Dark Horse Candidates to Make the Green Bay Packers Roster

The Green Bay Packers are finishing their third week of voluntary OTAs. Although the 2023 Packers are a young team with only three players 30 or older on the roster, there are not a lot of starting jobs up for grabs on this team and roster spots are tough to come by.

Here is a look at three players who are considered dark horse candidates to make the Green Bay Packers roster this season but who have stood out and made a positive impression during the first three weeks of OTAs:

Dark Horse Roster Candidate: CB Carrington Valentine

The top of the depth chart at cornerback is more or less set with Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas and (once he’s healthy) Eric Stokes occupying the top spots. Keisean Nixon is the favorite to be the slot corner.

But there are still roster spots to be won in training camp with special teams play likely to be a big factor in who makes the final cut.

One player who has made a strong early impression is seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine. The Kentucky alum has played well at voluntary OTAs, breaking up a pair of passes from Jordan Love to Romeo Doubs in front of reporters on Tuesday.

He’s caught the eye of head coach Matt LaFleur. “I thought CV has done an unbelievable job. You can really see the body movement skills that he possesses, and he’s been working hard,” LaFleur said. “He certainly has the talent. It’s on him to put it all together and go out there and do it in the preseason.”

Green Bay Packers Dark Horse Roster Candidate: RB Tyler Goodson

Goodson made a big impression with his running last year in the preseason but lost the third running back job to Patrick Taylor who was better at pass protection and on special teams.

Goodson spent the season on the practice squad and is back to compete for a roster spot this year with Taylor and draft pick Lew Nichols III.

“Tyler’s done a nice job. We’ve used him in a variety of different ways, whether it’s out as a receiver or in the backfield,” LaFleur told reporters. “He’s an explosive player and he’s got really good hands.”

The Packers coaches know Goodson is a dangerous runner. The key to earning a roster spot for Goodson will still be pass blocking, catching the ball out of the backfield and contributing on special teams.

Green Bay Packers Dark Horse Roster Candidate: Edge Brenton Cox

Cox is undeniably talented. If not for his off the field issues in college, he would have been drafted and possibly in the early rounds.

Cox was kicked off the team at both Florida and Georgia but led the Gators in sacks in 2021 with 8.5 and had an impressive quarterback rush rate.

If the Packers can get him to keep out of trouble off the field and maximize his talent on the field, Cox can add some juice to the pass rush off the edge. The talent is clearly there but now he must prove he can do it without being a distraction off the field.

These three players are the top dark horse candidates to make the Green Bay Packers roster.

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