Roster cutdown day is fast approaching, leaving Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst with painful decisions.
One final preseason hurdle stands in the way of surprise standouts clinching roster spots and former draft picks missing out completely. The latter takes our attention today. Gutekunst isn't a fan of moving on from his draft picks, but he has been forced into making those decisions when necessary.
There's still one more preseason audition to come, but it's looking increasingly likely that these former draft picks won't make the 53-man roster a week from now.
There may not be room on the Packers' 53-man roster for three former draft picks
Sean Clifford, QB
A year ago, Sean Clifford took part in a quarterback battle that had no winner. Neither he nor rookie Michael Pratt won the No. 2 job, with the Packers preferring to trade for Malik Willis. The move relegated Clifford to the practice squad.
Green Bay has since added rookie quarterback Taylor Elgersma, who put in an impressive performance in the preseason win over Indianapolis. He is far from perfect, which isn't surprising for an inexperienced rookie who played college football in Canada. Not only is he adjusting to the speed of the NFL, but also a narrower field with different dimensions.
Still, the Packers know what they have in Clifford in his third season. Elgersma has the potential to become a backup quarterback with some time to develop on the practice squad.
Clifford had a solid preseason performance against the Colts, but his time in Green Bay could be coming to an end. Elgersma has the talent to eventually become the No. 2 if Willis departs in free agency next offseason, and the Packers may bank on his potential.
Jacob Monk, OL
Jacob Monk is having a preseason to forget. Rewind three months, and the second-year offensive lineman was playing first-team reps as the backup center to Elgton Jenkins, who missed the offseason program.
Now, he may not even make the roster.
"Jacob Monk is teetering dangerously close to going from C1 with Elgton Jenkins holding out to straight up off the team," writes Peter Bukowski of The Leap.
Bukowski makes a great point. Monk had the inside track to becoming the Packers' No. 2 center behind Jenkins. That ship has sailed. Green Bay has made it crystal clear that Sean Rhyan is the backup. If Jenkins goes down, Rhyan will presumably slide from right guard to center.
And Monk may have played his way off the roster entirely. Per Pro Football Focus, he has allowed one sack, one hit, and five pressures in two preseason contests while also being called for three penalties.
The only reason he might make the roster is the Packers' painfully thin depth at the interior positions. They may have nobody else. But Gutekunst could search for help via free agency or a trade, as he did last year when he traded for Willis to back up Jordan Love and signed Brayden Narveson to kick.
Micah Robinson, CB
Gutekunst doesn't like to cut draft picks, and that gives rookie cornerback Micah Robinson an outside chance. However, if the Packers had to trim the roster to 53 players today, it's difficult to envision a scenario where Robinson makes it.
Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Carrington Valentine make up the top three. That's set. Bo Melton seems almost certain to make the roster and is likely the CB4 as things stand.
It's also notable how little preseason action Corey Ballentine has played since returning to Green Bay only two weeks ago, a sign he is part of their regular-season plans. The Packers know they can trust Ballentine as a core special teams player and backup on defense. He has seven career starts with the Packers.
If Melton and Ballentine are in, that takes the tally to five. And that may be it. Safety Javon Bullard can also take on slot duties, effectively giving the Packers a sixth cornerback option.
Robinson has had a quiet camp and preseason, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he hasn't stood out as a must-have on the 53-man roster. The seventh-rounder is a perfect candidate to spend a season on the practice squad.