GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers are in what's probably an unprecedented position compared to the last two decades. They have more players on the roster who are 30-plus years old (seven) than rookies (six).
The past three seasons, the Packers fielded the youngest team in the NFL. With the recent influx of veteran linemen, the Packers own the 14th-youngest roster, according to Spotrac.
Green Bay's rookie class is small but promising. Here's a rookie progress report ahead of Sunday's Week 4 game at the Buccaneers, including how they've been trending since the end of training camp.
Brandon Cisse, the Packers' first draft pick, had an excellent training camp but, predictably, is going through some rookie growing pains.
He played well in his first two games against the Vikings and Jets. PFF charged him with a total of three completions allowed in those games, but two were touchdowns to Justin Jefferson and Garrett Wilson - two premier players. He was charged with five completions against Atlanta, including a 68-yarder to Drake London that may or may not have been his fault.
"We had some coverage busts on the back end," he said after the game. "We've got to get on the right page and got to play the right calls, and we've got to get it fixed. But it's Week 3, it's a long season, right? And we get back to the drawing board, go watch and learn from it, and come back ready to work next week because we've got a hell of a challenge."
A total of 13 rookie corners have played at least 20 coverage snaps. He has allowed the highest passer rating (149.3) but is third with 12.5 coverage snaps per completion allowed.
Among this year's draft class, no rookie cornerback has played more snaps than Cisse. Facing Jefferson, Wilson and London is quite the trial by fire.
Trending: Up.
Under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Packers rotate their defensive tackles in and out of the game. Through three games, Chris McClellan has played 91 snaps - third-most on the unit behind Karl Brooks and Devonte Wyatt and fifth-most among rookie defensive tackles.
He hasn't done much with the snaps from a production standpoint, though, with two assisted tackles. He has played the seventh-most pass-rushing snaps (36) but has no pressures. The Lions' Skyler Gill-Howard, a sixth-round pick, has seven pressures.
On the other hand, the run defense is 0.47 yards per snap better when he's on the field and the pass defense is 0.60 yards per snap better. Some of that might be coincidence but his role can't be completely discounted.
Trending: Up (slightly).
Green Bay Packers defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton reacts after a play during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Packers needed help on the edge and practically did cartwheels and backflips when Dani Dennis-Sutton fell into their laps in the fourth round.
Of Green Bay's four edge players without Micah Parsons, the snaps are 146 for Lukas Van Ness and 100 for Barryn Sorrell, the starters, and 90 for Dennis-Sutton and 82 for Brenton Cox, the backups. Against Atlanta, though, Dennis-Sutton played 10 more snaps than Sorrell.
So far, Dennis-Sutton has nine tackles, one-half sack, zero tackles for losses and five pressures. Sorrell has 10 tackles, one-half sack, zero tackles for losses and three pressures and Cox has 10 tackles, zero sacks, one tackle for loss and six pressures.
Among rookie edge players, he is tied for fifth with five pressures. Of the 13 rookie edges with at least 20 pass-rushing opportunities, he is eighth in pass-rush win rate. He has put some excellent run-defending snaps on film.
"He puts a lot of time on task and, obviously, he's very talented," defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said recently. "We took him where we took him for a reason. He's doing a good job for us.
"He's going to make some mistakes just like everybody, but he's a quick learner, too, which I appreciate. Doesn't make the same mistake twice. I have a level of tolerance for younger guys - not much but a little bit - but he's doing a good job. When he makes a mistake, he typically doesn't make it again. And then just like Lukas, go ahead and play football. That's why you're here, so I'm excited where he's trending."
Trending: Up (slightly).
The Packers raved about the play of Jager Burton throughout the offseason and training camp. Once the season arrived, though, he was behind Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk on the depth chart. When given his opportunity against Atlanta, it was easy to see why.
PFF charged Burton with an appalling 10 pressures allowed. Only four guards have allowed more pressures in three games than Burton did against the Falcons.
So, that was that. The Packers signed veterans Laken Tomlinson, Kevin Zeitler and Mekhi Becton. Burton might be a good player in time but, for one night, he wasn't ready for primetime.
"It's a long journey for a lot of guys. You never define one game or two games for anybody's career," quarterback Jordan Love said on Wednesday.
Trending: Down (to the end of the bench).
Domani Jackson missed the offseason practices and the start of training camp following core-muscle surgery then had a dismal performance in the final preseason game. He didn't make the 53-man roster and landed on the practice squad.
Trending: Sideways.
Green Bay Packers kicker Trey Smack (28) celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal against the Jets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Trey Smack, the only drafted kicker this year, is 5-of-6 on extra points and 5-of-6 on field goals. He made a 59-yard field goal in the opener at Minnesota and the game-winner at the Jets; the one missed field goal was the block against Atlanta that wasn't Smack's fault.
According to PFF, Smack has the fourth-best hangtime on kickoffs.
Trending: Up.
J. Michael Sturdivant extended Green Bay's remarkable streak to 22 consecutive years with at least one undrafted rookie making the opening roster. He got his first real chance against the Falcons on Thursday and caught all three targets for 22 yards.
Without Jayden Reed, coach Matt LaFleur mentioned Sturdivant as part of the "committee" who will take over in the slot.
"I'm comfortable everywhere," he said. "It really feels natural being in the offense now after going through camp and OTAs and getting reps in practice and in the games. It just feels more comfortable as you get more time on task."
There were 36 receivers drafted this year; he obviously was not among them. Among all rookies, he is tied for 12th in catches and is 13th with 0.85 yards per route.
Plus, he was excellent in kick coverage against the Jets.
Trending: Up.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi as Packers Rookie Report Entering Week 4: Strange New Reality and Who's Trending .
