Roster Statuses heading into 2024...

[tynimiller]

Speaking of Gary, sounds like the FA signing of T Andre Dillard might have been a nothing burger. Gary is totally manhandling him.

"Andre Dillard has no shot at blocking Rashan Gary. Just a massive mismatch," writes Packer Report's Andy Herman.

"Three sacks in four reps for Rashan Gary. Just sprinted around Andre Dillard to reach Sean Clifford," writes Ryan Wood

This speaks more to the potency of Gary to me than Dillard. I loved the Dillard signing, VERY cheap and to me is not a guy that will be starting but adds that depth with experience.

 

[gopkrs]

This speaks more to the potency of Gary to me than Dillard. I loved the Dillard signing, VERY cheap and to me is not a guy that will be starting but adds that depth with experience.

Wow!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

This speaks more to the potency of Gary to me than Dillard. I loved the Dillard signing, VERY cheap and to me is not a guy that will be starting but adds that depth with experience.

While I agree that the signing was a zero risk one for the Packers. I'm going to wait until I hear he is winning against less talented guys than Gary, before I pencil him in to make the 53.

In Dillard the Packers got a guy that was given a 3 year $29M FA contract, with $13M guaranteed by the Titans in 2023. The Titans released him less than a year later.

I think many of us hoped that being released would be a wake up call for the former 1st rounder and the Packers signing him for a mere $1.125M, none of it guaranteed, was a steal. I guess there could be a bunch of things going on.

1. Dillard just isn't any good.
2. Injuries have taken their toll on him.
3. Lack of motivation.
4. Needs to work on his technique, higher pad level
5. Gary is just THAT good and Dillard will be alright.

 

[tynimiller]

While I agree that the signing was a zero risk one for the Packers. I'm going to wait until I hear he is winning against less talented guys than Gary, before I pencil him in to make the 53.

In Dillard the Packers got a guy that was given a 3 year $29M FA contract, with $13M guaranteed by the Titans in 2023. The Titans released him less than a year later.

I think many of us hoped that being released would be a wake up call for the former 1st rounder and the Packers signing him for a mere $1.125M, none of it guaranteed, was a steal. I guess there could be a bunch of things going on.

1. Dillard just isn't any good.
2. Injuries have taken their toll on him.
3. Lack of motivation.
4. Needs to work on his technique, higher pad level
5. Gary is just THAT good and Dillard will be alright.

If I were to personally rank what I think it is from the list (which I think you hit most of the factors I'd have come up with if I were to make a list of things why he might not succeed).

#1 - your 5 - Gary is that good. Dude is insane...and folks his offseason regiment of work peaked to something special this year.
Tied for #2 - Your 2 and 4...injuries can impact someone's burst, quickness, agility and many other items...all crucial to success. AND I have always felt his technique wasn't the best and he was a HIGH prospect due to his elite athleticism winning so much...his injuries leveled that off.
#4 - Dillard isn't that good...but that is relative to what you exactly thought or think he is. At this stage of his career he isn't a starting level guy...but a depth guy with starting potential if things click.
#5 - Lack of motivation. Insight I have don't suspect this at all, which is a good sign.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If I were to personally rank what I think it is from the list (which I think you hit most of the factors I'd have come up with if I were to make a list of things why he might not succeed).

#1 - your 5 - Gary is that good. Dude is insane...and folks his offseason regiment of work peaked to something special this year.
Tied for #2 - Your 2 and 4...injuries can impact someone's burst, quickness, agility and many other items...all crucial to success. AND I have always felt his technique wasn't the best and he was a HIGH prospect due to his elite athleticism winning so much...his injuries leveled that off.
#4 - Dillard isn't that good...but that is relative to what you exactly thought or think he is. At this stage of his career he isn't a starting level guy...but a depth guy with starting potential if things click.
#5 - Lack of motivation. Insight I have don't suspect this at all, which is a good sign.

Whatever the case may be, I hope he has found a home in GB, and makes the teams that gave up on him regret it. I still find it odd that the Titans threw that much money at him and then cut him after a season. I guess they wouldn't be the first team to make that mistake.

 

[tynimiller]

Whatever the case may be, I hope he has found a home in GB, and makes the teams that gave up on him regret it. I still find it odd that the Titans threw that much money at him and then cut him after a season. I guess they wouldn't be the first team to make that mistake.

If we were paying him that much I'd be pissed and demand release too...

 

[Thirteen Below]

This speaks more to the potency of Gary to me than Dillard. I loved the Dillard signing, VERY cheap and to me is not a guy that will be starting but adds that depth with experience.

Sounds as though he's accumulating a lot of experiences in a real big hurry this week.

I do wish him well, because if he does well, the Packers are a better team.

 

[Pkrjones]

This speaks more to the potency of Gary to me than Dillard. I loved the Dillard signing, VERY cheap and to me is not a guy that will be starting but adds that depth with experience.

God forbid Dillard would see playing time against: Bosa, Hutchinson, Parsons, Sweat, Hunter, Anderson, Huff, Graham, Chubb, and the list goes on. Don't need a turnstile using up a roster spot, imho.

 

[OldSchool101]

While I would love to see Williams play well enough to be a starter I don’t see it happening…as the team seems to think Nixon is worthy of the slot and not Bullard….Williams ain’t playing over Bullard IMO

I’ll reiterate what I said because it sounds like it got misconstrued there. I said we have 11 Rookies. It wouldn’t surprise me to some grouping of 3 or 4 of them win starting time in 2024.

If I recall Corey Linsley wasn’t a starter during camp in his Rookie season. Once JC went down the shuffle happened immediately. So yes, players come in for a variety of reasons and many times even unexpected. It’s about showing up consistently in Camp and Preseason and then making the very best of your opportunity when your Jersey # is called, no matter what the scenario or who thinks who is better.

I know 3-4 Rookies winning starting time in any given year sounds improbable or maybe even impossible in most seasons and I’d even agree. Not in 2024
What I meant is I don’t think it takes huge imagination to Pick any 3 to 4 in this group to win starting time at some point in 2024.
Morgan, Bullard, Cooper, Hopper, Lloyd, Williams, Monk, Oladapo, Glover, King.

I mentioned some that I thought got a fast start in their first day of Camp. Not sure how that twisted that they just replaced presumed Starters

 

[OldSchool101]

While I agree that the signing was a zero risk one for the Packers. I'm going to wait until I hear he is winning against less talented guys than Gary, before I pencil him in to make the 53.

In Dillard the Packers got a guy that was given a 3 year $29M FA contract, with $13M guaranteed by the Titans in 2023. The Titans released him less than a year later.

I think many of us hoped that being released would be a wake up call for the former 1st rounder and the Packers signing him for a mere $1.125M, none of it guaranteed, was a steal. I guess there could be a bunch of things going on.

1. Dillard just isn't any good.
2. Injuries have taken their toll on him.
3. Lack of motivation.
4. Needs to work on his technique, higher pad level
5. Gary is just THAT good and Dillard will be alright.

I’m going to rank them almost backwards. He's just not very motivated and that makes him not very good when you’re thrown into a brand new environment after recovering from some injuries with improper pad level

Then coupled with Gary is like his antithesis. He’s highly motivated and he is just very good after completely recovering from injury and using proper pad levels

 

[tynimiller]

I’m going to rank them almost backwards. He's just not very motivated and that makes him not very good when you’re thrown into a brand new environment after recovering from some injuries with improper pad level

Then coupled with Gary is like his antithesis. He’s highly motivated and he is just very good after completely recovering from injury and using proper pad levels

Can you provide references or reasons for believing he isn't motivated?

I’ll reiterate what I said because it sounds like it got misconstrued there. I said we have 11 Rookies. It wouldn’t surprise me to some grouping of 3 or 4 of them win starting time in 2024.

If I recall Corey Linsley wasn’t a starter during camp in his Rookie season. Once JC went down the shuffle happened immediately. So yes, players come in for a variety of reasons and many times even unexpected. It’s about showing up consistently in Camp and Preseason and then making the very best of your opportunity when your Jersey # is called, no matter what the scenario or who thinks who is better.

I know 3-4 Rookies winning starting time in any given year sounds improbable or maybe even impossible in most seasons and I’d even agree. Not in 2024
What I meant is I don’t think it takes huge imagination to Pick any 3 to 4 in this group to win starting time at some point in 2024.
Morgan, Bullard, Cooper, Hopper, Lloyd, Williams, Monk, Oladapo, Glover, King.

I mentioned some that I thought got a fast start in their first day of Camp. Not sure how that twisted that they just replaced presumed Starters

I was merely expounding upon the blockades in front of Williams - truthfully if Williams is starting I fear it is most likely only due to injury, which is rarely a good thing - although sometimes injury opens up the chance for something better so never say never.

While I love this class I don't see an avenue for more than three to potentially be starters...of course injuries can cause further, but that is true even of undeserving guys some years as well so not a sign of the player more the situation. Bullard and Cooper have the easiest paths to start, then Morgan....after that every single player needs an injury likely and some perhaps multiple to find a path.

Hopper would need McDuffie and likely one of Walker/Cooper to go down to start
Lloyd would need Jacobs to go down and beat out Dillon (something I think many realize is quite possible before the end of the year)
Williams would need one of Bullard/McKinney/Nixon to go down to open up a chance.
Monk would need minimum one if not two guys to go down along the OL interior.
Oladapo same as Williams but likely also Williams
Glover would need multiple OL injuries
King same as Valentine's year...need injuries to hit likely the secondary


None of this is a knock to any of them...as all but Glover I happen to really like as prospects and three of them (Lloyd, Oladapo and King) I had slotted quite a bit higher than we drafted them.

 

[gopkrs]

God forbid Dillard would see playing time against: Bosa, Hutchinson, Parsons, Sweat, Hunter, Anderson, Huff, Graham, Chubb, and the list goes on. Don't need a turnstile using up a roster spot, imho.

Yes. Almost every team has an excellent pass rusher. And the coaches would have that pass rusher line up against Dillard. Dillard has a lot of experience...of letting his man get to the QB.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I’m going to rank them almost backwards. He's just not very motivated and that makes him not very good when you’re thrown into a brand new environment after recovering from some injuries with improper pad level

Then coupled with Gary is like his antithesis. He’s highly motivated and he is just very good after completely recovering from injury and using proper pad levels

My list wasn't meant to be a ranking of. Was just throwing out ideas.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

While I love this class I don't see an avenue for more than three to potentially be starters

I agree, at least not this season. Never know what 2025 and beyond will hold for a lot of the 2024 draft class. I really like the upside on most of these guys. Of course, I probably have said that every year.

 

[tynimiller]

I agree, at least not this season. Never know what 2025 and beyond will hold for a lot of the 2024 draft class. I really like the upside on most of these guys. Of course, I probably have said that every year.

This class only had one head scratcher to me truly and that was Glover...he was borderline not draft level guy for me, but we shall see. Outside of the Watson/Doubs year I think this may be the draft class that it seems Gute and I were thinking the most alike. Which honestly really worries me for Gute LOL

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

This class only had one head scratcher to me truly and that was Glover...he was borderline not draft level guy for me, but we shall see. Outside of the Watson/Doubs year I think this may be the draft class that it seems Gute and I were thinking the most alike. Which honestly really worries me for Gute LOL

I guess if a late 6th round pick is Gute's only "mistake" out of 11 picks, I would be ecstatic. I trust your opinion on Glover, but in the little bit that I looked at him (after the draft), I see a developmental guy. An O-lineman that can play multiple positions, has the size and strength you want and maybe with a year or 2 on the PS he could crack the 53.

Remember, Rasheed Walker was a 7th round pick in 2022 and he has worked out pretty well for the Packers.

 

[tynimiller]

I guess if a late 6th round pick is Gute's only "mistake" out of 11 picks, I would be ecstatic. I trust your opinion on Glover, but in the little bit that I looked at him (after the draft), I see a developmental guy. An O-lineman that can play multiple positions, has the size and strength you want and maybe with a year or 2 on the PS he could crack the 53.

Remember, Rasheed Walker was a 7th round pick in 2022 and he has worked out pretty well for the Packers.

But unlike Glover I had Walker rated a borderline Day2 personally or a 4th ish grade. 100% get what you're saying though!

 

[Thirteen Below]

None of this is a knock to any of them...as all but Glover I happen to really like as prospects and three of them (Lloyd, Oladapo and King) I had slotted quite a bit higher than we drafted them.

I was pretty surpsie to see Oladapo and King fall to us; Lloyd, I thought we may have taken early. But I'm OK with early as long as it's a good gamble. Gute may have had good reason to believe he wouldn't stil be there a few picks later; he may have heard that that the Bucs were sniffing at RBs. They did take Bucky in the next round; possibly Lloyd was their first choice.

I try not to get critical of where a GM picks a player. I don't know what he knows. Especially a GM like Gutekunst, who IMO is rapidly establishing himself a true draftmaster. I'm very excited about how much better he seems to have gotten at that aspect of his job over the last several years. I think he's a man who learns from his mistakes - his dad was legendary for that as a college coach, and as a young college coach, Brian had a reputaion among the older staff as a kid who rarely made the same mistake twice.

Pretty good trait in a GM.

 

[OldSchool101]

I guess if a late 6th round pick is Gute's only "mistake" out of 11 picks, I would be ecstatic. I trust your opinion on Glover, but in the little bit that I looked at him (after the draft), I see a developmental guy. An O-lineman that can play multiple positions, has the size and strength you want and maybe with a year or 2 on the PS he could crack the 53.

Remember, Rasheed Walker was a 7th round pick in 2022 and he has worked out pretty well for the Packers.

Another example is Valentine. Last year Carrington Valentine, Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed, Luke Musgrave, Anders Carlson and Dontayvion Wicks all had Starts for Green Bay. In 2023, 6 players with Rookie status started. Several other Rookies found themselves contributing regularly and Brooks came close

So I really don’t think me saying 3-4 could start from this Rookie class in 2024 is some unusual revelation at all. Especially when you review what happened last year. Plus we drafted position groups using multiple selections. We also lost so many players from those same position groups after 2023. As far as Rookies We signed 3 OL, 2 LB and 3 Safeties. We parted ways with 3 OL, 3 Safeties and 1 LB. We also went after a premier RB and it takes 1 of Dillon or Jacobs to miss time and they’ll be chomping at the bit to Showcase Lloyd.

We have 1 OL that was a 5 year starter. The first Freshman to start across 12 Seasons of OL Rosters in that Program. Someone in here (Dante?) talks about early college success being indicative of ongoing success. I agree with that.
An All-ACC player his last 3 seasons.

This isn’t our normal Rookie class, these were well contemplated selections who possess more maturity and raw experience than many past groups. It’s going to be fun to watch the ‘24 Rookie battle

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

So many folks lose track of all the contracts and when guys are up and such....here is what we have currently:

Players OF NOTE who current contract ends after this coming 2024 season, ranked from contract value currently and bolded guys with recent playing time with us:

Kenny Clark iDL
Jordan Love QB
Eric Stokes CB
Josh Myers C
Royce Newman OL
TJ Slaton iDL
Isaia McDuffie LB
AJ Dillon RB
Corey Ballentine CB
Bo Melton WR
Eric Wilson LB
Greg Joseph K
Kristian Welch LB
Andre Dillard OL
Tyler Davis TE
Robert Rochell CB
Caleb Jones OT
Emanuel Wilson RB
Daniel Whelan P
Jonathan Ford DL
Grant DuBose WR

Players of Note expiring after 2025:

Christian Watson WR
Sean Rhyan OL
Romeo Doubs WR
Zach Tom OL
Kingsley Enagbare ED
Rasheed Walker OT
Samori Toure WR
Matthew Orzech LS
Ben Sims TE
Malik Heath WR
Brenton Cox LB

Everyone else is either not of note or is signed through 2026 season or more.

Of the 2024s I see 3 that better not be on the roster when the 2024 season STARTS.

Of the '25s I see 1 that fits the same mold

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

But unlike Glover I had Walker rated a borderline Day2 personally or a 4th ish grade. 100% get what you're saying though!

Yes and Walker played at Penn State, Glover at Georgia State. One would have to guess that Walker faced a lot more talent than Glover did in college.

Kalen King is another 7th rounder from Penn State, and is a guy that could turn out to be one of the biggest steals in the 2024 draft.

 

[tynimiller]

Yes and Walker played at Penn State, Glover at Georgia State. One would have to guess that Walker faced a lot more talent than Glover did in college.

Kalen King is another 7th rounder from Penn State, and is a guy that could turn out to be one of the biggest steals in the 2024 draft.

I had Kalen still in that early day 3 area. Some dudes just have an off year, his footwork seemed sloppy this past year at times which had me for sure it could be corrected because it was immaculate the year prior.

Valentine and King both look amazing Ball and Gute will love it because the leverage Jaire has as he gets older will get less and less. That’s not even mentioning if Stokes returns to form…

 

[tynimiller]

Or and here is a take I would hate because I love Stokes….

Stokes out the gate plays outside CB2 for us and is great….team also has full faith in Valentine and believe King is what Valentine was as a rookie….

Stokes because a real trade asset for a contender should one lose a CB before trade deadline. One year rental so you’d have to get a second back in a deal of some sort….because IF Stokes is good again he’ll get a 3rd round compensatory pick.

Would it be a gamble…yea somewhat but folks have to remember we been dealing with no stokes due to injury twice now….and if this move was made that would be because King is a solid 3rd option and the flexibility Bullard provides in coverage as welll….and many forget Ballentine got paid by us to….you don’t pay that journeyman unless you believe he’s found his groove.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I had Kalen still in that early day 3 area. Some dudes just have an off year, his footwork seemed sloppy this past year at times which had me for sure it could be corrected because it was immaculate the year prior.

Valentine and King both look amazing Ball and Gute will love it because the leverage Jaire has as he gets older will get less and less. That’s not even mentioning if Stokes returns to form…

Agree. I am actually pretty "Stokes-ed" about the secondary this season. There seems to be quite a bit of talent back there and not only should we have 4-6 average to above average starters back there, the front 7 has as much talent and depth as I can remember in recent years. Throw in a new DC and a new scheme and there is a lot to be excited about this defense.

I have read some stuff about the possibility of trading Stokes if the guys "behind" him look like equal or better CB's. While I do like the idea of getting something out of him while we still can, I just don't think that a 4th or 5th round pick is worth removing his talent and depth from the roster. It seems that at least 1 starting CB is missing from almost every game, having only 2-3 quality starters is thin in my opinion.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Or and here is a take I would hate because I love Stokes….

Stokes out the gate plays outside CB2 for us and is great….team also has full faith in Valentine and believe King is what Valentine was as a rookie….

Stokes because a real trade asset for a contender should one lose a CB before trade deadline. One year rental so you’d have to get a second back in a deal of some sort….because IF Stokes is good again he’ll get a 3rd round compensatory pick.

Would it be a gamble…yea somewhat but folks have to remember we been dealing with no stokes due to injury twice now….and if this move was made that would be because King is a solid 3rd option and the flexibility Bullard provides in coverage as welll….and many forget Ballentine got paid by us to….you don’t pay that journeyman unless you believe he’s found his groove.

LOL....we were thinking along the same lines. Saw your post after I posted mine. Yeah, if the Packers are playing .500 ball at the trade deadline and someone wants to pony up a 2nd rounder for Stokes, I am all in. I just wouldn't trade him away NOW, unless the coaches thought that he really won't ever be a quality starter.