For the first time since 2008, Aaron Rodgers isn’t the Green Bay Packers‘ starting quarterback as training camp approaches. Jordan Love’s ascension will be the primary Packers storyline to watch throughout the summer, but Green Bay will have plenty of other questions to answer as they formulate their depth chart during training camp.
Let’s run through Green Bay’s current 90-man roster and determine how they’ll get down to 53 players before cutdown day.
Projecting the Green Bay Packers’ 2023 Roster and Depth Chart
Quarterback
- In: Jordan Love, Sean Clifford
- Out: Danny Etling
The Packers won’t stage a competition for their starting role, as Love is set to take over three years after being selected in the first round of the 2020 draft. But given that Green Bay will likely keep just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, Clifford and Etling will battle it out for QB2.
Etling spent the 2022 campaign on the Packers’ practice squad and has taken No. 2 reps behind Love during Green Bay’s offseason work. However, the Packers are unlikely to release Clifford, a rookie fifth-rounder, unless he completely bombs over the summer. In that scenario, Green Bay could conceivably retain all three signal-callers and make Clifford a game-day inactive.
Running Back
- In: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon
- Out: Tyler Goodson, Lew Nichols, Henry Pearson (FB), Patrick Taylor, Emanuel Wilson
The Packers kept just Jones and Dillon on their initial 53-man roster in 2022, and there’s no reason they can’t take the same approach this season. Both players combined for 399 carries last year, while Taylor (10) and Kylin Hill (1) were the only other running backs to handle an attempt.
If Green Bay holds onto another RB, Taylor will probably have the upper hand given his experience in the Packers’ system. But the club also used a seventh-round pick on Nichols in April, so he could become a candidate for elevation if he makes the practice squad to begin the season.
Wide Receiver
- In: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Samori Toure, Dontayvion Wicks, Grant DuBose
- Out: Jadakis Bonds, Jeff Cotton, Malik Heath, Bo Melton, Duece Watts
Watson and Doubs both produced as rookies in 2022 and will be the Packers’ clear-cut starters in two-WR sets. Toure, another 2022 draft pick, only received 10 targets last season but appears to be guaranteed a roster spot.
After using three picks on receivers last year, Green Bay did it again in 2023. Reed should immediately compete with Toure for starting snaps, while Wicks should be a roster lock after being selected in the fifth round. The final spot on the Packers’ wide receiver depth chart will likely come down to DuBose or Melton, with the early edge going to the draft pick.
Tight End
- In: Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis
- Out: Austin Allen, Camren McDonald
Tight end is one of the least challenging positions to decipher on Green Bay’s roster. The rookie pairing of Musgrave and Kraft should see the field early and often, as both players have the ability to play as in-line tight ends.
Deguara offers fullback versatility, while Davis played more special-teams snaps (346) than any Packer in 2022. If Green Bay keeps a TE on its practice squad, it could be Allen, who offers intriguing size at 6’8″, 255 pounds.
Offensive Line
- In: David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr., Zach Tom, Yosh Nijman, Royce Newman, Sean Rhyan, Rasheed Walker, Caleb Jones
- Out: Chuck Filiaga, Jake Hanson, DJ Scaife, Kadeem Telfort
The Packers are largely set from left tackle to right guard, but the team will likely use a training camp battle to determine their starter at RT. Nijman was outstanding at LT at the beginning of the year but seemed to struggle when forced to move to right tackle, a position he’d never played in the NFL. He was eventually benched in favor of Tom, who allowed just 12 pressures and committed only one penalty during his rookie season.
Newman started 16 games as recently as 2021, while Green Bay won’t give up on Rhyan after selecting him in Round 3 a year ago. That leaves Walker, Jones, and Hanson fighting for what will likely be two roster spots. If the Packers decide they’re healthy enough up front, they could even decide to keep nine offensive linemen and bump one of Walker or Jones off the roster.
Defensive Line
- In: Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, T.J. Slaton, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks, Jonathan Ford
- Out: Jason Lewan, Antonio Moultrie, Chris Slayton
Clark, Wyatt, and Slaton will start in base packages, but the Packers are looking for depth after losing Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry in free agency. To that end, Green Bay double-dipped during the draft by adding both Wooden (fourth round) and Brooks (sixth round), each of whom should see action during their rookie campaigns.
The Packers may not keep a sixth defensive lineman, and cutting Ford might allow the club to hold onto an extra RB or DB. However, Green Bay kept Ford on their 53-man roster for the entirety of last season even though he didn’t play a single defensive snap, which offers some indication that they’d like to retain him again in 2023.
EDGE
- In: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Justin Hollins
- Out: Keshawn Banks, Brenton Cox Jr., Jonathan Garvin, La’Darius Hamilton, Kenneth Odumegwu
The Packers’ edge-rushing group is essentially set in stone, but Gary’s health is a question mark as he recovers from a torn ACL. If he’s ready for the start of the regular season, Green Bay won’t have to make any changes to their depth chart. But if Gary has to begin the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, Garvin would likely make the team as the fifth pass rusher, while Van Ness and Enagbare would team up to replace Gary’s production.
Linebacker
- In: De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson
- Out: Tariq Carpenter, Jimmy Phillips Jr.
Campbell and Walker return as Green Bay’s starting LBs, while McDuffie and Wilson were key contributors on special teams. There isn’t a lot of drama here, although Carpenter — who is converting from safety to linebacker — was a difficult cut. If the Packers decide to pare down at another position before cutdowns, Carpenter could still make the team.
Cornerback
- In: Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine, Carrington Valentine
- Out: Tyrell Ford, William Hooper, Shemar Jean-Charles, Kiondre Thomas
Stokes is the skeleton key of the Packers’ 2023 secondary. For one, it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for the start of the season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in 2022. Additionally, Stokes could lose his starting role if Green Bay decides to deploy Douglas on the outside and Nixon in the slot.
Ballentine can fill in on the outside if needed and sees a lot of snaps on special teams, while the Packers probably want to keep Valentine, a rookie seventh-round draft choice. If Stokes isn’t available, Green Bay could roll with just five cornerbacks, but Jean-Charles is the best candidate to make the squad if they keep six.
Safety
- In: Darnell Savage, Rudy Ford, Jonathan Owens, Tarvarius Moore, Dallin Leavitt
- Out: Innis Gaines, Anthony Johnson Jr., Benny Sapp III
Adrian Amos played more snaps (977) than any Packers defender in 2022, but he’s now with the Jets. Safety was undoubtedly a concern for Green Bay last season and could continue to be a problem unless Savage and Ford increase their production.
Leavitt will make the team thanks to his special-teams prowess, while we’re giving Owens and Moore the edge over Johnson, a rookie seventh-rounder. If Savage or Ford struggles and the Packers need to turn to their bench, they’d probably prefer Owens (a 17-game starter for the Texans in 2022) or Moore (13 starts over four seasons for the 49ers) over Johnson.
Specialists
- In: Anders Carlson (K), Pat O’Donnell (P), Matt Orzech (LS)
- Out: Daniel Whelan (P), Broughton Hatcher (LS)
Teams don’t often waive kickers they’ve drafted, but if Carlson struggles during training camp, Mason Crosby is only a phone call away. Meanwhile, neither O’Donnell nor Orzech (the latter of whom signed with the Packers during free agency) figures to face realistic competition for their roles.
