Rank the Roster 2024: #6

[Waldo]

Rank The Roster: 2024 Edition

1. Jordan Love (53%)[+8]
2. Rashan Gary (36%)[+3]
3. Jaire Alexander (48%)[-2]
4. Zach Tom (27%)[+13]
5. Kenny Clark (33%)[-1]
6. Current (xx%)[--]

Percent of vote the winner got will be in parenthesis, position change vs. 2023 will be in brackets.

Here's how this works:

Each day there is a new thread/poll, starting at #1, on down to whereever we get. The whole point of this exercise is to have something to talk about in the lean news months to carry us to camp. Each poll will be open for voting for 24 hours. New threads will only be created on weekdays. Ties will cause a runoff poll. You may vote up to TWO players (a change that was made mid-poll last year, seemed to work well).

Simply voting is not enough!

Post why you voted for who you did and provide a player to add to the next poll (every poll will be a list of 15-20 guys, new players added in bunches every few days).

Here's the thing. There is no criteria. This is an exercise to foster discussion therefore there are no clear criteria for ranking. Who is better right now? Who will have the best season? Who was better last year? Sort of a combo of them all? Do you take positional value into account? It really doesn't matter.

Previous Years:
Rank the Roster: 2023
Rank the Roster: 2022
Rank the Roster: 2021
Rank the Roster: 2020
Rank the Roster: 2014-2019

[Waldo]

Y'all have me sold on Reed vs. Watson, Reed is going to be my #1 pick today.

#2 will go to McKinney.

Next poll I'll add the rds 1-2 rookies.

[Labrev]

McKinney and Jenkins, for reasons already explained.

I think my next vote will go to Josh Jacobs. Some have said that Jacobs was about as dominant in '22 as CMac was as OPOY last year.

I'm not necessarily expecting 2022 production, but I think he will be a dominant force in this offense, and that he's in the team's Top 10.

[TheSkeptic]

No one is ever going to convince me that a great slot WR is more impactful than an above average WR#1. And Watson is a lot more than above average.

Yes, we all know that Watson has had hammy problems. But it seemed last season that he was hardly alone. Specifically Watson, Doubs, Wicks, Melton and Aaron Jones all missed games because of hamstrings last season. We have to assume that this is why the head trainer Chris Gizzi was fired and that this problem is behind the Packers.

But lets not forget that Jenkins had a far more serious injury problem, an ACL and that last season he was never the player he had been before the injury. Specifically he was the 43rd highest rated guard in the NFL. PFF is not the only thing we should be looking at, but lets get honest here, 43 is bad. very bad.

So I vote for #1 Watson first, based upon what he is capable of and based upon the future, not the result of an incompetent head trainer for the last 2 seasons.

#2 is Jacobs. Because RB is the 2nd most important position on the O. Normally there is only 1 RB on the field and he is dammed good.

McKinney, Musgrave and Reed are my next tier.

[Yoop]

McKinney and Jenkins for me too, putting a lot on McKinney, new scheme, new coach, but he has the ability to adapt.

Jenkins is just to consistent, played through a injury to start and ended up ranked 8th in pass pro of all guards

Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler again in 2022. He was shut out of postseason honors this year, but that doesn’t mean Jenkins didn’t play to his typical standard.

According to PFF, 58 guards had 50 percent playing time. Jenkins finished eighth in its pass-blocking efficiency with zero sacks and 23 total pressures. He yielded three sacks and 17 pressures in 2022.

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/gra ... 0in%202022.

[APB]

Second verse, same as the first!

McKinney and Jacobs, again...

[TheSkeptic]

McKinney and Jenkins for me too, putting a lot on McKinney, new scheme, new coach, but he has the ability to adapt.

Jenkins is just to consistent, played through a injury to start and ended up ranked 8th in pass pro of all guards

Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler again in 2022. He was shut out of postseason honors this year, but that doesn’t mean Jenkins didn’t play to his typical standard.

According to PFF, 58 guards had 50 percent playing time. Jenkins finished eighth in its pass-blocking efficiency with zero sacks and 23 total pressures. He yielded three sacks and 17 pressures in 2022.

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/gra ... 0in%202022.

According to EPSN, he was ranked 16th in the league for guards and centers in pass blocking. Behind Lucas Patrick and Josh Myers who were tied for 14th.

I see that you copied from Packers Central but you kind of cherry picked. Here is the complete evaluation.

Position rank: 12th among guards, according to OverTheCap.com.

Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler again in 2022. He was shut out of postseason honors this year, but that doesn’t mean Jenkins didn’t play to his typical standard.

According to PFF, 58 guards had 50 percent playing time. Jenkins finished eighth in its pass-blocking efficiency with zero sacks and 23 total pressures. He yielded three sacks and 17 pressures in 2022. Among guards, only the Steelers’ Isaac Seumalo played more snaps without allowing a sack this year. On run plays, SIS charged him with eight blown blocks (2.3 percent) and a career-worst five stuffs (1.4 percent tackle at or behind the line). Three of his five penalties were for holding.

Jenkins, who played hurt for a big chunk of the season, has grown into a leader of the group. His steady personality helped ease the transition to Walker at left tackle. His cap charges will soar to $14.4 million in 2024, $17.6 million in 2025 and $24.8 million in 2026. A restructure seems likely to at least deal with the $5.1 million roster bonus that’s due at the start of the league-year.

Grade: B-minus.

For reference, Tom got a grade of A+. Walker and Myers got a B. Jenkins got the B- and Runyan got a C+

[Yoop]

McKinney and Jenkins for me too, putting a lot on McKinney, new scheme, new coach, but he has the ability to adapt.

Jenkins is just to consistent, played through a injury to start and ended up ranked 8th in pass pro of all guards

Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler again in 2022. He was shut out of postseason honors this year, but that doesn’t mean Jenkins didn’t play to his typical standard.

According to PFF, 58 guards had 50 percent playing time. Jenkins finished eighth in its pass-blocking efficiency with zero sacks and 23 total pressures. He yielded three sacks and 17 pressures in 2022.

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/gra ... 0in%202022.

According to EPSN, he was ranked 16th in the league for guards and centers in pass blocking. Behind Lucas Patrick and Josh Myers who were tied for 14th.

I see that you copied from Packers Central but you kind of cherry picked. Here is the complete evaluation.

Position rank: 12th among guards, according to OverTheCap.com.

Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler again in 2022. He was shut out of postseason honors this year, but that doesn’t mean Jenkins didn’t play to his typical standard.

According to PFF, 58 guards had 50 percent playing time. Jenkins finished eighth in its pass-blocking efficiency with zero sacks and 23 total pressures. He yielded three sacks and 17 pressures in 2022. Among guards, only the Steelers’ Isaac Seumalo played more snaps without allowing a sack this year. On run plays, SIS charged him with eight blown blocks (2.3 percent) and a career-worst five stuffs (1.4 percent tackle at or behind the line). Three of his five penalties were for holding.

Jenkins, who played hurt for a big chunk of the season, has grown into a leader of the group. His steady personality helped ease the transition to Walker at left tackle. His cap charges will soar to $14.4 million in 2024, $17.6 million in 2025 and $24.8 million in 2026. A restructure seems likely to at least deal with the $5.1 million roster bonus that’s due at the start of the league-year.

Grade: B-minus.

For reference, Tom got a grade of A+. Walker and Myers got a B. Jenkins got the B- and Runyan got a C+

I went off SI and over the cap to come to my opinion, plus other articles that said Jenkins played through injury the first part of the season, which would explain the struggles with run blocking I think, which makes it tougher to give him a straight B grade.

when it comes to OL grades, consideration must be emphasized the amount of combo blocking that can alter or enhance these grades, most here it seems consider Myers a handicap, yet he gets graded higher then Jenkins, my contention is that Myers benefited greatly from the assistance of his Guards, same way Walker ( who's greatest pass pro skill is pushing edge rusher wide and around the arc) benefited as Jenkins shed the combo in time to close the C gap counters.

imo a healthy Jenkins last season and he'd went back to PB in 2023 and expect him to this season

[NCF]

Not going to exert a bunch of effort to sway votes, but just for the record, my WR pecking order is Wicks, Watson, Reed, and Doubs. I'd say I feel strongest about the first three, but I cannot in good faith say Doubs belongs in the basement. I think the degree of separation is miniscule. I hope Wicks and Reed continue to climb and I hope Watson bounces back. Doubs is what he is and that is a great guy to have at 4th in the pecking order. I imagine many will not agree with that placement. I like Reed a lot, but I also think he and Doubs are the most maxed out, while, at this point, I think Wicks has the highest ceiling... even higher than Watson. Also, while I am at it, Kraft is TE1.

[Acrobat]

Not going to exert a bunch of effort to sway votes, but just for the record, my WR pecking order is Wicks, Watson, Reed, and Doubs. I'd say I feel strongest about the first three, but I cannot in good faith say Doubs belongs in the basement. I think the degree of separation is miniscule. I hope Wicks and Reed continue to climb and I hope Watson bounces back. Doubs is what he is and that is a great guy to have at 4th in the pecking order. I imagine many will not agree with that placement. I like Reed a lot, but I also think he and Doubs are the most maxed out, while, at this point, I think Wicks has the highest ceiling... even higher than Watson. Also, while I am at it, Kraft is TE1.

I agree with you but think Watson and Reed could be interchangeable. I also think Reed could become the best WR by a mile depending on how he develops. And yeah, if Doubs is our 4th best...after what he did to the Cowboys, we're in good shape.

[go pak go]

Not going to exert a bunch of effort to sway votes, but just for the record, my WR pecking order is Wicks, Watson, Reed, and Doubs. I'd say I feel strongest about the first three, but I cannot in good faith say Doubs belongs in the basement. I think the degree of separation is miniscule. I hope Wicks and Reed continue to climb and I hope Watson bounces back. Doubs is what he is and that is a great guy to have at 4th in the pecking order. I imagine many will not agree with that placement. I like Reed a lot, but I also think he and Doubs are the most maxed out, while, at this point, I think Wicks has the highest ceiling... even higher than Watson. Also, while I am at it, Kraft is TE1.

It is a fascinating discussion for sure.

I believe each WR this year will have their "stretch" of dominance and then kind of disappearance.

You also have a giant fat wildcard in Bo Melton. He could easily fall in line as your #5 or just blow up and be our massive playmaker. It's truly a fascinating group.

[Labrev]

Yeah I think a big part of the reason why I am unwilling to vote Watson or Reed for that matter here is not that they do not have a case, but because I am having a really tough time making any kind of projection on who is #1-4 at WR. Reed seems like the most safe bet because he is the best mix of talent and reliability, but any of him, Watson, Wicks, or Doubs could plausibly be our most productive receiver next year. I think I might have to vote for them as a bloc around the borderline of #10.

[APB]

My thoughts on the WRs as it relates to this ranking exercise is mixed.

There's a part of me that believes any of the top four WRs (Watson, Wicks, Reed, Doubs) belong in the discussion from a talent and potential value added perspective. It's a no-brainer, they're that good of players. The only question is their specific order of value, consistency, and contribution in any given week.

Then there's a part of me that believes the current makeup of the WR room could also render any one of them as a marginal contributor in any given week. It's hard to imagine any one of them as a "gotta be in the lineup" type player. None of them, singularly, make this offense go. That's part of what makes it difficult for me to rank them against one another, let alone the rest of the roster.

I can, in my mind, make the argument that an injury amongst any number of other position groups, i.e. TE, OL, CB, LB, S will be of greater consequence than if there's an injured player from the WR group. The offense will still go, in other words. So from a "value" perspective, where do they belong?

[Madcity_matt]

Xavier and Jacobs. Youve convinced me to knock Watson down a touch, but its getting close for him regardless. Then probably Jenkins

[APB]

For those still pushing Jenkins or Watson/any WR over McKinney, check out what Hafley had to say about him today:

This guy is gonna be a player for the Packers, and then some, just as he was for the NYG. The fact some of you see an IOL as more valuable or impactful is hilarious.

[TheSkeptic]

Question for people. If Kraft is as good as many say (including me) and Musgrave is a freak athlete who runs past LB's and overpowers DB's and can't be stopped except with double coverage, Aren't the Packers going to play a lot of double TE formations? Even Sims has starting potential.

And where does that leave Reed? Competing with Doubs for WR#2?

[TheSkeptic]

I went off SI and over the cap to come to my opinion, plus other articles that said Jenkins played through injury the first part of the season, which would explain the struggles with run blocking I think, which makes it tougher to give him a straight B grade.

when it comes to OL grades, consideration must be emphasized the amount of combo blocking that can alter or enhance these grades, most here it seems consider Myers a handicap, yet he gets graded higher then Jenkins, my contention is that Myers benefited greatly from the assistance of his Guards, same way Walker ( who's greatest pass pro skill is pushing edge rusher wide and around the arc) benefited as Jenkins shed the combo in time to close the C gap counters.

imo a healthy Jenkins last season and he'd went back to PB in 2023 and expect him to this season

So you are voting on what you think will be rather than what has been in last season because of playing hurt. Fair enough. I am doing the same with Watson.

[APB]

Side note: once McKinney comes off the board today, as it looks like he will, Wicks needs to be added. He is every bit in the conversation for top WR as the others. If that means removing somebody like potential #3 RB Dillon, potential #3 CB Stokes, or the recovering Enagbare, so be it.

[TheSkeptic]

Side note: once McKinney comes off the board today, as it looks like he will, Wicks needs to be added. He is every bit in the conversation for top WR as the others. If that means removing somebody like potential #3 RB Dillon, potential #3 CB Stokes, or the recovering Enagbare, so be it.

I can see taking Dillon and Slayton and Myers off. None are guaranteed to be starters. Baring injury neither Dillon or TJ will start a single game or play the majority of snaps. Not sure if Stokes is #2 or #3 CB and we won't know this until September. So far as we know, Enagbare is healthy as he did not have ACL surgery after all.

Cooper is likely to start just like Quay Walker did. I think McDuffie is limited athletically and you don't want to be going into the playoffs with McDuffie. So he needs to be in the list. Maybe Bullard too as he could start either in the slot or at safety