5 players capable of winning depth roles for Packers defense during training camp

The Green Bay Packers are right in the running for having the NFL’s most talented starting defense entering the 2022 season. The starting 11 will likely feature at least six first-round draft picks, and there’s a Pro Bowler or All-Pro at every level of the defense. It’s increasingly difficult to find an obvious weak link in the starting group, provided first-round pick Quay Walker is the real deal at linebacker.

However, depth at several spots on defense is a real area of concern, and the Packers need young players to step up and develop into capable backups during training camp later this summer.

Who can surprise and win important depth spots for Joe Barry’s defense during training camp? We picked five players below.

For this exercise, we’re not including rookies, and we’ll only pick one player per position group. Here are the five selections:

DL Jack Heflin

The Packers added first-round pick Devonte Wyatt and signed veteran Jarran Reed, so depth along the defensive line isn’t really a concern entering camp. The depth chart is five strong, and those five – Wyatt, Reed, Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry and TJ Slaton – might be all the Packers need. But don’t discount Heflin’s chances of making the team as the No. 6 defensive lineman. He made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent last summer, and he plays a tough, hard-nosed and energetic brand of football that coaches love and teammates appreciate. The Packers could see Heflin as a natural replacement for Tyler Lancaster, who did a lot of the dirty work and played a thankless role against the run over the last few years. If Heflin can prove to be stout against double teams and active as a rusher during the summer, he’ll be worth keeping on the roster once again.

OLB Tipa Galeai

(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Galeai is the forgotten man in the edge rusher group, but he could be ready to make a legitimate leap in his third year in Green Bay. Given an opportunity as a rotational player over the final seven games of 2021, Galeai proved effective against the run and adept in coverage, and he has the perfect body type for playing several roles on special teams. Another leap in development this summer could give him a real shot at consistent playtime as a primary backup behind either Rashan Gary or Preston Smith. Galeai will be competing with the likes of Jonathan Garvin, rookie Kingsley Enagbare and Randy Ramsey for the top backup spots, and the Packers need one of them to become a reliable player. If Galeai can carry over the momentum of his finish to 2021 into this summer, he’ll have a chance to be a top backup at a premium position in Green Bay.

LB Ray Wilborn

Wilborn, a college safety, is entering his third professional season and second in Green Bay. Reports out of the offseason workout program suggest he’s ahead of both Ty Summers and Isaiah McDuffie on the inside linebacker depth chart entering camp. Wilborn proved last summer that he can run and cover, and he’s another player who could take over an important role as a do-it-all option for special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. He’ll play a ton of snaps during the preseason, so don’t be surprised if he’s one of the standout players for the Packers over three exhibition games. The battle between Quay Walker and Krys Barnes for a starting job is the one to watch, but Wilborn is a legit candidate to make the roster over Summers and McDuffie this summer.

CB Kabion Ento

Very tempted to pick Rico Gafford here, given his ongoing transition from receiver and incredible speed. But in what’s becoming a summer tradition, Ento is the one to watch at cornerback in Green Bay. This will be his fourth season with the Packers, and there have been enough flashes on the field at camp practices and during preseason games to think he’s on the edge of becoming something more than a practice squad player. Like Gafford, he also transitioned from receiver to cornerback, so maybe this is the summer everything clicks. Ento has the length, athleticism and ball skills, but he must tackle better and win a role on special teams to make the 53-man roster. There’s plenty of opportunity available at cornerback behind the three starters.

S Innis Gaines

Gaines flew around the field as an undrafted rookie last summer, but he was too undisciplined and reckless to win a spot on the 53-man roster. A full year on the Packers’ practice squad should mean he’s ready to make a big leap during training camp this season. Gaines can run and hit, and he put maximum effort into playing special teams last summer. He should more comfortable in the scheme and more in control as a second-year player. Although Shawn Davis looks like the favorite to be the No. 3 safety, one or two other roster spots are up for grabs at safety. Gaines, who goes by the nickname “Thump,” is one to watch as the Packers attempt to find a fourth safety for the 53-man roster during camp.

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