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Packers Roster Battles: Where do the wide receivers stand after a week of training camp?

Green Bay is in the midst of training camp and heading into the preseason. Some wide receivers are making strides while others aren't impressing as much as their teammates.

By Jake Hyman
Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

On-field scrimmaging isn't the most ideal setting to judge position battles, but some Packers wide receivers are using public showcases to prove their worth on the roster. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams (barring additional slippage in camp) look like locks in the No. 1 through No. 3 slots in the depth chart, but there's a fight to land the coveted No. 4-to-5 position.

On Sunday, daily practices and repetitions turned into a Lambeau Field showcase between the team's offense and defense. For "Family Night," team White and team Green took the field, with the first-team offense donning the white uniforms. The wideouts didn't have substantive time to receive balls from Aaron Rodgers and his pinpoint accuracy, but they attempted to stand out primarily with the backups.

Here is a breakdown of the players vying for the No. 4 and No. 5 WR spots for Green Bay as preseason nears, with Family Night providing additional support of the talents' cases.

Jared Abbrederis

The University of Wisconsin product is making strides this offseason to ensure that his Packers' career maintains its longevity. Abbrederis, who hauled in 16 catches for 111 yards last season, served as a split end receiver in the absence of Nelson and is reportedly trying to gain the trust of Aaron Rodgers as a consistent target on the outside.

"Whenever Aaron gives you opportunities, you've got to make sure you come down with them," Abbrederis said, per ESPN's Rob Demosky. "That's a big step in gaining his trust, and like I've always said, you've got to gain trust every day. So, obviously, it helps."

Abbrederis impressed in his first Family Night, nerves absent and ready to make an impact in front of a sizable crowd at Lambeau.

However, Abbrederis evidently failed to compound his stellar play in back-to-back nights, and on Monday he was outplayed by Adams, who is arguably higher on the depth chart and has received more reps for Green Bay.

Abbrederis has an exceptional catch radius and has the propensity of making athletic plays against corners. It's developing consistency that will secure his spot on the roster. Healthy and having added value as a possible return specialist, Abbrederis is currently in a great position to make the final roster.

Ty Montgomery

On the PUP list, Ty Montgomery isn't participating in drills or scrimmages, giving way to other wideouts hungry to take his spot on the depth chart. In terms of talent and ability, Montgomery might be the safest play after Nelson and Cobb with Adams sputtering in the offseason. However, missing the final ten games of his rookie year doesn't quell any fear that Montgomery might never materialize into a No. 2 wideout.

The ankle injury exacerbates Montgomery's questionable positioning on Green Bay's roster, but he's in prime territory to secure a roster spot heading into the first four games of competition in August if he can return to the field.

Jeff Janis

After struggling initially in the week, Janis is revitalized and taking necessary snaps with the first team, which only has boosted his stock in the offseason. Struggling in Packers practice Sunday, Janis needed to bounce back both Monday and Tuesday in practice. He seemed to have accomplished that notion.

Janis, like Abbrederis, has an exceptional knack for locating the ball in the air and hauling it in but has to show that he can win with athleticism. He doesn't have the build to overpower corners to get to where he wants to on the field, but at 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds, he does have size in his favor.

The rawness eventually will shed (hopefully), with reps with Rodgers and even Hundley elevating his confidence and awareness on the field. He'll continue to be in the mix for the No. 4 and 5 wideout position.

Trevor Davis

One of the more consistent wideouts over the past week in training camp, Trevor Davis is essentially fighting not just for a spot on the team as a wide receiver but also a Packers uniform he can put on on Sundays. Davis has exceptional speed, which could be a facet of his game that lands him a roster spot. It's the intangibles that will have the coaching staff praising Davis.

The 2016 fifth-round pick has support from his teammates, which could be an incentive to maintain the momentum he's manifesting through workouts. Davis has value with game-breaking speed, but Abbrederis and Montgomery are tough outs when it comes to jumping them in the depth chart.

Geronimo Allison

The rookie out of Illinois is the first player on the list that has to shine every single day in practice through the rest of training camp. It's a product of getting an opportunity with an NFL roster, but Allison is going to have to put in an extraneous amount of effort to surpass his counterparts. However, he is getting noticed for positive reasons.

As an undrafted free agent, Allison is still in the mix, whether it be at wide receiver or on special teams. At 6-foot-3 he fits the long wide receiver mold. Unfortunately, Janis also falls into a similar category as in higher regard with the team, evidenced by the reps and past experience.

Ed Williams

Williams is probably fighting for his Packers career this week and with the depth on the team, could have to pull off multiple exceptional days in practice. The Fort Hays State product signed with the team last season and could be useful on the practice squad.

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