In spite of his shortcomings in the past, the Green Bay Packers provided Brenton Cox Jr. with an opportunity to rewrite his story.
He’s taking full advantage of it.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, the Packers informed the 23-year-old outside linebacker that he made the 53-man roster on August 29. Cox and wide receiver Malik Heath are the only rookie free agents expected to be stashed on the team’s active roster.
Undrafted rookie OLB Brenton Cox Jr. made the Packers’ initial 53, per source.
After a stellar summer that included standout performances in the Packers’ three preseason games, the tides were always in Cox’s favor. Not only does he sport remarkable upside with a productive collegiate career under his belt, but Cox plays at a premium position that the Packers can’t afford to lose out on. If they were to part ways with him, the likelihood that he would pass through the 24-hour waiver period unclaimed is slim to none.
There may not be much urgency for Cox to immediately contribute as a rookie, but at minimum, he’ll be a developmental piece of a rotation on the edge that could potentially flourish into a starter someday.
So long as he’s able to keep his head on straight.
LaFleur: Troubled Cox Has ‘Clean Slate’ with Packers
The Packers can be considered a sense of salvation for Cox, who was kicked out of two different college programs. Following his freshman season at Georgia, he was dismissed for off-the-field matters, but reports also surfaced that he fell out of favor within the locker room. He transferred to the University of Florida but was booted from the program after multiple disputes with members of the coaching staff in 2022.
A three-year starter for the Gators, Cox accumulated 13.5 sacks and 118 tackles, including 32.5 of them for a loss of yards, according to Pro Football Reference.
“My philosophy — I should say our philosophy — is that I don’t really care what’s happened in the past,” said head coach Matt LaFleur on Sunday, August 27. “You come here, you have a clean slate and you can write your own story. [Cox and Heath] have embraced that and they’ve done a really nice job for us.
“That’s the expectation moving forward — you’re under constant evaluation throughout your whole time here and we make sure we uphold that standard for them. They’ve got to go along with that.”
The Packers Are Well-Stocked on the EDGE
The torn anterior cruciate ligament Rashan Gary sustained last season appears to be in the rear-view mirror. At the moment, he’s on track to open the regular season in the Packers’ lineup, however, he could wind up being on a pitch count assuming he’s eased back into full-speed action. That could potentially open up opportunities for Cox and company in the Packers’ stable of pass rushers.
They also spent a first-round pick — No. 13 overall — on Lukas Van Ness. Between Gary, Preston Smith, Van Ness and the second-year leap Kingsley Enagbare has seemingly taken this summer, Cox could be competing for snaps with Justin Hollins, assuming he makes the 53-man roster.
Through the team’s three preseason games, Cox led the defense in pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also responsible for two tipped passes at the line of scrimmage — the first of which resulted in an interception for safety Dallin Leavitt in the opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Packers’ Undrafted Pass Rusher Makes the 53-Man Roster