The Packers’ pass rush is staring at a familiar sort of early-season problem: there may not be enough proven juice on the edge while Micah Parsons continues to work his way back from a torn ACL.
That leaves Green Bay with some uncertainty up front. Lukas Van Ness still has to show he can live up to the billing that came with being drafted where he was, and the idea of fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton stepping in and delivering right away is still just that - an idea. If those pieces don’t come together quickly, general manager Brian Gutekunst may have to go hunting for help after final cuts this weekend.
One name worth watching is Chris Braswell, if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers end up letting him go.
Tampa Bay’s defense has drawn plenty of attention this summer, especially after the arrival of first-round pass rusher Rueban Bain Jr. That move, along with other edge developments, could push Braswell out. Bradley Locker of PFF listed Braswell among the top-10 candidates to be released, noting that the former 57th overall pick is already in only his third pro season.
“Although the former 57 th overall pick enters only his third pro campaign,” Bradley Locker writes for PFF, naming Braswell one of the top-10 candidates to be released. “He was put on notice this offseason when Tampa Bay drafted Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round and signed Al-Quadin Muhammad.
Also complicating the situation is the performance of other edge defenders in the preseason, such as Anthony Nelson (92.6 overall PFF grade) and David Walker (80.5 PFF pass-rush grade). Coming off a 34.4 overall grade in Week 1 of the preseason, Braswell missed the Buccaneers’ second contest and may need a good outing against the Jaguars to firmly make the roster.”
Braswell has 2.5 sacks over his first two seasons, and he would make for an interesting possible addition if he reaches waivers. For a Packers team that may need to strengthen the edge before Week 1, he fits the profile of the kind of move that could matter quickly.
In Other News...
Jordan Love Called This Cardinals Practice Moment His Lowest Point
A joint practice with the Cardinals gave the Packers a useful tune-up, but it also left Jordan Love with one sequence he would rather forget. After getting down to the five-yard line, Green Bay came away empty on that series, and Love pointed to it as the low point of the day. For a quarterback and offense still sharpening timing in August, those are the kinds of snaps that tend to linger longer than the cleaner ones.
Tucker Kraft also came out of the session with a moment worth monitoring, taking a late hit after returning from a torn ACL. The good news for Green Bay is that Kraft said he is playing without concern for his knee, a reassuring note as the Packers turn from practice to their preseason game against Arizona. For a team trying to build momentum while protecting key pieces, the next few days will matter just as much as the work already put in. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Could Find Late Roster Help From A Familiar Dolphins Connection
Matt LaFleur has spent plenty of this offseason watching familiar faces head for Miami, with former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley taking over as the Dolphins head coach and ex-Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan moving in as general manager. The shuffle has created an unlikely Green Bay-Miami bridge at a time when the Packers are still sorting out the back end of their roster, and that kind of connection can matter when teams start looking for last-minute help before the cutdown deadline.
Two Dolphins names to keep an eye on are Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Jaylen Wright, both of whom could fit the Packers search for depth in spots where competition is still unsettled. Green Bay does not need splashy moves this time of year as much as it needs practical ones, and a familiar pipeline to Miami could give the front office another route to fill out the roster if the right opportunity opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Controversy Just Pulled The Packers Into Another Backlash
A new round of scrutiny has landed around Josh Jacobs, and it has put the Packers back in the kind of off-field conversation teams would rather avoid. Reports say the district attorney handling the case has video evidence tied to an alleged assault involving Jacobs and his ex-girlfriend, raising the stakes around a situation that is already drawing attention well beyond Green Bay.
The noise grew louder after Terrence Parsons Jr., the brother of Micah Parsons, weighed in on social media and urged people to relax, saying Jacobs should get a second chance if the matter is only a misdemeanor. Those comments quickly triggered backlash from other users, who pushed back hard on the idea of defending Jacobs at this stage and turned a legal case into another online flashpoint around one of the Packers' most visible players. [Read more 🡒]