Getty Defensive back Jordan Miller #28 of the Atlanta Falcons defends in the second half of an NFL preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Green Bay Packers are just a week away from making their initial 53-man roster decisions for the 2021 season, but a few more outsiders could still join the fray after another set of players were hosted for workouts to start the week.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Packers brought in former Atlanta Falcons cornerback and 2019 fifth-round pick Jordan Miller for a workout along with three others players. They also hosted cornerback Stephen Denmark, a 2019 seventh-rounder for the Chicago Bears, along with interior defensive linemen Abdullah Anderson and rookie George Silvanic (out of Air Force).
Packers worked out Abdullah Anderson, Stephen Denmark, Jordan Miller, George Silvanic
The Packers are required to have their roster size reduced to 80 players before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday, August 24. If they wish to add another body to the roster for the final week of the preseason, an additional roster cut would be necessary.
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Could Miller Earn a Fresh Start?
Miller has the most extensive NFL resume among the Packers’ four tryout players, but his time in Atlanta didn’t exactly leave a strong impression. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound cornerback played on just 25 defensive snaps across 10 games as a rookie, allowing receptions on two of the three balls thrown into his coverage and proving more useful as a special teams asset.
Miller also violated the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy near the end of the 2019 campaign and received a four-game suspension, which covered the first three games of the 2020 season. While he was activated again in late September, the Falcons only got one more game out of him before he landed on injured reserve with an oblique injury, waiving him toward the end of December.
Since then, Miller hasn’t gotten much of a real opportunity. The Seattle Seahawks signed him to their practice squad on January 6, three days before playing (and losing) in their wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. They also inked him to a reserve/future contract for the 2021 season, but he was waived on August 16 after a disappointing performance in Seattle’s first preseason game (three receptions allowed on three targets in 11 coverage snaps with one missed tackle).
The Packers’ roster competition at cornerback seems to be mostly winding down heading into the third week of the preseason. They released both Stanford Samuels III and Dominique Martin in the past week and also traded away Ka’dar Hollman for an additional 2022 draft pick. If the Packers want to keep things fresh, though, Miller could be given a chance to compete against Kabion Ento and Isaac Yiadom in their preseason finale, even if it only serves to validate the latter two’s place on the roster.
Will Packers Reinforce Defensive Line?
The Packers’ defensive line regularly seems to be a point of contention for fans who are tired of watching opposing rushers tear Green Bay apart like wet paper, but little is actually going on this summer in terms of top-end roster battles at the position. Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry and Kingsley Keke are all set to reprise their roles as starters in 2021, while Tyler Lancaster (re-signed this offseason) and fifth-round rookie T.J. Slaton are competing for top rotational spots in the lineup.
Could a difference-maker still join the unit, though?
The Packers would gain some developmental talent if they added either Anderson or Silvanic for the final week of the preseason, but neither would likely challenge for a place on the 53-man roster given the current situation. A veteran free-agent signing might also be out of play unless they find a worthwhile name who is willing to play on a minimum contract.
A trade, however, could be doable. The Packers have already completed three trades in the past month, gaining Randall Cobb (from the Houston Texans) and Yiadom (from the New York Giants) for their ranks. Another one involving a defensive lineman could arise in the week leading up to 53-man roster cutdown, but the Packers’ interest in such a deal would largely depend on how they feel about their current DL depth.
In other words, if the Packers feel the alignment of Lowry-Clark-Keke can get the job done in 2021, a veteran addition might as well be a pipe dream.