GREEN BAY – The Packers reduced their roster to 52 players during the NFL-mandated roster reduction on Tuesday.
After the waiver process concludes on Wednesday, Green Bay can start signing players to its 16-man practice squad. Several players who were released on Tuesday will certainly be among those signings.
Here's how the initial roster for the 2021 season breaks down, position by position, with players kept, released, or given injury/suspension designations.
QB (2): 12 Aaron Rodgers, 10 Jordan Love
Released: 7 Kurt Benkert
RB (3): 33 Aaron Jones, 28 AJ Dillon, 32 Kylin Hill
Released: 22 Dexter Williams, 27 Patrick Taylor
WR (6): 17 Davante Adams, 13 Allen Lazard, 83 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, 18 Randall Cobb, 8 Amari Rodgers, 86 Malik Taylor
Released: 19 Equanimeous St. Brown, 88 Juwann Winfree, 84 Reggie Begelton, 6 Damon Hazelton
TE (4): 89 Marcedes Lewis, 85 Robert Tonyan, 81 Josiah Deguara, 49 Dominique Dafney
Reserve/suspended: 87 Jace Sternberger
Released: 45 Bronson Kaufusi
OL (9): 74 Elgton Jenkins, 77 Billy Turner, 62 Lucas Patrick, 71 Josh Myers, 70 Royce Newman, 76 Jon Runyan, 73 Yosh Nijman, 79 Dennis Kelly, 67 Jake Hanson
Physically unable to perform: 69 David Bakhtiari
Released: 64 Ben Braden, 78 Cole Van Lanen, 65 Coy Cronk, 60 Jacob Capra
DL (6): 97 Kenny Clark, 94 Dean Lowry, 96 Kingsley Keke, 95 Tyler Lancaster, 93 T.J. Slaton, 90 Jack Heflin
Released: 99 Willington Previlon, 98 Carlo Kemp, 72 Abdullah Anderson
OLB (5): 55 Za'Darius Smith, 91 Preston Smith, 52 Rashan Gary, 53 Jonathan Garvin, 47 Chauncey Rivers
Released: 50 Tipa Galea'i, 75 Delontae Scott
ILB (5): 59 De'Vondre Campbell, 51 Krys Barnes, 42 Oren Burks, 44 Ty Summers, 58 Isaiah McDuffie
Released: 57 Ray Wilborn, 46 De'Jon Harris
CB (6): 23 Jaire Alexander, 20 Kevin King, 21 Eric Stokes, 39 Chandon Sullivan, 22 Shemar Jean-Charles, 24 Isaac Yiadom
Released: 48 Kabion Ento, 34 Stephen Denmark, 30 Rojesterman Farris
S (4): 31 Adrian Amos, 26 Darnell Savage, 41 Henry Black, 36 Vernon Scott
Released: 40 Christian Uphoff, 38 Innis Gaines
Spec (2): 2 Mason Crosby, 43 Hunter Bradley
Released: 6 JK Scott, 35 J.J. Molson
Notes:
- The Packers went with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Green Bay has alternated between carrying two and three QBs for the past five years. The team proceeded with only Rodgers and Tim Boyle on the active roster in 2019, and Rodgers and Brett Hundley in 2017.
- Rodgers is the first player in Packers history to make the team's initial roster in 17 consecutive seasons.
- With seventh-round pick Kylin Hill claiming the No. 3 running back job, Green Bay has now gone 24 years without releasing a rookie running back that it drafted during final cuts. The last time it happened was Jerald Sowell in 1997.
- Second-year veteran Malik Taylor prevailed in the hotly contested battle for the sixth spot at receiver. Taylor led the NFL with 185 receiving yards in the preseason. His 14 catches tied for second most behind Los Angeles Rams' second-round pick Tutu Atwell (18).
- It's the fifth straight year the Packers have kept at least nine offensive linemen on their 53. Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins is slated to start at left tackle for at least the first six games after All-Pro David Bakhtiari was placed on the physically unable to perform list.
- When the Packers open the season against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 12, defensive lineman Jack Heflin officially will extend Green Bay's streak to 17 consecutive years of having at least one undrafted rookie on the Week 1 roster. Heflin is the fourth undrafted rookie defensive lineman to make Green Bay's initial 53-man over the past 20 years, joining Mike Pennel (2014), Daniel Muir (2007) and Jason Hunter (2006).
- The Packers have 10 players on their 53-man roster who previously spent time on their practice squad, including tight end Robert Tonyan, receiver Allen Lazard and guard Lucas Patrick.
- Chauncey Rivers, claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Aug. 6, likely earned a roster spot in the Packers' preseason finale against Buffalo. The 6-foot-2, 259-pound linebacker had two QB hits with a sack of Josh Allen for a 10-yard loss.
- The Packers currently have 10 linebackers on the active roster, which would be their most since having 11 in 2014.
- Twelve players on the Packers' 52-man roster entered the NFL as college free agents. The rest of the round-by-round breakdowns are as follows: first round (eight players), second (seven), third (five), fourth (four), fifth (seven), sixth (four) and seventh (five). Eight of Green Bay's nine 2021 draft picks made the 53.
