The Green Bay Packers didn't make a blockbuster move to trade for Trey Hendrickson or sign Joey Bosa, but they did upgrade their pass rush.
Green Bay doubled down on pass-rushers on Day 3 of the draft, landing Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver. While it piles pressure on former first-rounder Lukas Van Ness, who has failed to deliver through two seasons, he is in no danger of losing his roster spot.
The same can't be said for Brenton Cox Jr., a former second-team All-SEC with Florida who signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
Cox had seemingly become a contributor in Jeff Hafley's defense following the Preston Smith trade last season. Green Bay should find a way to keep Cox, who made four sacks and seven quarterback hits in seven games, but the Packers' recent moves tell a different story.
Packers' offseason moves could foreshadow a Brenton Cox Jr. mistake
Cox showed enough in half a season to deserve more opportunities. He even ate into Van Ness' snap counts late last year.
However, it's fair to question his chances of making the 53-man roster, considering where things currently stand.
Rashan Gary and Van Ness are roster locks, and despite his inconsistent production, Kingsley Enagbare likely makes the 53. We can add in draft picks Sorrell and Oliver — the former may prove to be a draft-day steal, while the latter is expected to play as a designated pass-rusher in Hafley's system.
The Packers may only keep five edge-rushers on the initial roster. Even if they make room for six, Cox will have to win a competition with Arron Mosby, who starred in the preseason and played a similar percentage of defensive snaps to Cox down the stretch last year.
And that's assuming the team doesn't sign a veteran like Jadeveon Clowney.
Cox deserves a spot on the 53-man roster. He was arguably the Packers' best and most consistent pass-rusher for a stretch late last season. But considering the current depth chart after adding Sorrell and Oliver, the former undrafted free agent must once again prove himself, beginning at this week's OTAs.