Packers initial 53-man roster for 2022 revealed following roster cuts

On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers announced their initial 53-man roster, which featured an even 25/25 player split between the offense and defense. The final roster, which seems to have been heavily-influenced by the draft capital the team spent in the 2022 draft, is as below:

OFFENSE (25 players)

Quarterbacks (2): Jordan Love, Aaron Rodgers
Running Backs (2): AJ Dillon, Aaron Jones
Wide Receivers (7): Randall Cobb, Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson
Tight Ends (4): Tyler Davis, Josiah Deguara, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan
Offensive Linemen (10): David Bakhtiari, Jake Hanson, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Royce Newman, Yosh Nijman, Sean Rhyan, Jon Runyan, Jr., Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker

DEFENSE (25 players)

Defensive Linemen (6): Kenny Clark, Jonathan Ford, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt
Outside Linebackers (5): JJ Enagbare, Tipa Galeai, Jonathan Garvin, Rashan Gary, Preston Smith
Inside Linebackers (4): Krys Barnes, De’Vondre Campbell, Isaiah McDuffie, Quay Walker
Safeties (5): Micah Abernathy, Adrian Amos, Tariq Carpenter, Dallin Leavitt, Darnell Savage

Cornerbacks (5): Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes

SPECIALISTS (3 players)

Kicker (1): Mason Crosby,
Punter (1): Pat O’Donnell
Long Snapper (1): Jack Coco

Every single one of the Packers’ 11 draft picks, including their four seventh-round picks (Rasheed Walker, Samori Toure, Jonathan Ford and Tariq Carpenter), made the final team. Walker, who was unable to play in the team’s first two preseason games due to an injury, got the nod over undrafted free agent tackle Caleb Jones, who had been starting in Walker’s place on the second-team line. Toure got a spot on the 53-man roster at the expense of Juwann Winfree, who out-snapped Toure 95-to-44 in the first half of preseason games and drew the praise of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Ford, the team’s third-string nose tackle, was out-snapped by fellow defensive linemen Chris Slayton and Jack Heflin 78 to 20 in the first halves of preseason ball. Carpenter, who only saw 10 defensive snaps in the first half of preseason games and was rarely starting on special teams, got a gig over Shawn Davis (preseason starter.)

Did the front office simply not agree with the coaching staff’s depth chart? Whatever the reason might be, the end of the roster that was kept today was not what the Packers had been playing throughout training camp, joint practices or the preseason.

Aside from the rookie being kept, the other major note here is that Green Bay is only rostering two running backs, which may mean that the team’s third running back could be signed off waivers tomorrow. Kicker Mason Crosby, who missed all of training camp with a knee injury, was activated from the physically unable to perform list at the deadline, meaning that he will not be forced to miss a single game.

Only one undrafted free agent, long snapper Jack Coco, made the roster while two street free agents, safeties Dallin Leavitt and Micah Abernathy, passed through to the 53-man squad. Tomorrow, the team can begin deciding if they’re interested outside players to add to either their active roster or their 16-man practice squad, which will remain despite some of the other Covid-era roster rules changing.