Five Packers Roster Spots to Keep an Eye On in 2019 | Ticket King Green Bay

The average fan may not realize this, but NFL position battles begin long before Training Camp every year. With that said, here are some position battles to watch regarding the Packers this summer.

Who will be the backup quarterback? When called upon in 2018, DeShone Kizer looked lost. However, it’s a new system and Kizer is a year older. He will have to compete this summer with Tim Boyle, who looked decent last August during the preseason. Manny Wilkens is a long shot to even make the Packers practice squad.

How will the tight ends stack up? By default, Jimmy Graham begins the summer number one of the depth chart. But that could change. We know what Marcedes Lewis is, however second-year former undrafted free agent Robert Tonyan and rookie Jace Sternberger could very well end up one and two on the depth chart by season’s end.

What about the right side of the offensive line? Right now we know that the left tackle will be David Bakhtiari and the center will be Corey Linsley. They are two of the best in the business. We can also assume Billy Turner will be the left guard. The right guard and tackle are anyone’s guess. They have a host of players competing for both spots, too many to name.

Who will be the third wide receiver? Last season, the Packers made a trio of high-ceiling selections in the draft by picking up St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and J’Mon Moore. Brown and Scantling emerged early in 2018, and Moore suffered through a rough rookie season. However, it is way too early to give up on Moore, so all three are in play for the slot receiver in 2019.

Who will be the other defensive end? We know that Kenny Clark will be the nose tackle and Mike Daniels will be one of the defensive ends. Montravius Adams begins the summer as the other defensive end, but that could change. James Looney, Dean Lowry, and rookie Kinglsey Keke are all competing with Adams for that spot.

Packers 53 Man Roster 2019 | Ticket King Green Bay

The player transaction period of the 2019 NFL Off season has come to a close. We’re so incredibly early with our thoughts on who will start for the Packers in 2019, but let’s try to predict how the 53-man roster will stack up.

Quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, DeShone Kizer, Tim Boyle. Cut: Manny Wilkens- For the second straight season, the Packers carry the same three quarterbacks. Wilkens has an uphill battle to unseat another back up, but has a shot at the practice squad.

Running Backs: Aaron Jones, Jamal Williams, Dexter Williams- The Packers have a pair of rising stars in Jones and Jamal Williams. Dexter Williams, the rookie from Notre Dame, will be a nice third down back for them. The team goes into this spring with six men on the roster, four of which will be competing for that third spot.

Fullbacks: Danny Vitale- After last season’s goal line issues, which stemmed from having no fullback, the Packers will carry one this season.

Tight Ends: Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Jace Sternberger - The Packers will carry four tight ends, and the main reason they keep Graham this season is because of his contract. Graham and Lewis will begin the season on the top of the depth chart, but don’t be surprised if Tonyan and Sternberger finish the season 1 and 2 on the depth chart.

Wide Receivers: Davante Adams, Geronimo Allison, Eq. St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, J’Mon Moore, Jake Kumerow - If Mike McCarthy was still the head coach of this team, the Packers might keep Trevor Davis as well, but with this new system, don’t expect them to keep more than six wide receivers.

Offensive Lineman: David Bhaktiari, Billy Turner, Corey Linsley, Cole Madison, Brian Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Lane Taylor, Elgton Jenkins, Justin McCray - Out of all of the position groups, this one will be the hardest to predict. Any of about five different combinations could open the season as the starting five.

Defensive Lineman: Montravius Adams, Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels, Kingsley Keke, Tyler Lancaster, Dean Lowry - The Packers never carry that many defensive linemen, so six sounds about right. Clark, Daniels, and Adams will be the starters.

Linebackers:  Oren Burks, Kendall Donnerson, Kyler Fackrell, Rashan Gary, Reggie Gilbert, Blake Martinez, Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith - First-round draft choice Rashan Gary is being listed as a linebacker, although he might line up a lot as a defensive end during passing situations. Expect Burks to take over inside next to Martinez. Ty Summers ends up on the practice squad.

Cornerbacks: Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Josh Jackson, Ka’Dar Hollman, Tony Brown, Will Redmond - Years ago, Brown and Redmond would not have been kept. But this is a passing league now, so you need all the cornerbacks you can get.

Safeties: Adrian Amos, Josh Jones, Darnell Savage, Raven Greene - These are the four the Packers currently have listed, but do not be surprised if they take a look at other team’s cuts and add to their safety position from that.

Special Teams: Mason Crosby, JK Scott, Hunter Bradley

  

Did the First Gutenkunst Draft Generate Solid Prospects?

The 2019 NFL Draft has come and gone, so let’s jump right in and review the Packers draft. It is safe to say that this was not exactly the most hoped for draft for Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.

Round 1A: Rashan Gary/DE/Michigan-  Of all the options on the table for Gutekunst here, and with no overly pressing need, he elects to go with a player who looks good on paper, but has never played up to his potential? Noah Fant was available, Brian Burns was available, Martez Sweat was available, the best wide receivers were still on the board. Gutekunst could have even traded down. We’ll see if this pick works for the Packers, and there is time, seeing that free agency pick ups will be the first line of defense, literally.  

Round 1B: This one was better, and Gutekunst actually traded up, which was something Ted Thompson would have never done, to select Maryland safety Darnell Savage. Savage was a high riser leading up to the draft, and has speed and ball-hawking skills NFL teams drool over. Expect Savage to start from day one.

Round 2: Elgton Jenkins/OG/Mississippi State- Broncos director of football operations John Elway traded up two spots in front of the Packers to select Lock, so Gutekunst went back to the board and filled a need. The selection of Jenkins and the return of last year’s fourth round selection Cole Madison means that Lane Taylor is pretty much finished in Green Bay.

Round 3: Jace Sternberger/TE/Texas A&M- The Packers could not leave this draft without adding to their tight end position, and Gutekunst added a tremendous athlete with high potential here. Sternberger could grow into an elite player in Gutekunst’s offense.

Round 5: Kinglsey Keke/DT/Texas A&M- Gutekunst went back to College Station and grabbed Keke, a big body who will be a nice rotational piece in Mike Pettine’s version of the 3-4.

Round 6: Dexter Williams/RB/Notre Dame- The Packers needed to add a third running back, specifically for third downs, and they did just that with Williams.

Round 7: Ty Summers/ILB/TCU- With the departure of Clay Matthews, the Packers needed to add depth late in this draft to their inside linebacker position. Summers will probably end up on the practice squad in year one, but this is a long term project.

NFC North Free Agent Moves for 2019 | Ticket King Green Bay

The 2019 NFL Free Agency period is about wrapped up, and many teams made headlines with surprising moves. Before we get to the draft, let’s take a look at what each of the four NFC North teams did in free agency.

Chicago Bears: The Bears top move of free agency was to add former Packers safety Ha-Ha Clinton Dix to shore up their back end. They also added two other players- quarterback Tyler Bray, and wide receiver Marvin Hall for one season each. Other than that they took care of their own in house free agents, bringing back the likes of tight end Ben Braunecker, defensive lineman Nick Williams, and punter Pat O’Donnell.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings entered the offseason with little cap space, but were able to move some money around enough to add running back Ameer Abdullah, then bring back kicker Dan Bailey, linebacker Anthony Barr, and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen. Their big move was to extend wide receiver Adam Thielen to a four year, 64 million dollar contract. At this point, the Vikings don’t have the cap space to sign their draft choices, so it will be interesting to see what kind of voodoo magic Rick Spielman pulls out of his hat to create the space to do so between now and the draft.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers made the biggest headlines in the entire division, and maybe league for that matter, going away from years of staying out of free agency to becoming perhaps it’s biggest players. They made four big moves on March 14, when they added offensive lineman Billy Turner, safety Adrian Amos, plus outside linebackers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith. They released linebackers Nick Perry and Antonio Morrison, and also decided to bring back veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis for 2019.

Detroit Lions: After endless speculation towards the end of the season and into the offseason that they might trade quarterback Matthew Stafford, they elected not to. On March 14 they added offensive lineman Oday Aboushi, safety Andrew Adams, cornerback Justin Coleman, defensive end Trey Flowers and tight end, Jesse James. They also re-signed several players, including cornerback Marcus Cooper.

With free agency settled, it is time for the biggest non-competive sporting event in the world, the NFL draft.

Packers 2019 Mock Draft | Ticket King Inc.

The 2019 NFL Combine has come to a close, so that means it is time for everybody to update their mock drafts.  

Round 1A: Montez Sweat/OLB/Mississippi State- For the first time in a while, the Packers are in a position high enough in the draft where they can get a true impact edge rusher from the top of the draft. Sweat is a monster who will fit like a glove in Mike Pettine’s scheme.

Round 1B: Noah Fant/TE/Iowa- The Packers need to stop kicking the can down the road at the tight end position and they need to get younger, better player. Fant, who is a pass catcher first, but can also block, will fit well in Matt LaFleur’s offense that he is bringing to Green Bay.

Round 2: Nasir Adderley/S/Delaware- Adderley is an athlete from a small school who shot up the boards during the combine, he fits well, he is the grandson of the cousin of Packers Hall of Fame corner back Herb Adderley.

Round 3: Kaleb McGary/OT/Washington- The Packers need to fix the right side of that offensive line via the draft and free agency. McGary has a lot of talent, and could be the Packers right tackle down the road.

Round 4A: Greg Gaines/DL/Washington- Adding depth to the defensive line in the middle rounds of the draft every year is a must. At 6’2” and 316 pounds, Gaines is a big body who could be a nice rotational player up front in Green Bay.

Round 4B: Austin Bryant/OLB/Clemson- This is a selection with massive boom or bust potential. At 6’6”, 280 pounds, Bryant is a heck of an athlete. If Mike Pettine can motivate him to play to his full potential, the Packers just won the lottery.

Round 5: Zach Gentry/TE/Michigan- At 6’8”, 262 pounds, Gentry would be a good fit as a blocker and third tight end.

Round 6A: Antoine Wesley/WR/Texas Tech- The Packers did well last year with their trio of rookie receivers. Now they could add someone behind them. At 6’5”, 200 pounds, Wesley is an intriguing prospect.

Round 6B: Marquise Blair/S/Utah- In addition to a safety high in the draft, they could also use one late. Blair could provide depth and play special teams.

Round 7: Dakota Allen/LB/Texas Tech- to finish the draft, the Packers could add some depth on the inside of the linebacking unit.

Who To Keep on the Packers 2019 Roster | Ticket King Green Bay

With the Patriots 10-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 52, the NFL off season is officially upon us.The first order of business for most teams is deciding who to keep and who to let go. Let’s play “Take em or Trash ‘em” for the Packers.

Clay Matthews/OLB- The “Claymaker” is one of the most beloved Packers ever. But he is a shell of his former self. Simply put, it’s time to let him go.

Randall Cobb/WR- The veteran wide receiver and one of the longest-tenured Packers, Cobb has been one of Rodgers’s favorite targets, when he is has been on the field, and “when” is the key word. Cobb has become injury prone, and with the young receivers they have to back up Davante Adams, bringing him back is simply not worth it.

Muhammed Wilkerson/DE- The Packers had high hopes for Wilkerson last off season when they brought him to Green Bay. He is an ideal fit in Mike Pettine’s defense and played his best years under Pettine in New York. Wilkerson suffered a torn ACL early in the season. Pettine returns as defensive coordinator, and so should Wilkerson.

Bashaud Breeland/CB- The Packers signed Breeland in mid-season to replace Davon House, and Breeland turned out to be a goldmine. The trio of young corners, King, Alexander, and Jackson, did not prove they can do it on their own quite yet, so Breeland’s return is a must.

Lance Kendricks/TE- Kendricks was brought to Green Bay to be the Packers reserve tight end. He has not been very effective. He also does not fit in Matt LaFluer’s offense. Time to let him go.

Robert Tonyan/TE- Tonyan was a 2018 un-drafted free agent, and Brian Gutekunst must have learned something from Ted Thompson about un-drafted free agents, because he hit pay dirt with Tonyan. Keep him.

Geronimo Allison/WR- A former un-drafted free agent out of Illinois, Allison has risen the Packers depth chart to become the new number two. He spent most of the season injured, but still should be brought back.

Reggie Gilbert/LB- Right now, the Packers lack depth at linebacker, and Gilbert will cost nothing. Bring him back, but there is no guarantee he will make the roster.

Kentrell Brice/S- The Packers need to rebuild their safety position from the ground up. Brice is a holdover from an outdated Dom Capers scheme. Time to let him go.

Tramon Williams/S- Mid-season, Williams converted to safety from corner back, both due to need and his diminishing skills as a cover man. But that didn’t pan out. Simply put, Williams needs to move on.  

Jake Ryan/ILB- Ryan, who tore his ACL in Training Camp, should return for one more go, as the Packers really don’t have anyone else inside next to Blake Martinez. Keep him. 

Marcedes Lewis/TE- The one tight end that actually fits the new offense. Lewis could be a mentor to the Packers younger tight ends, some of whom haven’t been drafted yet, but will be in May.

Packers Pick LaFleur as New Head Coach | Ticket King Green Bay

Why did the Green Bay Packers organization pick Matt LaFleur as their new head coach? It’s what he did for two top notch quarterbacks that made him their top choice. Aaron Rodgers may be just a bit off the top of his game, as time creeps forward and the distance between Super Bowl XLV grows greater and greater. Still, he’s one of the best in the league, and the Packers think that LaFleur will revive the spark in Rodgers.

Green Bay football fans all recall the NFC Championship game between the Falcons and Packers.  It was a disaster. That was partially the work of LaFleur, coaching Matt Ryan. The same could be said for Jared Geoff of the Rams, when LaFluer brought the best out of Geoff. Now he’s been given the opportunity to work his magic with the cornerstone of the Green Bay Packers team.

Sure, one could look at the Titans record in 2018, and ask “What are they thinking?” But this pick is more granular. It goes right down to working with one of the best in football, Rodgers. As LaFleur builds his coaching staff in the off season, we’ll get a better picture of how he’s going to manage all those other details. For now, it’s just a huge signal to Packers fans across the nation. This guy is here for “A-Rod.”