The Green Bay Packers appear primed to make a playoff push in 2024. But not everyone on the roster is concerned about making it to January just yet.
With the preseason winding down, every team faces cutting their roster down to just 53 players by Opening Day. The Packers will face off with the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paolo, Brazil on Sept. 6, and some veterans are just hoping to witness the festivities.
There's always a surprise roster cut lurking around the corner at this time of the year. And one Packers insider believes a veteran member of the starting line could fall victim to the roster crunch.
Matt Schneidman, the Packers beat reporter for The Athletic, predicted that fourth-year guard Royce Newman will be cut after the Packers' final preseason game.
"Is there any veteran that you think might turn up on the final cut list?" Schneidman was asked in a mailbag column.
"Royce Newman, probably, since (Sean) Rhyan and rookie Jacob Monk can already play multiple spots on the interior off the bench," Schneidman said.
Newman, 27, has played in all 51 games for the Packers since he joined Green Bay as a fourth-round pick in 2021. He started all but one game as a rookie, but saw his playing time drastically increase through his three seasons with the team.
Last season, Newman played just 17% of the Packers' offensive snaps, making two starts. He had a 5.6% blown block rate in 2023, per Sports Info Solutions, well above league average and more than double his two previous seasons.
If Newman wants to guarantee himself a fourth year with Green Bay, it would seemingly behoove him to perform well in the Packers' final preseason game. They'll take on the Ravens at Lambeau Field on Saturday night.
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