if he wants to climb the depth chart.
Chandon Sullivan deserves a roster spot somewhere, but it likely won’t be in Green Bay.
S (4): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Raven Greene, Will Redmond
Redmond and Natrell Jamerson could both earn the final spot, but neither has done much with his opportunity in the preseason. Considering the Packers clearly favor Ibraheim Campbell, who remains on the PUP for his knee, it could go either way with Tray Matthews also an outside shot to make some noise against the Chiefs.
Specialists (3): Mason Crosby, JK Scott, Hunter Bradley
Sam Ficken would have needed to regularly outshine Crosby during training camp to have a shot at making this roster, but the young talent is good enough to find a home on another team’s roster. Chicago does have an obsession with kickers.
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