Good read:
As they rest up during their bye week, the
Packers carry a meager 9.1 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to
The Athletic’s playoff odds model.
In other words, it’s highly likely they miss the postseason for the first time in Matt LaFleur’s four seasons as head coach. So what better time than their off week to take a big-picture look at the current active roster (plus injured reserve) and try to determine which players might be on the 53-man roster when the team starts anew in 2023.
Each current player is placed into one of four categories below: near locks to be on next year’s 53-man roster, probably back on it, on the fence and likely not on it.
Near locks
Jaire Alexander, CB: He’s under contract through the 2026 season after the Packers made him the highest-paid cornerback in
NFL history last offseason.
De’Vondre Campbell, ILB: Campbell, who showed signs of a significant regression before a Week 8 knee injury that kept him out four games, also signed a long-term deal last offseason.
Kenny Clark, DT: The 27-year-old is still Green Bay’s best interior defensive lineman even though he hasn’t sniffed his usually high level of play this season.
Josiah Deguara, TE: Green Bay might just let him ride out his rookie contract next season while he plays another 30 percent of the offensive snaps and barely gets the ball.
AJ Dillon, RB: One of the best No. 2 backs in the NFL, Dillon will be out to prove next season he deserves the payday of a No. 1 in 2024 free agency.
Romeo Doubs, WR: He’s the future WR1 or WR2 of this team.
Rasul Douglas, CB: Like Campbell, Douglas has regressed after cashing in from his 2021 breakout season.
Kingsley Enagbare, OLB: The rookie has shown the most signs of life this season among reserve edge rushers.
Rudy Ford, S: Brought in as a core special teamer, which he has been, Ford also has filled in admirably on defense amid
Darnell Savage’s struggles.
Elgton Jenkins, OL: He and
Rashan Gary are next in line for extensions from the Packers.
Isaiah McDuffie, ILB: He has played the third-highest percentage of special teams snaps and more defensive snaps than fellow inside linebacker
Krys Barnes.
Josh Myers, C: Not much to see here. He’s the starting center. Should the Packers have drafted Creed Humphrey instead? Probably, but woulda, coulda, shoulda …
Yosh Nijman, OT: The 2019 undrafted free agent has blossomed into a reliable starter at both tackle positions.
Keisean Nixon, CB: Arguably nobody has done more this season to raise their future stock with the team than Nixon, who is a standout kick returner and now the starting nickel.
Pat O’Donnell, P: The veteran signed a two-year deal with Green Bay last offseason and has been solid this year.
Jon Runyan Jr., OL: The 2020 sixth-round pick has proven to be a reliable starter at both guard spots.
T.J. Slaton, DL: Quite frankly, everyone on the defensive line besides Clark should be on the hot seat, but Slaton’s youth will earn him another shot. He has only four pressures in 91 pass-rush snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Preston Smith, OLB: The Packers didn’t have much of an option other than extending Smith last offseason given their lack of depth at the position, and he has been just OK this season (tied for 31st with 33 pressures, per PFF).
Zach Tom, OL: He’s a future starter at, well, we don’t know. He could probably start at all five spots up front.
Samori Toure, WR: General manager Brian Gutekunst doesn’t want you to forget about Toure when mentioning Doubs and
Christian Watson as the future of the Packers wide receiver room.
Quay Walker, ILB: The rookie first-round pick has all the physical tools to be a force in the middle of Green Bay’s defense for years to come, but this year has been far from perfect.
Christian Watson, WR: With eight touchdowns in his last four games, Watson has shown why the Packers gave up two picks to move up for him in April.
Devonte Wyatt, DL: Even as a rookie first-rounder for a team with little interior presence on the defensive line, Wyatt has played only about 15 percent of the defensive snaps this season.
Rashan Gary, OLB: The torn ACL suffered in Week 9 shouldn’t affect what will be a hefty payday this coming offseason.
Eric Stokes, CB: Another disappointment on defense this season, Stokes faces the added task of rebounding from a significant injury (knee/ankle) next season, too.
Probably back
Tariq Carpenter, S: The Packers need safety depth given the uncertain futures of
Adrian Amos and Savage.
Aaron Jones, RB: Dillon hasn’t proven to be a true No. 1 back, so the Packers would be wise to keep Jones despite what they’d free up in salary cap space (about $10.5 million) by cutting him.
Dallin Leavitt, S: Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia would probably cut off his own hand to keep Leavitt.
Marcedes Lewis, TE: He’ll be “probably back” until he’s 75.
Jordan Love, QB: I don’t see the Packers trading Love unless
Aaron Rodgers commits to two more years with the team this offseason, which I don’t see happening. Even then, they might not deal him.
Jarran Reed, DL: He turns 30 next week, but he has been serviceable on a bad D-line this season.
Aaron Rodgers, QB: His postgame comments Sunday indicate he wants to come back, and I doubt the Packers would turn him away.
