Packers Huddle

*Reminder that you can make 2 votes now*

Rank The Roster: 2021 Edition

1. Aaron Rodgers (65%)[--]
2. Davante Adams (65%)[+2]
3. Jaire Alexander (59%)[+4]
4. David Bakhtiari (83%)[+1]
5. Kenny Clark (40%)[+1]
6. Za'Darius Smith (45%)[-4]
7. Aaron Jones (57%)[-4]
8. Elgton Jenkins (65%)[+1]
9. Adrian Amos (48%)[+2]
10. Rashan Gary (48%)[+7]
11. Darnell Savage (79%)[+3]
12. Robert Tonyan (46%)[+26]
13. Billy Turner (41%)[+10]
14. Preston Smith (36%)[-6]
15. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (38%)[+13]
16. AJ Dillon (40%)[+5]
17. Krys Barnes (42%)[+26]
18. Kevin King (40%)[-8]
19. Josh Myers (39%)[R]
20. Eric Stokes (38%)[R]
21. Alan Lazard (40%)[-3]
22. Kingsley Keke (27%*)[+11]
23. Amari Rodgers (21%)[R]
24. Jordan Love (24%)[+12]
25. Dean Lowry (26%)[-6]
26. Current (xx%)[--]

Percent of vote the winner got will be in parenthesis, position change vs. 2020 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.

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 10 guys, a new player is added to the list each day).

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: 2020
Rank the Roster: 2014-2019

Mercedes Lewis.

Jon Runyan and Chandon Sullivan.

Hard to decide, lots of guys here who likely are in line for a lot of snaps (e.g. Sullivan, Funchess, Lewis, Deguara) or have some plausible path to the starting lineup (e.g. Martin, Patrick/Newman/Runyan). The "possible starter" candidates are risky though because they could end up playing very little or not at all.

Sully gets my first vote, he's a quasi-starting player who we can be assured will get a fair number of snaps early on. I think he is more likely to hold onto playing time than King. I have kind of been flip-flopping between Newman and Martin for #2; Newman looks like the favorite to start RG right now.

I think Sullivan will get a lot of reps in the slot, he's probably better here then anyone not named Alexander.

it's time to push for Lewis again, I voted for him a few slots back, no one felt he deserved that slot, maybe he'll have a chance now, he's just to big a part of the run game to leave out.

I voted for Runyan and Newman

Both have a 50+% chance of starting and it is possible they both start. In my mind a 50% chance of starting is more valuable than a blocking TE who might very well play 10% of the snaps, or less. Or even be cut.

Also, the lack of a capable swing OT is why the Packers did not get to the SB last season. If Newman is that swing backup he is a lot more valuable than most backups

Despite everything, Sternberger is still the #2 TE. The slot CB and ILB are open positions that several players could take.

TheSkeptic wrote: ↑

21 Jun 2021 21:26

Both have a 50+% chance of starting and it is possible they both start. In my mind a 50% chance of starting is more valuable than a blocking TE who might very well play 10% of the snaps, or less. Or even be cut.

I just don't get where your assumptions come from? Lewis played a significant role last year. MLF continues to man crush on the guy and the Packers gave him the biggest pay day of his Packer career last year on a two year contract.

Everything in reality goes against your wording of "a blocking TE who may play 10% of the snaps"

TheSkeptic wrote: ↑

21 Jun 2021 21:26

I voted for Runyan and Newman

Both have a 50+% chance of starting and it is possible they both start. In my mind a 50% chance of starting is more valuable than a blocking TE who might very well play 10% of the snaps, or less. Or even be cut.

Also, the lack of a capable swing OT is why the Packers did not get to the SB last season. If Newman is that swing backup he is a lot more valuable than most backups

Despite everything, Sternberger is still the #2 TE. The slot CB and ILB are open positions that several players could take.

sternberger isn't even a quality #3 TE, Lewis had over twice the snap count, and was on the field for over 40% of the plays, the only TE with a higher % was Tonyan, and if Dabney takes a leap this will be Sternbergers last season in G&G, Lewis is a sure thing, both those Guards you like are not.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... counts.htm

It would take quite a leap for Sternberger to have a bigger role than Lewis OR Deguara. He's fighting to make the team more than he's fighting for a role.

Now, people coulda said the same thing about Tonyan last year. But I always liked Tonyan and I never liked Sterny, so I'm giving him less benefit of the doubt.

I also can't understand how Runyan is in the running for the lead while Patrick has 0 votes. To me, they are even. They are each about 60/40 for playing a starting role over the course of the season, and part of that is mutually exclusive. To me, they should be about even on this poll for this year. I get having a preference one way or the other. But with 7 guys catching votes, Runyan being among the leaders and Patrick getting 0 just baffles me.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 09:38

I also can't understand how Runyan is in the running for the lead while Patrick has 0 votes. To me, they are even. They are each about 60/40 for playing a starting role over the course of the season, and part of that is mutually exclusive. To me, they should be about even on this poll for this year. I get having a preference one way or the other. But with 7 guys catching votes, Runyan being among the leaders and Patrick getting 0 just baffles me.

I keep voting for Patrick and then taking my vote off because I'm the only one and I want my vote to count, but I agree. I have a really hard time seeing Patrick not starting this year, especially early in the year.


Voting for Sullivan and Lewis.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 09:34

It would take quite a leap for Sternberger to have a bigger role than Lewis OR Deguara. He's fighting to make the team more than he's fighting for a role.

Now, people coulda said the same thing about Tonyan last year. But I always liked Tonyan and I never liked Sterny, so I'm giving him less benefit of the doubt.

Our "TEs" are of 3 different types, almost different positions, so it's hard to put them in simple TE1, TE2, TE3, etc -order.

Tonyan is TE1, the catching/all-around TE. Sterny is his backup due to similar athletic makeup. So you COULD call him TE2, but he's likely to play less snaps than Deguara or Lewis. Sternberger has to start realizing his potential, he can't be invisible in year 3.

Lewis is an extra OL, and Dafney is kinda his backup. Since LaFleur loves his running game, Lewis may play 2nd most snaps outta the TEs.

Deguara is a H-back/FB/TE. Could call him FB1, but he'd probably prefer to be considered a TE, since FBs don't get paid. I personally think of him as a receiving FB.

Yeah I don't get the complete love for Runyan.

I feel like it is the ole fall victim to "rookie gets in and doesn't make a fool of himself therefore he must be amazing"

I remember when Don Barclay was adored by Packers fans too because he was our awesome swing tackle where the stage wasn't too big for him. I'm taking a waitsy on Runyan.

salmar80 wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 10:00

Our "TEs" are of 3 different types, almost different positions, so it's hard to put them in simple TE1, TE2, TE3, etc -order.

Tonyan is TE1, the catching/all-around TE. Sterny is his backup due to similar athletic makeup. So you COULD call him TE2, but he's likely to play less snaps than Deguara or Lewis. Sternberger has to start realizing his potential, he can't be invisible in year 3.

Lewis is an extra OL, and Dafney is kinda his backup. Since LaFleur loves his running game, Lewis may play 2nd most snaps outta the TEs.

Deguara is a H-back/FB/TE. Could call him FB1, but he'd probably prefer to be considered a TE, since FBs don't get paid. I personally think of him as a receiving FB.

nice summary and since MLF is happy to put 2 or 3 TE's on the field at the same time, there should be plenty of snaps to go around. Lewis is the in line blocker, while Deguara is the best blocker on the move in open space. And I can't believe you omitted my guy, Bronson Kaufusi - being trained as Marcedes Lewis' replacement ( 6'6" 265 lbs)

salmar80 wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 10:00

Our "TEs" are of 3 different types, almost different positions, so it's hard to put them in simple TE1, TE2, TE3, etc -order.

Tonyan is TE1, the catching/all-around TE. Sterny is his backup due to similar athletic makeup. So you COULD call him TE2, but he's likely to play less snaps than Deguara or Lewis. Sternberger has to start realizing his potential, he can't be invisible in year 3.

Lewis is an extra OL, and Dafney is kinda his backup. Since LaFleur loves his running game, Lewis may play 2nd most snaps outta the TEs.

Deguara is a H-back/FB/TE. Could call him FB1, but he'd probably prefer to be considered a TE, since FBs don't get paid. I personally think of him as a receiving FB.

Agree and disagree.

Agree, Tonyan is TE1 and Sternberger would take a ton of his snaps were an injury to occur.

I agree that Lewis is a big blocker and "extra TE" and an in-line guy, but disagree with Daffney being his second.

Deguara and Daffney are the same role--the H-back/FB/TE role. I don't think we have a secondary blocking type like Lewis, honestly. If Lewis goes down, we're gonna put Deguara and Sterny in-line more, but neither replaces him. That's why we give a 28-year old a 2-year contract. No replacement. The PS guys might be training for it. And Sternberger's best shot at making the roster is if he can be Tonyan AND Lewis' back-up. Deguara and Daffney can block, but in-line isn't their ideal. Deguara, if he wants to be worth it, needs to be able to develop his in-line game better, but he'll have a role either way.

But Daffney is 6'2" 235. He's not filling any sort of in-line blocker role as a fulltime profile.

I'm fine with who everyone else is voting for. But I'm going to do Martin and Shemar now until the end of time. I know I'll be the only one to vote for Shemar, but I'm sticking to my guns that he's going to impress and contribute more than people think he will.

If I had 3 it would be Martin, Patrick, Runyan.

go pak go wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 10:12

Yeah I don't get the complete love for Runyan.

I feel like it is the ole fall victim to "rookie gets in and doesn't make a fool of himself therefore he must be amazing"

I remember when Don Barclay was adored by Packers fans too because he was our awesome swing tackle where the stage wasn't too big for him. I'm taking a waitsy on Runyan.

Don Barclay was a very good lineman until he injured his knee. He was never the same afterwards. His situation is not relevant to Runyan

TheSkeptic wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 13:10

go pak go wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 10:12

Yeah I don't get the complete love for Runyan.

I feel like it is the ole fall victim to "rookie gets in and doesn't make a fool of himself therefore he must be amazing"

I remember when Don Barclay was adored by Packers fans too because he was our awesome swing tackle where the stage wasn't too big for him. I'm taking a waitsy on Runyan.

Don Barclay was a very good lineman until he injured his knee. He was never the same afterwards. His situation is not relevant to Runyan

I think the bigger thing is nobody's situation is relevant to Runyan. We just have no information on Runyan.

At this point he is a 6th round selection going into his 2nd season who saw limited snaps his rookie year who at the least didn't embarrass himself but the film reviews showed he did have negative plays and the Packers seemed to always find ways to "not" play him when conventional wisdom said they would (I remember the week leading up to the Eagles game).

That's pretty much all we know right now. Certainly Mercedes Lewis is at a higher place of relevance and dependence at least at this stage. The Packers don't throw that kind of money at Lewis unless they plan to use him heavily again.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 11:31

salmar80 wrote: ↑

22 Jun 2021 10:00

Our "TEs" are of 3 different types, almost different positions, so it's hard to put them in simple TE1, TE2, TE3, etc -order.

Tonyan is TE1, the catching/all-around TE. Sterny is his backup due to similar athletic makeup. So you COULD call him TE2, but he's likely to play less snaps than Deguara or Lewis. Sternberger has to start realizing his potential, he can't be invisible in year 3.

Lewis is an extra OL, and Dafney is kinda his backup. Since LaFleur loves his running game, Lewis may play 2nd most snaps outta the TEs.

Deguara is a H-back/FB/TE. Could call him FB1, but he'd probably prefer to be considered a TE, since FBs don't get paid. I personally think of him as a receiving FB.

Agree and disagree.

Agree, Tonyan is TE1 and Sternberger would take a ton of his snaps were an injury to occur.

I agree that Lewis is a big blocker and "extra TE" and an in-line guy, but disagree with Daffney being his second.

Deguara and Daffney are the same role--the H-back/FB/TE role. I don't think we have a secondary blocking type like Lewis, honestly. If Lewis goes down, we're gonna put Deguara and Sterny in-line more, but neither replaces him. That's why we give a 28-year old a 2-year contract. No replacement. The PS guys might be training for it. And Sternberger's best shot at making the roster is if he can be Tonyan AND Lewis' back-up. Deguara and Daffney can block, but in-line isn't their ideal. Deguara, if he wants to be worth it, needs to be able to develop his in-line game better, but he'll have a role either way.

But Daffney is 6'2" 235. He's not filling any sort of in-line blocker role as a fulltime profile.

Good catch on Daffney, I though he was bigger for some reason.

[mention]BSA[/mention] astutely mentioned Bronson Kayfusi as one Marcedes backup candidate, and we also have Isaac Nauta fits that bill.