The Green Bay Packers are one of a handful of NFL teams who harbor legitimate hopes of winning Super Bowl LX. They may not be in the top tier of title contenders, but they do have an outside shot at crashing the league's biggest party. If GM Brian Gutekunst wants to help his team accomplish such a significant feat, he'll need to head into Week 1 with the best roster possible.
The franchise has already accomplished most of their additions via free agency and the draft. Offensive lineman Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs are two veterans who should be immediate starters for head coach Matt LaFleur's squad. Wide receiver Matthew Golden is one rookie who should be a starter when the regular season begins.
The challenge for the team's front office now is to figure out how to get rid of the roster's dead weight before the end of the preseason. The Packers still have a couple of places where they can achieve addition via subtraction. Getting rid of the following three players can help Green Bay increase their odds of winning a Super Bowl.
1. Romeo Doubs
Romeo Doubs does not make this list based on his football ability. He has more than enough talent to be a starting wide receiver for a playoff team. The problem with Doubs is that he doesn't have a solid understanding of where he should stand in Green Bay's receiver room.
Complaining about his target share earned him a one-game suspension last season and it's easy to see how the problem could pop up again. Golden's addition to the team's group of outside receivers is going to push Doubs into a lesser role than he desires. Christian Watson's injury might help Doubs stay happy for a few weeks but his return will see Doubs relegated to a lot of time on the sidelines.
There's always a chance that injuries could help resolve this issue for Doubs and the Packers. If everyone on the wide receiver depth chart stays healthy he's going to face an unhappy season. Doubs will be desperate to put up numbers this year as he is prepped to hit free agency. Gutekunst should make sure he gets that chance somewhere other than Green Bay.
2. Mecole Hardman
Mecole Hardman is another wideout who will struggle to get a meaningful target share in LaFleur's offense this season. The fact that he current projects to be the No. 3 slot receiver on the roster does not bode well for the veteran's chances of helping the Packers.
There's always a chance Hardman can beat out Dontayvion Wicks for the No. 2 spot but he has no chance of usurping Jarran Reed. There was a time when Hardman was one of the most intriguing weapons in the NFL but he's well past his athletic prime.
If Hardman is willing to embrace his role as a returner then there's no reason why Green Bay can't keep him on the roster. If, on the other hand, he wants a bigger role then he needs to head elsewhere to find it.
3. Micah Robinson
Micah Robinson should not face high expectations this season on the back of being a seventh-round draft pick. The problem he's facing is that the Packers didn't do anything outside of him to replace departed cornerback Jaire Alexander.
It's fine if the former Tulane star makes the team as a special teams contributor, but if he logs meaningful snaps in coordinator Jeff Hafley's secondary it could turn into a disaster for both the rookie and his new team. He's nowhere near ready to compete with high-quality NFL receivers who thrive on the outside.
It's imperative that Green Bay finds a veteran free agent to help bolster their outside options in the preseason. Robinson might be best served to experience a full season on the team's practice squad before he's expected to make any real contributions in the secondary. That's the life of a seventh round pick in the modern NFL.
There's a chance that Robinson can blossom into a quality contributor in time but the Packers need to add a cornerback who can contribute immediately. If he's on the depth chart when Week 1 arrives it will be a target for other teams to attack on a weekly basis.