The Green Bay Packers have kept an undrafted rookie on their initial 53-man roster for 21 seasons running. This year did not have a clear option until wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant stepped up in the preseason.
Sturdivant has been rising the roster ranking due to special teams value but might have cemented his status on the roster due to a big night as a pass catcher in the Packers preseason finale.
With six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in the last game, Sturdivant started to appear on every 53-man roster projection.
Green Bay Packers Expected to Continue UDFA Streak with J. Michael Sturdivant
“J. Michael Sturdivant was already ahead of Isaiah Neyor, in terms of what the team asked the two to do on special teams, but Week 3 of the preseason also featured Sturdivant going for 112 yards in the air — putting him over Neyor in both aspects of the position,” wrote Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Company.
Mosqueda added that this was the most yards by a Packers wideout in a preseason game since 2011.
Zach Kruse of PackersWire also had Sturdivant on his roster.
“Sturdivant beats out Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor for the seventh spot,” wrote Kruse. “The rookie has obvious pass-catching potential, and he could play a role on special teams.”
Sheppard has done a strong job as a return option, but the team signed Skyy Moore, and he is likely to fill that role. So, while Sheppard had a great preseason, the non-return special teams potential of Sturdivant pushes him in.
Bill Huber of Packers OnSI agreed that if it is not Sturdivant, it would be Sheppard as a seventh wideout.
“Are the Packers going to keep seven wide receivers? If they don’t, it won’t be because the players on the back end of the depth chart did not make a heck of a run at a roster spot,” said Huber.
This comes after Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst made it clear the team had no issue keeping seven receivers on their initial roster.
“If you’re gonna do that, there’s gonna be a couple of those guys that have to be pretty valuable teams guys,” Gutekunst admitted. “I think we have some of those.”
This is referring to both Sturdivant and Sheppard, who have carved out roles on special teams. It will come down to the wire, but most seem to think Sturdivant will be the person.
Packers Might Keep J. Michael Sturdivant
Sturdivant is a rookie UDFA from Florida, although he only spent one season with the Gators. He spent his first two years at Cal before transferring to UCLA. After two years there, he moved to Florida for his last year. Still, his career high was 755 yards back in 2022.
His preseason was mostly about special teams, as he caught three passes for 30 yards in the two games prior. However, he also has 20 total snaps across four phases of special teams.
He has been on the starting special teams unit all summer and even played special teams at Florida. This should allow the Packers to keep another UDFA.
Packers UDFA Projected to Extend 21-Year Streak