It's nice to have a fun preseason game, isn't it? The Pack bounced back 30-7 this past Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens, "setting the standard" as Matt LaFleur put it, from a defensive standpoint. It was objectively very fun defense to watch and one that I'm now certain will look vastly different from recent memory.

While the game was surely enjoyable, the eye test proved out Brian Gutekunst was more aligned with us than we may have thought. The critical camp battles, namely at backup quarterback and kicker, showed that he's going to put together the best roster by any means necessary, recent draft picks or not. Yesterday's final roster cut-downs indicate that the likes of Sean Clifford, Michael Pratt and Anders Carlson just couldn't cut it at their respective spots. The subsequent trade of QB Malik Willis and have-to-think-it's-happening-soon move of adding a kicker to replace Greg Joseph simply show that Gutey's looking everywhere to improve the roster.

So this week, with a trip to Sao Paulo in our sights on the horizon, let's raise up the Periscope and take a look at this initial 53-man roster and pour out a couple for some darlings who will be playing 2024 elsewhere.

The Roster - For Now, At Least

Reviewing the list published by Jersey Al yesterday afternoon, there were certainly a few surprises. Of note, AJ Dillon landing on IR and done for the season, Anthony Johnson Jr. getting cut over Zayne Anderson, and Arron Mosby AND Brenton Cox making it at OLB, to name a few. 

The Dillon news is just a bummer. He's a fan favorite, overall good dude, and looked to be in awesome shape. While his production in the preseason didn't amount to much, it still seemed like he was RB2 even with Emanuel Wilson looking pretty darn good in his stead.

Speaking of looking pretty darn good, I'm shocked about Johnson Jr. getting cut for Anderson. AJJ was a beast in the preseason. A number of highlights, including this past Sunday, had me thinking he was a lock. But, as they say, is why they pay Gutey the big bucks. There's no doubt in my mind the Johnson - Anderson debate wasn't a hard one. And finally, while I thought there was a decent chance Brenton Cox Jr would make it, I thought for sure he was cut when Aaron Mosby made it. So it was quite the shocker when they both made it, but each had solid camps and showed flashes in the games, adding depth to a critical position.

A Few Words on Malik Heath & Bo Melton

While, as of Tuesday evening, the UDFA streak will officially come to an end, I'd be remiss without mentioning, specifically, Malik Heath & Bo Melton (7th rounder, but you get the point). A 2023 UDFA, Heath made the team with tenacious blocking and special teams acumen. With modest regular-season contributions at receiver last year, Heath led the team in receiving in this year's preseason and made the team again. The way he plays is exactly what you want out of a player - high energy, high effort, high nasty. His spot is well earned. 

Same goes for Melton, although not quite a UDFA, as he was picked up mid-season last year, stuck with the team and earned a spot on the 53 this year. His spot seemed a tad shaky with Grant DuBose came on very strong early in camp and to start the preseason. But Melton showcased his impressive speed and receiving ability throughout the dog days of camp, showing why he made such an impact last season. These two round out some impressive depth in the WR room and have a chance to bolster an already strong group.

Now Hiring: Kicker!

I'll admit, I figured Kicker Greg Joseph would be cut before his counterpart Anders Carlson. Not the other way around. So when Carlson was let go, I expected there to be an addition of another kicker, one who'd been let go from another team. And that could still happen at some point today, but for now, Joseph is the kicker after very abruptly falling off as the preseason went on. It's probably the weakest spot on the team and one that is going to lead to some very high blood pressure if Gutekunst stands pat.

The QB Room - Or Lack Thereof

The writing was on the wall yesterday when we saw the news roll in about the Malik Willis trade. Anyone with eyes could see that the backup quarterback was not on the team after the win over Baltimore. While there was optimism with Michael Pratt given his draft value, he was clearly far behind Sean Clifford in the experience area. So it's no surprise Clifford was given the benefit of the doubt. 

Both had their moments, but overall it was clear neither was good enough to be trusted with the job. The news about Clifford being expected back on the Practice Squad feels like a smart move, but one that's merely temporary until Willis gets up to speed. While he didn't quite live up to expectations in Tennessee, there's no denying his talent. That's a fun project for Matt LaFleur and the staff.

In all, this is called the Initial 53 for a reason. There will be changes today that will alter the makeup of that roster. It'll be fluid throughout the year, and there will always be questions around why certain depth guys were kept over others. But the fact is, the Packers are very solid at the starting spots and have an excellent core to work off of as we get rolling into 2024.

Once it dies down a bit later this week, it's all eyes on Brazil and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.