6 past draft picks at risk of being cut by the Packers

Brian Gutekunst values his draft picks . After all, picking young players and developing them is the base of the Green Bay Packers' roster-building philosophy. At the same time, the high amount of total picks the Packers had over the last three seasons (leading the NFL) forces some eventual tough decisions.

There isn't space on the 53-man roster for everybody, and some past draft picks might end up being released by the end of the preseason. Let's discuss six players who might not make the team in September.

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AJ Dillon

The 2020 second-round pick wasn't expected to re-sign with the Packers this offseason, but his market was colder than anticipated. So, Green Bay brought him back on a four-year qualifying offer — which is essentially a veteran minimum for salary cap purposes.

But that type of contract doesn't secure him a roster spot. The Packers signed Josh Jacobs to a four-year deal, and he's expected to be the long-term starter. But beyond that, they also drafted MarShawn Lloyd in the third round. At this point, Dillon is basically fighting for a roster spot with Emanuel Wilson, a former undrafted player who shined in last year's preseason. And if Dillon keeps the low productivity he's had over the last two years, him beating out Wilson is far from a guarantee.

Samori Toure and Grant DuBose

Toure and DuBose were seventh-round picks in back-to-back years. The former made the team in 2022 and 2023, but didn't produce much in his first two seasons in the league. Last year, he lost reps to Bo Melton and wasn't cut because he ended up on the injured reserve. DuBose spent his rookie season on the practice squad, and if he doesn't make a leap in year 2, there's a good chance he will end up there again in 2024.

Royce Newman

A fourth-round pick in 2021, Newman has had a strange career in the NFL. In his first season, he started most of the year as a right guard and played ok. But he has severely regressed since, being almost unplayable in 2023 — he finished up the season with a 44.3 PFF grade.

To make things worse, Newman achieved the proven performance escalator based on his playing time, so his 2024 salary jumped to $3.24 million. The dead money is $124k, and therefore the most likely scenario is a release to open up significant cap space.

Jonathan Ford

A seventh-round pick in 2022, Ford made the 53-man roster but was inactive for the entire season. Last year, he spent all the season on the practice squad. That means despite being a draft pick and playing at a decent level as a run stuffer during preseason games, he hasn't played regular season snaps in the NFL.

The Packers have a strong depth on the defensive line, and Jeff Hafley's scheme should use fewer interior players — because the base defense has three off-ball linebackers instead of three defensive linemen. In this scenario, it's difficult to foresee a path for him to make the team.

Anders Carlson

Carlson is favored to make the team, even after struggling as a sixth-round rookie last year. But the , and the Packers have added veteran Greg Joseph and rookie James Turner to battle for the job throughout training camp and preseason.

In order for Carlson to keep his job, he will have to improve his consistency — especially in extra points. So, while practice is important, preseason games will have a particularly important role in the Packers' final decision.

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