Training camp kicks off, new Packers season begins

To celebrate, The Leap's Jason B. Hirschhorn and Peter Bukowski reveal their initial projections of the Packers' 53-man roster.

The long wait has finally concluded.

The Green Bay Packers, along with the rest of the NFL, have already begun descending Brown County, with rookie reporting last week and veterans arriving tomorrow. In short order, Matt LaFleur and his coaching staff will have his squad on the field for practice and the process of building toward a potential Super Bowl run will formally kick off.

The upcoming weeks will see players move up and down the depth chart, materially affecting how the Packers look on the field and in the locker room. With that in mind, setting a baseline for the roster — Green Bay currently has 89 players but must cut down to 53 prior to Week 1 — will help highlight those developments.

Peter and I have each produced our first 53-man roster projections without knowing the other's choices.

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Jason B. Hirschhorn: @by_JBH

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Note: Player order does not necessarily reflect starters and backups. Those projected to begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform list do not count against the 53-man roster limit.

Jason's projection (July 22, 2022)

Offense - 24 players

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love
RB: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Kylin Hill
WR: Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Sammy Watkins, Amari Rodgers
TE: Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Dominique Dafney, Tyler Davis
OL: David Bakhtiari, Jon Runyan Jr., Josh Myers, Royce Newman, Yosh Nijman, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, Cole Van Lanen

Defense - 26 players

DL: Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Dean Lowry, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford
OLB: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, Randy Ramsey, Jonathan Garvin
ILB: De'Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers, Isaiah McDuffee
CB: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles, Raleigh Texada
S: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage Jr., Sean Davis, Tariq Carpenter

Specialists - 3 players

K: Mason Crosby
P: Pat O'Donnell
LS: Jack Coco

PUP: TE Robert Tonyan, OL Elgton Jenkins

Peter's projection (July 22, 2022)

Offense - 24 players

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love
RB: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor
WR: Sammy Watkins, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Christian Watson, Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure
TE: Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis
OL: David Bakhtiari, Jon Runyan Jr., Josh Myers, Royce Newman, Yosh Nijman, Cole Van Lanen, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom

Defense - 26 players

DL: Dean Lowry, Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford
OLB: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, Jonathan Garvin, [veteran to be named later]
ILB: De'Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffee, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers
CB: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles, Rico Gafford
S: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage Jr., Sean Davis, Tariq Carpenter

Specialists - 3 players

K: Mason Crosby
P: Pat O'Donnell
LS: Jack Coco

PUP: RB Kylin Hill, OL Elgton Jenkins

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These projections were made before the news surfaced that David Bakhtiari will start training camp on the PUP list. How does that shift your thinking about his chances of starting the season on the active roster and about the offensive line as a whole?

Jason B. Hirschhorn: While many — myself included — have pointed out head coach Matt LaFleur's most recent statements about David Bakhtiari's return timetable, the fact remains that no one from Packers leadership has ever given a definitive date for the All-Pro left tackle to see the field. Even at the time, that seemed meaningful, and the recent news has only amplified that notion.

Already, some corners of Packers Twitter has dimissed Bakhtiari landing on the PUP list as a non-story, framing the news as merely more time for the veteran to rest during a period of training camp he doesn't need at this point in his career. While Bakhtiari has enough experience under his belt to afford missing time during camp, that argument ignores some important facts:

1. Bakhtiari has already suffered setbacks with his recovery from 2020's torn ACL and has undergone at least one known additional procedure since the original knee reconstruction. Those developments increase the chances of further issues, a notion underscored by him beginning a 2022 training camp on the PUP list for the same knee.

2. The Packers didn't need the PUP list to give Bakhtiari additional rest. Many veterans across the league do not participate heavily in parts of training camp and an increasing number of teams — including the Packers — regularly provide rest days during the season. That Bakhtiari landed on the list more than 18 months removed from the injury speaks to the hurdles he still must overcome to return to action. Even if he comes off the list during camp, that doesn't bode well for his availability moving forward.

All of which suggests that the Packers have to adjust their thinking as it pertains to Bakhtiari, including another regular-season stint on the PUP list. That outcome, while far from ideal, would have different consequences this season than in past years as a rule change allows for players to come off the list after four games rather than six. Bakhtiari would still miss key games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots in that scenario, but he could return as soon as Week 5 for a favorable stretch of games, giving him time to shake off the rust prior to Week 8's prime-time tilt with the Buffalo Bills.

But that assumes a lot of information that not even the Packers probably know at this stage. LaFleur will speak soon and offer some context that could dramatically shift the conversation. Until then, Yosh Nijman can expect to see extensive work on Aaron Rodgers' blindside.

Peter Bukowski: During camp, Matt LaFleur said the quiet part loud when he said the team expects Bakhtiari to be ready for training camp but added they also thought that last year. His inclusion on the PUP at this point sends the Packers into a bit of scramble mode (not that Aaron Rodgers is unfamiliar with such a modality). They already need an extra tackle with Elgton Jenkins unlikely to start the season ready to go.

They don’t have an extra extra tackle. Yosh Nijman can handle the swing job, but the Packers don’t have someone to handle the other side should they need someone. For now, it’s been Cole Van Lanen getting those right tackle reps and maybe that’s where they land, but considering this team expects to make a Super Bowl run this season, if Bakhtiari really isn’t ready for the season—and right now we don’t know that to be the case—they need a veteran tackle on the roster. I might be tempted to add one now for insurance.

How much, if at all, did the arrival of special-teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia influence your roster projections?

JBH: Several players that appear well positioned to make the Packers' 53-man roster will see considerable work on special teams, but that didn't drive my choices as much as I would have guessed prior to putting together the projection. Sure, Keisean Nixon has a built-in connection with Rich Bisaccia and will work on a number of special-teams units. But Nixon also saw enough work in the slot during organized-team activities and other offseason work that he might actually carve out some meaningful work on defense as well. Likewise, seventh-round pick Tariq Carpenter also seems tailor-made for work under Bisaccia, but his size and athletic traits also suggest he has upside as a sub-package linebacker, giving Green Bay plenty of motivation to keep him.

Ultimately, I expect Bisaccia to influence who plays on special teams — starters and key contributors will almost certainly see more time in the third phase this season than in the past — than who makes the final cut at the non-specialist positions. The Packers do clearly want to improve on special teams and included Bisaccia's input on the 90-man roster, but the 53 should still favor those with upside from scrimmage.

PB: The Packers draft took care of this for me because I expect Day 3 players like Tariq Carpenter and Jonathan Ford to be special teams players by design. In other words, that’s what Green Bay drafted them to be. Beyond that, I might not have been inclined to include as many linebackers as I did if not for their utility on special teams.

That’s less about Bisaccia and more about special teams more broadly. His fingerprints are already on the roster with additions like Pat O’Donnell and Keisean Nixon. They’re locks to make the roster, and Nixon has a chance to be a contributor in the Packers’ dime looks on defense as well.

I won’t pretend to have strong long-snapper takes.

Which cut or inclusion from the other's roster projection surprised you most?

JBH: Peter projecting Robert Tonyan to begin the regular season on the active roster caught my eye. The veteran tight end suffered a torn ACL in October and will officially begin training camp on the PUP list. While the Packers can activate him at any time prior to Week 1, that still places Tonyan near the earlier end of the typical recovery timetable. Given the team's notoriously conservative medical staff, I didn't seriously consider him returning for the season opener.

But if Peter's correct about Tonyan, a considerable amount of pressure would come off the youngest members of the Packers' new-look receiving corps. Even if Tonyan has no reasonable chance of replicating certain elements of his breakout 2020 campaign, he should still provide a dangerous and reliable option down the seams and in the intermediate part of the field when healthy. Green Bay largely lacked that presence after the tight end went down last season, and Rodgers would presumably love to get that back, especially with rookie pass catchers expected to play bigger roles than in most years.

PB: I loved Jason’s inclusion of Raleigh Texada on his list. The Packers have a history of finding undrafted free-agent corners making their roster and even pushing for playing time. Texada brings pedigree and athleticism to a position where both are crucial.

Is he going to unseat the starting three guys? No, but could he push incumbents Shemar Jean-Charles or Nixon? Neither has shown enough in the league for us to be particularly sure they’re useful NFL corners, so I guess my question would be why not?