Packers’ 1st-team preseason snap counts and projected depth charts

It’s time to tie a bow on the preseason, and I don’t think there’s a better way to recap the Green Bay Packers’ summer than to lay out a depth chart — based on what we’ve seen thus far from the team. After charting Family Night, Preseason Week 1, Preseason Week 2 and now Preseason Week 3, we can make some educated guesses about this roster.

As always, the snap counts we’re going to reference are first-team reps. The starters for each game will be bolded, and players who were inactive due to injury for a contest will be in red text. Players are considered starters if they were on the offense’s first-look teams in two-receiver or three-receiver personnel or, defensively, in the team’s base 3-4 or nickel first-look lineups.

With snap counts, injuries and sub-roles in mind, let’s reverse-engineer the Packers’ depth chart.

Running Back

Projected Depth Chart

1. Aaron Jones
2. AJ Dillon
3. Patrick Taylor
4. Emmanuel Wilson
5. Tyler Goodson (injured)

The only controversy at the running back position this year is who will be the third back on the Packers’ roster, if they even choose to keep a third. Early on, Tyler Goodson held that role for the team, but he later went down with a shoulder injury in the preseason opener.

Since then, undrafted rookie Emmanuel Wilson has broken out with 38 carries for 223 yards and two scores, putting Goodson’s opportunity to hang with the team — even as a practice squader — in real jeopardy. Even with that great production on the ground, though, Wilson was outsnapped by Patrick Taylor in the preseason finale, the first game in which either got the chance to work with the first-team offense in live action.

Taylor’s 16 carries for 55 yards and a score is much more modest than Wilson’s preseason performance, but he’s received a lot of his playing time in passing scenarios, where he excels as a blocker. He also has the edge over Wilson with his special teams contributions.

If the Packers ever needed to play a third running back, I bet that opportunity would go to Wilson. As far as rostering a third running back goes, though, I believe that Taylor’s non-rushing ability is what’s going to lead to him being higher on the depth chart. Remember, the 2022 Packers only handed out 11 carries to non-Jones or Dillon backs last season.

Receiver

Projected Depth Chart

Outside Receiver

1. Christian Watson/Romeo Doubs (injured)
2. Malik Heath
3. Samori Toure
4. Dontayvion Wicks (injured)

Slot Receiver

1. Jayden Reed

Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs played virtually all of the first-team preseason snaps that they were available for this summer. Rookie second-round pick Jayden Reed came off the bench in three-receiver looks, almost exclusively as a slot receiver. Those are your three starters at the position.

Malik Heath, who led the team in receptions (12) and receiving yards (146) this preseason, has surged from an unknown undrafted free-agent rookie to a probable member of the 53-man roster. After being behind the likes of Samori Toure and Dontayvion Wicks early on, Heath was given the opportunity to start in the preseason finale — which Doubs missed with a hamstring injury.

It’s also worth noting here that Reed didn’t step up to take Doubs’ snaps. Reed remained as the team’s slot receiver, which is the role we should expect him to play this season. Wicks, who missed a portion of camp with a concussion, is also dealing with a hamstring injury. Rookie seventh-round pick Grant DuBose, who began camp on the non-football injury list, has been slow to see the field after his back issue.

Tight End/Fullback

Projected Depth Chart

Tight End

1. Luke Musgrave
2. Tucker Kraft

Fullback

1. Josiah Deguara
2. Henry Pearson (injured)

The loss of Tyler Davis has opened up an opportunity for playing time at the tight end position. After Davis started in two tight end looks on Family Night, third-round pick Tucker Kraft has two starts under his belt while Josiah Deguara has one.

Deguara dealt with a calf issue earlier this summer, which limited his playing time to the final two preseason games. He is expected to play a hybrid tight end/fullback role, while Henry Pearson — who is dealing with a knee injury — is a true fullback. Pearson’s situation is particularly interesting, as he started on every core special teams unit in preseason Week 2 — following Davis’ injury. If he’s healthy by Tuesday, he probably has a spot on the 53-man roster.

The star at the position is going to be Luke Musgrave, though. Just look at those numbers. He played 74 snaps with Jordan Love since Family Night, more than five times the amount of any other tight end on the team. If you had any doubt that the second-round pick was going to start, go ahead and let that thought go.

Offensive Line

Projected Depth Chart

Tackle

1. David Bakhtiari
2. Zach Tom
3. Rasheed Walker
4. Yosh Nijman

Guard

1. Elgton Jenkins
2. Jon Runyan Jr.
3. Royce Newman
4. Sean Rhyan

Center

1. Josh Myers

We don’t need a snap count chart here, as the offensive line isn’t really a position where players rotate in-game.

The biggest story on the offensive line this summer was where second-year tackle/center/guard Zach Tom was going to play, or if he was even going to be a starter. As of now, he’s been locking down the right tackle position, where he’s expected to start in Week 1.

Tom did push center Josh Myers, though, who the team seems to consider its weak link up front. In the preseason finale, Jon Runyan Jr. took the second-team snaps at the center position, despite starting at right guard earlier.

The current conundrum for the Packers is what to do with Yosh Nijman, their $4.3 million reserve tackle. Nijman started at right tackle for Green Bay last season, but went from competing with Tom for the right tackle spot early on in training camp to losing out on the swing tackle job to second-year seventh-round pick Rasheed Walker in the preseason. It might just be time to trade him.

Defensive Line

Projected Depth Chart

Defensive End

1. Kenny Clark
2. Devonte Wyatt
3. Colby Wooden
4. Karl Brooks

Nose Tackle

1. T.J. Slaton
2. Jonathan Ford

The base front for the Packers’ 3-4 defense is going to be Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt playing the ends and T.J. Slaton at nose tackle. In nickel looks, Green Bay really plays it two ways. On run downs, Slaton stays on the field at nose with Clark at three-technique. On passing downs, Clark moves to the nose while Wyatt plays three-technique.

Behind the top three players at the position are Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks and Jonathan Ford. Only Wooden got significant burn with the first-team defense this summer, but Brooks did impress with his production against backup offensive lines. Ford also looks much improved, after being a healthy scratch for all 17 games last regular season.

Outside Linebacker

Projected Depth Chart

1. Rashan Gary
2. Preston Smith
3. Lukas Van Ness/Kingsley Enagbare/Justin Hollins

While Rashan Gary has returned to practice as a full participant from his 2022 ACL tear, he didn’t play in a single preseason game this summer. He and Preston Smith are the assumed starters going into Week 1.

Behind that duo, the Packers gave a single preseason start to each of Justin Hollins, Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness. Enagbare probably had the best preseason out of that trio, but it’s entirely too close to tell which pass-rusher would come off the bench as an injury replacement. Truthfully, two of these players will probably be activated for each of the Packers’ regular season games this season, depending on where Green Bay needs them to play on special teams.

Inside Linebacker

Projected Depth Chart

1. De’Vondre Campbell (injured)
2. Quay Walker
3. Isaiah McDuffie
4. Eric Wilson

De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker are going to be the team’s starting inside linebackers, but Campbell’s ankle injury opened up an opportunity to get a look at who the injury replacement on the team might be. Eric Wilson, who is best known for his work on special teams, was the third linebacker on Family Night, but Isaiah McDuffie got those snaps during the preseason games.

Cornerback

Projected Depth Chart

Outside Corner

1. Jaire Alexander
2. Eric Stokes (injured)
3. Rasul Douglas
4. Carrington Valentine
5. Corey Ballentine
6. Kiondre Thomas

Slot Corner

1. Keisean Nixon
2. Shemar Jean-Charles

Jaire Alexander has been dealing with a groin injury, which has limited his playing time during the preseason. The team’s number two outside cornerback, Eric Stokes, is also currently on the physically unable to perform list for a 2022 ankle injury. Head coach Matt LaFleur, when asked, wouldn’t comment on if Stokes was going to begin the regular season on the PUP, which would disqualify him from playing in the first four games of the season.

Because of the uncertainty with the starters, Rasul Douglas and rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine have been shouldering the load this preseason. In the limited reps where Douglas and Valentine weren’t on the field, the outside cornerbacks were Corey Ballentine, a noted special teamer, and Kiondre Thomas, who was on the Packers’ practice squad last season.

The team’s number one slot option is Keisean Nixon, who was a first-team All-Pro kick returner last season. The only other cornerback to see an extended look in the slot this preseason was Shemar Jean-Charles, a former draft pick who is currently on the roster bubble.

Safety

Projected Depth Chart

1. Darnell Savage
2. Rudy Ford
3. Jonathan Owens
4. Tarvarius Moore (injured)
5. Anthony Johnson Jr.

The Packers need to replace Adrian Amos at the safety position, after their starter left in free agency this offseason. Up until the week of Family Night, all of Green Bay’s starting reps opposite of Darnell Savage had gone to Rudy Ford in practice. For a two-week stretch, those looks went to Jonathan Owens, but it appears that Ford is back in the driver’s seat.

Tarvarius Moore and Anthony Johnson Jr. also got in some work with the first-team defense this summer, but neither got an opportunity to play with the A-Team in the preseason finale. Moore is also dealing with a knee injury.