The Green Bay Packers open the 2021 NFL regular season at the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 12 at the Superdome. The Packers finished 2020 with a 13-3 record atop the NFC North, and they advanced to the NFC title game for the second straight season before losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback, the Packers have 20 of their 22 preferred starters returning.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACKS (2): Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love
Kurt Benkert has been a nice training camp story, but would anyone actually claim him off waivers? Remember, a team would have to put him on its 53 to do it. There's a decent chance Benkert gets through and returns on the practice squad. The Packers are probably going to draft a quarterback (or two) next year to back up Love.
RUNNING BACKS (3): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Kylin Hill
Hill, a rookie, has clearly separated himself from Patrick Taylor. There's a chance they keep four; they'd have an extra spot somewhere by only keep two QBs.
RECEIVERS (6): Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Malik Taylor
It's probably time to move on from Equanimeous St. Brown, who has never really developed. Devin Funchess never panned out. He took the COVID-19 opt-out last year and was placed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury this preseason.
TIGHT ENDS (4): Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Dominique Dafney
Jace Sternberger won't count on the roster until Week 3 because of his two-game suspension, and Deguara looks to be all the way back from a torn ACL last season.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Elgton Jenkins, Billy Turner, Royce Newman, Lucas Patrick, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan, Ben Braden, Yosh Nijman, Dennis Kelly.
Presumably, David Bakhtiari won't be ready for the opener; that would be an accelerated timetable considering he tore his left ACL on Dec. 31, so he'll start the season on PUP and won't count toward the 53. It's possible they'd keep 10 here, and the versatile Cole Van Lanen or center Jake Hanson could be the 10th.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5): Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Kingsley Keke, Tyler Lancaster, T.J. Slaton
There's a chance undrafted rookie Jack Heflin may have played his way onto the roster, but he's another one who likely would make it through to the practice squad.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5): Za'Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Jonathan Garvin, Chauncey Rivers.
Randy Ramsey's season-ending injury opened up a spot, and with Za'Darius Smith battling a back injury and in jeopardy of missing the opener, the Packers probably need to keep five. Tipa Galeai could make a run at Rivers for the last spot.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (5): Krys Barnes, De'Vondre Campbell, Ty Summers, Oren Burks, Isaiah McDuffie.
Campbell's contract included a $1.01 million signing bonus, which makes him the highest-paid member of this group and a sure bet for the roster. With Kamal Martin released, Summers and Burks are safe, and given that McDuffie was a draft pick, he could stick, too.
CORNERBACKS (6): Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Eric Stokes, Chandon Sullivan, Shemar Jean-Charles, Isaac Yiadom.
With Josh Jackson and Ka'dar Hollman both traded, Yiadom (who came over in the Jackson trade) looks like a good bet to make it. The only question is whether King or Stokes, the first-round pick, starts in the base defense alongside Alexander.
SAFETIES (5): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Henry Black, Christian Uphoff.
Uphoff could be a top-notch special teams player, and the Packers need as many of those as they can get. Innis Gaines also is a possibility here.
SPECIALISTS (3): Mason Crosby (K), JK Scott (P) and a long-snapper to be named later.
Hunter Bradley has put too many snaps in the dirt this summer. The Packers surely are looking for an upgrade on the waiver wire or off the street.