GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6 in São Paulo, Brazil.
When they take the field, they could have the youngest roster in the NFL for the second straight season. The departures this offseason of David Bakhtiari (age 32) and Aaron Jones (29) will only help lower the average age this year.
Outside of Jones, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings in free agency, the Packers have their entire group of key skill position players back. Combine that with Jordan Love's second season as the starter, and the Packers think they could have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Expectations will be high for a team that won six of its last eight regular-season games to make the playoffs.
Here is the 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACKS (2): Jordan Love, Sean Clifford
Clifford has competition for the backup job from seventh-round draft pick Michael Pratt, who was impressive during the June minicamp, but Clifford's experience in the system may win out. Look for Pratt to stick on the practice squad after last season's QB3 Alex McGough moved to receiver this offseason.
RUNNING BACKS (3): Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, MarShawn Lloyd
Emanuel Wilson, who made the team last year as an undrafted rookie, could make a case for Green Bay keeping four running backs. Dillon's qualifying-offer contract contains so little guaranteed money that perhaps Wilson could outplay him and stick instead. Fullback Henry Pearson could make a run as well, either with this position group or at tight end.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath
There is no reason to think anyone other than these six who finished last season on the roster will be on the 53.
TIGHT ENDS (4): Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Ben Sims, Tyler Davis
Davis is trying to come back from a torn ACL suffered last preseason. If he's healthy, he'll be a valuable special teams contributor. Josiah Deguara was not re-signed, so perhaps they'd consider Pearson in that H-back role.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom, Jordan Morgan, Andre Dillard, Jacob Monk, Travis Glover, Caleb Jones
The question is how soon Morgan, the first-round pick, can move into the lineup. That depends largely on how much Walker improves at left tackle from last season. Morgan fancies himself a left tackle, but he played everywhere on the line except center during the offseason program. Rhyan looks like a good bet to replace the departed Jon Runyan Jr. at right guard, while Tom stays at right tackle for at least another season. Whether he eventually moves to center depends on if Monk, a fifth-round pick, can play that spot if the Packers decide to let Myers walk in free agency next offseason.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, T.J. Slaton, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox Jr.
All 10 players here were on the roster last season, and the Packers didn't make any major additions to this group in free agency or the draft. That doesn't mean there isn't a big difference here. With the switch to a 4-3 scheme, the outside linebackers become defensive ends and will play more with a hand on the ground.
LINEBACKERS (5): Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson, Ty'Ron Hopper
The Packers would like to find a way to squeeze special teams ace Kristian Welch on the roster, but with two high draft picks -- Cooper (second round) and Hopper (third) -- there might not be room.
CORNERBACKS (5): Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine
Stokes is trying to come back from a pair of injury-filled seasons. Given his injury history, the Packers might try to keep a sixth corner. That brings veteran Robert Rochell or rookie seventh-round pick Kalen King into the conversation.
SAFTIES (5): Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard, Anthony Johnson Jr., Evan Williams, Zayne Anderson
Fifth-round picks usually make the roster as rookies, but Kitan Oladapo could be an exception if he can't get caught up after missing the entire offseason program following surgery for a toe injury. Anderson is largely a special-teamer but had a strong offseason on defense.
SPECIALISTS (3): K Anders Carlson, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech
Despite a rough end to his rookie season, Carlson still looks like the best prospect at kicker. The Packers have kept at least one undrafted rookie on their initial 53 for each of the past 19 seasons, and long-snapper Peter Bowden might be the best prospect among this year's rookie free agents. However, the veteran Orzech might be tough to unseat.