Time to move on from Adams, regardless of his draft pedigree. If the guy is driving around without insurance and proper registration, you have to wonder what's going on upstairs. Besides, he only played in 18% of the snaps--is that supposed to be impressive? Let's give the opportunity to someone else.

Of these matchups, DL and ILB are going to be the only positions that see any meaningful playing time barring a significant injury. Let's hope some competition raises the play of everyone above them too!

Good overview Maggie. I am wondering what changes we will see to Pettine's scheme, countering the offensive game planning that will challenge his use of hybrid player's inline. There is a lot of mad science in that man...

Good article Maggie,

Here's my take:

*DL - I like Adams over Hester as it is Adams contract year and they have three years invested in him. Lancaster is a nice kid that I think may be beat out by Willis the kid from Miami who was a force at the U.
*Edge - I am expecting a good battle here with Tim Williams emerging, he was terrific at Alabama and was a former 3rd round draft choice by the Ravens and known well by the Packers front office and coaching staff. I also expect UDFA Delonte Scott to make a surprise push for the 53 but most likely will end up on the practice squad.
*ILB - Martin and Summers will have a good old fashioned "battle royale"battle along with Bolton and Burks to be one of the three ILB's besides Kirksey. I love what Summers is all about but Martin is a superior talent and I believe he will end up ahead of Summers for a spot while Summers remains a special teams stalwart.
*CB - At Corner the battle between Dequoy and Samuels will be a fun one to follow. Dequoy has mad physical attributes however, I have watched his film and I just don't see anything outstanding. Dequoy also is coming from Canada and is 25 already which factors against him. Samuel's ran a 4.65 which was alarming, but if you watch his film this kid is super aggressive, competitive and always seems to be around the ball, he's a football player!
Samuel is one of my favorite UDFA's this year! I also expect a big step from Kadar Hollman and a surprise push from K. Ento.
*S - Redmond was mostly solid this past season where he had his up's and downs but was a contributor in the defensive backfield. Scott was one of those "they drafted who?" guys in the 7th round. If he hangs around i think it will be on the very fringe 53 as a special teams guy, but most likely on the practice squad. I give Redmond the edge because he is a versatile veteran as opposed to a versatile rookie.

Thank you, that...is...all...

Nice pre-camp roster review. For the first time in a long time, I'm seeing depth at virtually all defensive positions sans DL & ILB.
I crave for the days of OTAs, mini camps and a full preseason so we could see them all compete for those valuable spots, not rely on old tape or past opinions. GPG!

You have to ask yourself just how many roster spots are really up for grabs and how you anticipate roster distribution to look....especially with the expected loss of starting-caliber players this coming off-season. If practice squads expand (as they are expected to) and with the "call-up" rule put in place for practice squad players--AND with a diminished camp with fewer preseason games--I think teams are going to be bold in stashing a lot of these developmental players. More teams will keep the safer more experienced guy and push the UDFA and late-round pick to the PS. Most will make it, too, with the limited game reps and film that will be available to them. So many of these battles I don't really anticipate being battles at all.

I'm still unconvinced that there will be a full season, which really messes with the whole picture.

Pretty much think you have the wrong matchups throughout.

Hester is more of a Lowry type and Willis is the potential penetrator to threaten Adams

Dequoy is likely to be a candidate for the last CB, hybrid S and ST and is a speedster. Bigger, much faster than Samuels. He likely competes with the larger Scott and others behind Greene and Samuels with Josh Jackson.

Redmond is a smaller deep safety converted corner. Last year was his first at safety and he has good ball skills and played well on special teams. The most likely competition for Redmond would would appear to be Jackson as well, not the larger Scott.

At OLB, I’m intrigued with the love for Ramsey not Roberts whom they gave more money to to redshirt, though frankly the 4th OLB could be anyone at this point. I’m a little puzzled at the Ramsey nearly made the roster narrative. He was clearly outplayed by late arrival Markus Jones. Jones being cut really surprised many who thought he must have played his way on. He is still out there, so clearly the team doesn’t agree, but Ramsey didn’t seem close.

Most of the OLB intake this year look like a year of physical development will be essential though, so perhaps a holdover is more likely.

Martin v Summers? Both will likely make it but both are probably competing for playing time on D with Bolton and Burks. Summers is likely to make it on ST if he does. Martin likely as a result of his draft pick, so if both Bolton and Burks force there way on, then I suppose the choice could be between them, but otherwise I think both make it.

I see Greene needing a back up. We probably need 4 or 5ILBs if one can take Greene’s role if needed, but I think a larger dB type like Scott or Dequoy or an undersized ex college ILB will offer better potential cover for Greene. There is definitely an opening behind them with Sullivan’s move up and Williams departure. Possibly two.

On the defensive line, a lot could be in flux. Adams could show up, Willis could threaten him though on potent and Hester could be the stoutest against the run if he plays like he has at times. If Keke comes on as I expect, which is the greater need? Is Hester good enough against the run to obviate the need for Lancaster? Will Willis be the destructive force he was in his last year at college? Could be an interesting mash up.

Adams battles is to make the roster at all. He has no heart or hustle in him. He's got a foot out the door right now. His making the roster depends on him discovering that, regardless of any competition he has. Either way he won't get a 2nd contract.

I think M Adams and Burks don’t make the final roster.

I'd be content if NONE of these guys made the roster. Well wait... I'd be pissed if Kamal Martin didn't make it and we wasted the draft pick. But other than that, most of this looks pretty meaningless.

Yep, no doubt about it, it's now or never time for Adams, Burks & Jackson.

Three recent high picks on defense that all look like busts.

If one of them emerges to give us quality minutes I will be pleased.

I'm thinking Montravius Adams is done in GB. He really hasn't shown anything at all in 3 years, and I was really pulling for the guy. With that level of abysmal production, I cannot see him sticking, even though he was a former 3rd Round pick. Speaking of former 3rd Round picks, I think Burks will be hitting the highway as well, and for the same reasons of low, low, low production. I love the FA/Draft/UDFA additions this offseason and last by Gutekunst on our DL and EDGE, and I think a good number of them will win out positions over others who failed like Adams last year.

Count me as a firm believer in Kamal Martin, and I'll be surprised if he is not the starter next to Christian Kirksey. I'm a big Ty Summers fan too, and while I do think he is fully capable, Martin has the edge in size/speed/instincts/coverage to edge out a win for the position. Summers, nonetheless, will make for great/reliable depth at ILB, and he's an ACE in STs.

Speaking of STs, Dequoy should excel there as well, but I strongly believe he will work his way over time to filling the FS position more than CB, and we'll see Darnell Savage taking more and more reps covering the slot, where he proved himself to be exceptional at Maryland. Dequoy will require some time to groom into this Packers defense, but I don't think it will take too long before he becomes a regular contributor. Both Savage and Dequoy make sense at slot/FS, their more natural positions respectively.

This secondary IMO will become extremely fluid, based on the skill/size/speed we have in the DB room. What a versatile group. Hell, you've got Kevin King wanting to play slot!!! And, he's fully capable.

Where does that leave Chandon Sullivan? He will get plenty of reps along the way, especially with all of the dime. This will be a very complete secondary moving forward - possibly the most complete I've witnessed in GB in terms of dynamic starting talent + depth. Add in other players having huge potential in Josh Jackson, Ka'dar Hollman, Kabion Ento, Raven Greene, Will Redmond, Stanford Samuels and Vernon Scott. That is a LOADED secondary, all of them ball hawks and willing tacklers v. the run.

When have we seen that many - complete - players in our secondary, ready, willing and able to play both run & pass coverage at high levels of skill in Green Bay? I cannot recall that in all of my years as a fan, going back to the Lombardi years.

Where Ted Thompson was struggling to build a quality secondary, Gutekunst has been pretty impressive in my eyes loading this unit up with remarkable skill, size speed and talent, top to bottom. My hat's off to the man. Add in Jerry Gray? Lookout...!