Green Bay Packers final 53-man roster prediction after training camp
By Joe Kipp
The Green Bay Packers must cut down their initial 2020 roster to 53 players by Saturday. Here’s a 53-man roster prediction.
By Saturday, Sept. 5, the Green Bay Packers will have just 53 players on their active roster. With a roster currently at 80 players, Green Bay still has a few days to finish evaluations as training camp draws to a close. Unfortunately for some, roster cutdown day will be a sad reality.
One of the biggest highlights of training camp so far has been the emergence of rookie inside linebacker Kamal Martin. The fifth-round draft choice was legitimately pushing for a starting role in Week 1, but unfortunately suffered a knee injury expected to sideline him for 6-8 weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Packers will now rely on Christian Kirksey to carry the bulk of the responsibility at linebacker, which could be a risky bet since Kirksey, too, has dealt with major injuries the past few seasons. Other standouts on the defensive side of the ball during training camp include Chandon Sullivan, Josh Jackson and Rashan Gary.
Gary, the 12th overall pick from last year, has shown in camp why the Packers thought so highly of him on draft night back in 2019. He’s routinely flashed as a pass-rusher and showed up to camp looking considerably leaner. Meanwhile, Jackson has looked more NFL-ready since he’s been deployed exclusively as an outside corner during practices.
On offense, Aaron Rodgers has looked sharper than in recent years, while rookie first-round pick Jordan Love has been underwhelming. In another positive development, Tyler Ervin has emerged as a do-it-all weapon at running back and receiver. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has emerged as a potential breakout candidate and Davante Adams has been his usual dominant self.
As the Packers prepare for final roster cutdowns, we provide a full 53-man roster prediction before Saturday: