Packers predictions: Seven wide receivers make 53-man roster

Here’s a look at why seven wide receivers could make the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster.

This week, the Green Bay Packers will cut down the roster to 53 players. There will be a number of difficult decisions for general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur to make. One of those decisions will be at wide receiver.

Aaron Rodgers recently spoke about the team’s depth at receiver, but the Packers will now need to decide which players make the roster, and who misses out.

The injury to Equanimeous St. Brown makes the decision all the more complicated. He might not be able to play for a while — ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported he could miss six weeks — but would need to be part of the initial 53-man roster before he can be placed on injured reserve.

Here’s how I think they’ll get around that problem — the Packers will keep seven wide receivers on the roster, then place St. Brown on IR to leave them with six.

Davante Adams. Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Geronimo Allison. Jake Kumerow. St. Brown (to be placed on IR). That’s five of the seven.

One of the final spots will go to Trevor Davis, who has played well this summer. His roster spot was under threat while he was out with injury and Darrius Shepherd stepped up in his place, but Davis’ return last week and five-catch, 78-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Oakland Raiders showed why he deserves a roster spot.

The final spot will go to either Shepherd or Allen Lazard. You can make a case for either receiver being part of this offense, and we can’t rule out the possibility of both making the team. But I think the slight edge goes to Lazard.

Lazard has caught six passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in preseason. Aaron Rodgers went out of his way to praise him, which is a good sign.

Shepherd, too, has been great during the preseason, but I think he’ll just miss out. That’s if the Packers keep seven receivers, of course. If they decide to go with an eighth, which they did last year, keeping Shepherd would make perfect sense.

Which WRs do you think will make the roster?