Packers’ Bubble Players Face Uneasy Wait

Here is a position-by-position look at the Green Bay Packers’ roster bubbles with the thoughts of some players who will face a nerve-wracking Tuesday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The bubble is about to burst. Hearts will be broken. Dreams will be dashed.

Tuesday is the cruelest date on the NFL calendar. With the Green Bay Packers and the NFL’s other 31 teams having to cut their rosters to the 53-man limit by the 3 p.m. (Central) deadline, the professional careers of hundreds of players will be come to an abrupt end. While many will find their way onto a practice squad or perhaps some other team’s 53-man roster, numerous players will never step onto an NFL playing field again.

For the Packers, who were at 78 players for Monday’s practice, 25 players will get a dreaded invite to talk to coach Matt LaFleur and/or general manager Brian Gutekunst on Tuesday.

“Every guy that gets released, I think it’s only fair to them that I get a chance to speak with them,” LaFleur said. “That’s how we operate, whether it’s this time of the year or really any time of the year. You definitely want to thank them for all the hard work and the effort that they’ve put in. It’s an emotional time for these guys. It was emotional with Ty [Summers] yesterday. You’ve got a lot of respect for what they’ve done and the effort they put in and the teammates they are. It’s a tough situation to be in, but it’s kind of the nature of the beast.”

On Wednesday, the Packers can form their 16-man practice squad. But for at least nine players, they’ll continue their training at home in hopes of getting an opportunity that’s not guaranteed.

“Even on this team, Rasul’s been cut before, Lazard, Bobby’s been cut,” receiver Samori Toure said of Packers starters Rasul Douglas, Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan. “It’s definitely not what I want but, if it happens, I’m not going to be super-beat-up about it. I’m going to look at it like, ‘All right, this is part of my story.’”

Here is one final look at the roster bubbles, with the thoughts of some of those players who will spend Tuesday on the edge of their seats.

Quarterbacks

Danny Etling (USA Today Sports Images)

Danny Etling: The Packers wasted no time in going with Etling over last year’s No. 3, Kurt Benkert. Etling finished the preseason with a 123.3 passer rating and 77.3 percent completion rate. Had he thrown enough passes to qualify among the leaders, he would have finished second in rating and first in accuracy. He added a 51-yard touchdown run.

Is he going to make the roster? Probably not. But getting onto Green Bay’s practice squad would allow the 2018 seventh-round pick to continue his development.

“A lot of that is out of my control at this point,” Etling said. “I was really happy with how I played. I think I played well enough to be a part of a team. It’s my belief that I belong in the NFL and will be on a roster in some sense, and it’s my job to continue to be ready. Regardless of what the team decides, I’d love to be here, and obviously I’d love to be No. 3, but that one’s out of my control. So, it’s about continuing my growth as a quarterback and continue getting ready for the season, because you never know when you’re needed, and you want to step up and deliver.”

Running Backs

Tyler Goodson (USA Today Sports Images)

Patrick Taylor and Tyler Goodson: Will the Packers keep one or none? If they believe Kylin Hill will be ready following his four-week stint on PUP, they could release both players, hope to get them onto the practice squad and then elevate them to the gameday roster.

Goodson has the sizzle, which could be important if the Packers are forced to move on from Aaron Jones for financial reasons after this season. He’s been explosive but he was explosive at Iowa, too, and still went undrafted. Taylor has the substance, which could be important if the Packers need someone to protect Aaron Rodgers this season.

“Preseason was a stepping stone for me,” Goodson said on Monday. “I’ve got to keep the momentum going and keep preparing like I’ve been preparing. Hopefully everything goes the way I want it to and I make this team.”

Receivers

Samori Toure (USA Today Sports Images)

Juwann Winfree and Samori Toure: Winfree has Aaron Rodgers in his corner. “I’m a big fan of J.W.,” Rodgers told the Packers TV Network during Thursday’s game. The front office might like Toure, who has youth and upside in his favor.

Toure was the 258th player drafted and the last of 28 receivers selected. Among the drafted rookies, Toure was second with nine receptions and fourth with 125 receiving yards. He caught six passes in the preseason finale against the Chiefs.

“I feel like this is probably going to be hardest part – the hours from right now until tomorrow,” Toure said after practice on Monday. “You can do a lot to distract yourself but it is what it is. It’s part of the game. It’s what comes with it.”

He added: “I just wanted to be the best player I can be, play with good effort, good intensity. I feel like I’ve done that and I’ve improved with every week and every practice. I feel like I can look myself in the mirror and say I did everything. That’s really the most important part.”

Tight Ends

Josiah Deguara (USA Today Sports Images)

None. There isn’t much doubt that Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara and Tyler Davis will be the quartet headed into the season.

Offensive Line

Caleb Jones (72) (USA Today Sports Images)

Caleb Jones and Rasheed Walker. Walker, a seventh-round pick after being a three-year starter at Penn State, missed a bunch of training camp and the first two preseason games due to injury. When he finally got on the field against the Chiefs, he delivered a strong performance. Offensive line coach Luke Butkus is on Walker’s butt constantly at practice. It’s either tough love or nonstop frustration.

With David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins and Walker sidelined, the 6-foot-9 Jones took advantage of extended opportunities. A three-year starter at Indiana, he’s just so long that getting around him requires taking a detour. According to PFF, he allowed one pressure out of 45 pass-protecting snaps.

“Obviously, he’s got rare length and I think he’s one of those guys for as big as he is – everyone wants to talk about his size – he’s a little bit better foot athlete than I think people give him credit for,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said recently. “We liked his play temperament coming out of college. You’ve got to give him a lot of credit. He’s made the most of his opportunities. He’s gotten himself in really good shape, probably the best shape he’s been in since high school. He’s done a really nice job, so I’m excited for him, among others, to get out there Friday and really have an opportunity to see what they can do.”

Defensive Line

Jack Heflin (USA Today Sports Images)

Jack Heflin: Heflin had a terrific preseason to break ahead of rookie Jonathan Ford and journeyman Chris Slayton, who also showed they are NFL-caliber players.

Heflin had 10 tackles, including a team-high two for losses, and added one forced fumble. He was quite a story to make the 53 last year as an undrafted free agent. Assuming he makes it this year, he might be an even better story by staying on a roster bolstered by free-agent Jarran Reed, first-round pick Devonte Wyatt and seventh-rounder Ford.

“I feel like from Day 1 of camp, I feel like I’ve gotten better every day,” Heflin said. “I just try to do whatever I can do, work hard, try not to make the same mistake twice. That’s all I was trying to do. I feel like I did a good job this camp and this preseason. Of course, there’s always stuff as a competitor you want back, I wish I could take back, but that’s in the past. You can’t change it. I feel like I put together a solid preseason. Try to state my case. I want to be here in Green Bay and help this team get to the final stage and hoist the Lombardi. I want to do whatever I can to help this team win.”

Outside Linebackers

Tipa Galeai (USA Today Sports Images)

Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton and Kobe Jones. Jonathan Garvin ran with the second unit for most of training camp and Kingsley Enagbare had a productive training camp as a fifth-round pick. Those two should join Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. How many more will the Packers keep?

Day after day after day, position coach Jason Rebrovich tried someone else alongside Garvin with the twos. Nobody seized control, though Galeai, who has been a No. 1 on all four phases of special teams throughout camp, would seem to be one of the front-runners.

“That’s what the motive was ever since I set foot in this building was special teams,” Galeai said this week. “‘We love you. We’d love you to play defense, too, but special teams is what you have to play and that’s what you’re required to play.’ You have to be great at that, as well, in order to make this team. That’s stuck with me ever since I’ve been here and just taking it on and going forward, I always have to be a special teams player, as well, not just defense.”

Jones, an undrafted free agent in 2021, was one of a score of tryout players at rookie camp and the only one to immediately be given a contract.

“I didn’t know how many guys were here trying out,” Jones said on Monday. “In hindsight, after I saw how many guys were actually here, I thought it was a big accomplishment for me. It just goes back to honing in on the idea of taking it one thing at a time and controlling what I can control, because the big picture can get you distracted.”

Inside Linebackers

Krys Barnes (USA Today Sports Images)

None. The Packers have All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell and impressive first-round pick Quay Walker as the starters, and two-year starter Krys Barnes and vastly improved second-year player Isaiah McDuffie in reserve.

Cornerbacks

Rico Gafford (USA Today Sports Images)

Rico Gafford and Kiondre Thomas. With Shemar Jean-Charles and Keisean Nixon as the presumptive backups to an elite starting trio, Green Bay might keep just five cornerbacks. If it wants a sixth, it would be between Thomas, an undrafted free agent last year who got some special-teams snaps with the Chargers as a rookie, and Gafford, who has gone from cornerback to receiver and back to corner.

Thomas has the height the Packers like. Gafford has elite speed. Thomas covered better than Gafford during the preseason – PFF charged him with one completion in seven targets – and has shown up in run support.

Thomas, with his 53-or-bust mentality, said recently. “I feel like I didn’t play the way I needed to my rookie year. In the offseason, I got in the lab and put my head down and got back to work. That’s all I can really do. That’s all I know how to do.”

Safeties

Tariq Carpenter (USA Today Sports Images)

Tariq Carpenter and Micah Abernathy. Dallin Leavitt returned to practice this week following what looked like a major shoulder injury. The Packers could go with Leavitt and Shawn Davis as the primary backups, or they could add a fifth safety – especially if Leavitt is healthy enough to stay on the roster but not quite ready for game action.

Carpenter, the fast-and-physical seventh-round pick, tackled well during his two preseason games. Abernathy took full advantage of his season in the USFL to go from camp body to legit challenger.

Specialists

Jack Coco (USA Today Sports Images)

K Ramiz Ahmed. Mason Crosby presumably will be activated off PUP on Tuesday to resume kicking duties. Last season, the Packers carried J.J. Molson on the practice squad all season. Considering how well Ahmed has kicked since joining the team midway through camp, you’d think the Packers would like to sign him to the practice squad on Wednesday.

At long snapper, Jack Coco hasn’t done anything wrong and only Cincinnati and Houston have two snappers on the roster. At this point, why upset the apple cart?