Packers Roster: 10 Defensive Backs Make The Team

The Green Bay Packers play most of their defensive sets with five defensive backs, so if there was an area to keep an extra player or two, the defensive backfield was the place. This is the deepest backfield I can ever recall. That doesn't mean that everyone is a future star, but they'd be OK if any of these players (except Jarrett Bush) were forced into a starting role.

The locks: Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, and Bush. Why is Bush included? Because if he can play like he's played over the past few seasons and still have a roster spot, he's never leaving. I don't know what he'd have to do to find himself released.

Locks, but they're not both starters: Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett. Shields plays as much as some other defensive starters as the third CB, and I wasn't quite sure Burnett had the other starting safety job secured until training camp began. Both players were locks to make the roster.

The backups: Davon House, Pat Lee, M.D. Jennings, and Charlie Peprah. House barely played this preseason as he was battling one injury or another, but they don't appear to be serious (or he'd be placed on I.R.) and the fourth round pick has shown enough in practice to show he belongs.

Lee was the best of the backup cornerbacks in the final preseason game, and his past experience with the defense helped him secure a roster spot.

Jennings was fine when he played safety, but he recovered two onside kicks on special teams that probably earned him a job. I didn't expect he'd have any chance to earn a roster spot at the start of training camp.

I thought Peprah would open camp as the starting safety, but he was never in the mix. He played like a backup this preseason. It's good to know they have such an experienced starter on the bench.

On the outside: S Anthony Bratton, CB Josh Gordy, S Anthony Levine, CB Brandian Ross, and S Brandon Underwood. I'm not surprised these five players missed out, but I won't be surprised to see them get another chance elsewhere (or wind up on the practice squad).

Bratton might have been just as good on defense as M.D. Jennings, but didn't stand out on special teams.

Gordy got off to a strong start and played with the first team defense at times, but he slid down the depth chart as the preseason went on. He allowed two TD passes against the Chiefs in the final preseason game.

Levine was out due to a concussion for most of training camp, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back on the practice squad at some point because he did a great job with the scout team last season.

Ross is listed at 6-0 but he seems taller due to his long arms. He made a couple rookie mistakes, but he showed some potential. I'm glad they were able to sign him to the practice squad.

Underwood never translated his great athletic ability into a great performance on the field. His off-field legal problems over the past couple years didn't help him, but it was his on-field play that made his release inevitable.