Preseason Week 3 Recap and Updated 53-Man Roster Prediction
If you only watched part of Friday night's game in Oakland and thought it was rough, it didn't get any better. Honestly, the smart folks were the ones who switched over to the Brewers extra-inning comeback instead of sticking out that horrid performance. Hell, we didn't even score a touchdown. I'm going to go through a few takeaways from the game, call out some Offensive Linemen, and then give an updated 53-Man roster prediction. Sound good?
Impressive trades from Gutekunst - Yes, I'll get to the game recap, but I want to start on a good note. Over the weekend, GM Brian Gutekunst traded CB Lenzy Pipkins to Indianapolis for ILB Antonio Morrison. Pipkins was a dark horse to make the active roster, but also faced a TON of competition, and Inside Linebacker was our weakest position group. If you watch tape on Morrison, he's got this gritty edge to his game. He's relatively unusable on passing downs, but that's what Oren Burks was drafted for anyways. He's a proven run-stopping starter, and honestly might be an upgrade over the injured Jake Ryan anyways. Assuming he stays healthy and doesn't drop off performance-wise through the next week, he's the starting ILB2 on run defense right away against Chicago Week 1. Side note: I was a fan of Lenzy, and I'm glad he has a really good chance now to make someone's active roster.
What Offensive Line? - On certain plays, it looked like half the O-Line forgot to play. Half the time, the QB's looked like chicken with their heads cut off, trying to make a play with zero time in the pocket. Kyle Murphy had possibly his worst game ever at Right Tackle, giving up three or four sacks and numerous pressures throughout all four quarters. Jason Spriggs didn't look much better, but he didn't give up on as many plays, so I guess he was the better option to back up Bryan Bulaga?
Receivers trending upwards and downwards - The biggest receiving performance came from J'Mon Moore, who had a rough preseason up until Friday. Moore raked in 4 catches for 62 yards and looked like a completely different receiver running his routes - in a good way. Marquez Valdes-Scantling looked a step slower in Oakland, unable to record a reception on three targets, and Equanimeous St. Brown simply couldn't get open. Maybe Moore really will start the season as the WR4? Geronimo Allison turned what should have been two mediocre catches and broke out for 40 Yards. He was the best route-runner, and reinforced why he should be the outright WR3 - and draft-worthy in fantasy football.
Kizer showed enough to be the QB2, I guess- As mentioned earlier, Brett Hundley and DeShone Kizer didn't have a lot of time to make plays, and while neither completely disappointed, neither gave a reason to earn a guaranteed backup spot. Kizer completed less than 50% of his passes and posted an abysmal 63.7 QBR. Hundley completed 57% of his passes and had a complacent 72.9 QBR. On Wednesday morning, Green Bay traded Hundley to Seattle for a 6th rounder. This leaves Kizer as the sole option for QB2. Sorry Tim Boyle, but this doesn't open up a spot for you on the active roster.
A shake-up at Tight End? - On paper, a Tight End trio of Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis and Lance Kendricks looks as deep as any team's depth. However, Kendricks had a mediocre season last year, doesn't look better than a TE3 in practice, and dropped a Touchdown catch in Oakland. On the other hand, Robert Tonyan has impressed throughout camp, and Emmanuel Byrd raked in three clutch catches on Friday. I'm not saying either young option is ready to take a spot from a former starter in Lance Kendricks, but the pressure is certainly increasing.
Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson are GOOD - Once again, the top two rookies balled out in a preseason game. Jaire Alexander got beat by Amari Cooper a few times, and his one-on-one coverage abilities were exposed, but he made an athletic interception in Packers territory. Josh Jackson picked off another pass, and it would've been a pick-six if Herb Waters didn't hold someone on the other end of the field. Brian Gutekunst looks like a very smart man right now, and with questions about Kevin King's health rising (again), the emergence of Alexander and Jackson is coming at the perfect time.
A couple new names to remember - While I had Greer Martini as a dark horse to make the active roster, many others didn't and the acquisition of Antonio Morrison doesn't help his odds. That being said, he recovered a fumble forced by a fellow undrafted free agent, Safety Raven Greene. If anything, this boosts their odds on being recalled for the practice squad.
UPDATED 53-MAN ROSTER PREDICTION
QB's (2) - Aaron Rodgers and DeShone Kizer.
Trading Brett Hundley to Seattle leaves Kizer as the lone backup.
RB's (3) - Jamaal Williams, Ty Montgomery, and Joel Bouagnon (Aaron Jones is suspended)
Joel Bouagnon still looks like a better fill-in for Aaron Jones' suspension than Devante Mays, who's still out with hamstring problems.
FB (1) - Aaron Ripkowski
I haven't seen anything suggesting Green Bay would suddenly nix the Fullback position like other teams, so "the Ripper" keeps his job.
WR (7) - Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, Geronimo Allison, J'Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Jake Kumerow
This was the depth chart coming into camp; the only difference is Jake Kumerow showed deserving of keeping a seventh wideout on the roster.
TE (3) - Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, and Lance Kendricks
Kendricks keeps his roster spot for now, but if Robert Tonyan does enough during this final week, they could easily nix him and keep the younger, cheaper Tonyan.
OL (9) - David Bakhtiari, Lane Taylor, Corey Linsley, Justin McCray, Bryan Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Lucas Patrick, Byron Bell, and Kyle Murphy
The lack of talent in the backups sucks, but that seems to be a league-wide problem. Bell's $500,000 signing bonus is a bigger factor for him making the roster than anything he's done on the field. Spriggs is the swing Tackle, and somehow Kyle Murphy is good enough to make the 53-Man after the Oakland game.
DL (5) - Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, Muhammad Wilkerson, Dean Lowry, and Montravius Adams
No changes here. Just five guys significantly better than anyone else in camp.
OLB (5) - Nick Perry, Clay Matthews, Reggie Gilbert, Vince Biegel, and Kyler Fackrell
Fackrell's special teams expertise is the only thing giving him the roster spot over rookie Kendall Donnerson and practice squad veteran Chris Odom.
ILB (4) - Blake Martinez, Oren Burks, Antonio Morrison, and Ahmad Thomas
Burks and Morrison will platoon at ILB2, and the last spot is a toss-up between Thomas and Greer Martini. Thomas' versatility in hybrid roles and packages gives him the slight nod right now. However, Green Bay could give Hundley's old roster spot to Martini, if he still feels a lack of depth at Linebacker and Special Teams.
CB (6) - Tramon Williams, Kevin King, Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson, Davon House, and Quinten Rollins
Williams and King will start outside, Alexander is the slot/nickel corner and Jackson will play a lot of roaming corner in dime packages. House's starting experience keeps him as the CB5, and despite his poor camp, Rollins' versatility at Safety and on Special Teams gives him the last spot over Demetri Goodson, Josh Hawkins, Donatello Brown and Herb Waters.
S (5) - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Kentrell Brice, Josh Jones, Marwin Evans and Jermaine Whitehead
The Hundley trade opens up another spot on the active roster, and keeping both Evans and Whitehead makes sense for depth and special teams purposes.
ST (3) - Mason Crosby (K), J.K. Scott (P), and Zach Triner (LS)
The only competition here is between Triner and the drafted Hunter Bradley, and Triner's simply been more consistent.
