Packers Roster Bubble: The College Stud
GREEN BAY, Wis. – You only get so many chances.
A high school All-American, Brenton Cox had his pick of colleges. He stayed home and went to Georgia. Cox started in the Sugar Bowl as a freshman before he was dismissed from the team.
Florida gave the talented defender a second chance. For the Gators, Cox was an all-SEC performer with 8.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for losses in 2021. He was on his way to another big season in 2022, with eight tackles for losses in eight games before he once again was dismissed from the team.
The Green Bay Packers gave Cox a third chance, signing the edge defender as an undrafted free agent. Headed into Saturday’s preseason finale, Cox knows there’s plenty at stake. With a strong performance against the Seahawks, he could force his way onto the 53-man roster.
“Yeah,” he said on Thursday when asked if he feels the pressure. “Before every game, it’s always a nervous feeling.”
Having “grown and matured,” Cox has had a good training camp, his obvious talent jumping off the page at times. In the preseason game against Cincinnati, one of his three pressures turned into an interception. He added another pressure last week against New England. He’s put heat on the passer at practice, too, though not with consistency. His powerful style fits the Packers’ preference for their outside linebackers.
Brenton Cox (Photo by Wm. Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images)
“I feel like I could have been better,” Cox said. “I’m just always extra-hard on myself, so I never know if it’s good or bad until I feel comfortable saying it’s good. I always feel like I can do a lot more, show a lot more and keep getting better.”
He does see the progress, though.
“For sure,” he said. “Pretty much just coming in every day, just learning from the coaches, learning from the older guys: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, even Justin Hollins – he’s been in the game for a long time. So, just learning from these guys and keep progressing every day.”
The numbers could work against Cox. Gary, Smith, first-round pick Lukas Van Ness and second-year player Kingsley Enagbare are locks for the 53-man roster. Hollins, who provided steady play as a midseason addition last year, is a good bet to make the roster, as well. And another undrafted free agent, Keshawn Banks, also has turned in a strong training camp and closed camp with an excellent practice on Thursday.
Even if Cox gets a dreaded phone call on Tuesday to tell him he’s been released, he’s certainly shown enough to merit a spot on the practice squad. Nonetheless, having wasted opportunities at national powerhouses in college, Cox badly wants to make the team.
“Honestly, I’m nervous,” he said. “It would mean everything. Definitely make my mom, my dad, everybody proud of me, especially myself. I just appreciate the coaches that have faith in me to get here.”
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