3 Packers veterans who will be cut before Week 1 and why

One week of the NFL preseason is in the books, meaning it's just two more games for all 32 teams before Week 1 of the regular season is next on the docket. Before that, however, we have the ever-important roster cuts to keep an eye on and the Green Bay Packers are a fascinating proposition when it comes to potential cuts.

The Packers have one of the youngest rosters in the league, which is just downright terrifying for the rest of the NFL given that they made it to the Divisional Round a year ago and nearly knocked off the eventual NFC champion 49ers in that game. Now, they get to grow with that. As they grow, however, that means that some veterans, even with limited experience in Green Bay, might not be part of the plan for this organization.

Things can change quickly in the preseason and training camp. Having said that, these three Packers veterans appear to be on the wrong side of the cut line right now and might be looking for work once 53-man roster cuts are made.

3. CB Robert Rochell

Considering that the Packers re-signed former Rams fourth-round pick Robert Rochell to the secondary, a player who saw meaningful snaps for Green Bay a season ago, this might come as a bit of a surprise. However, situation when it comes to preseason and training camp matters more than perhaps any time of year. And for Rochell, the situation has changed quite a lot over the last eight months.

With veteran star Jaire Alexander sidelined for most of last season along with former first-round pick Eric Stokes, the Packers were forced to turn to the likes of Rochell, Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine and more. But the hope around Green Bay is that Alexander and Stokes are able to not just play Week 1 but stay healthy and on the field. Meanwhile, after getting a steal in seventh-round rookie Kalen King along with slot man Keisean Nixon in the fold, that firmly puts Rochell on the chopping block.

It could come down to one or both of Rochell and Ballentine to try and claim the final DB spot in this secondary as Valentine and potentially King are the younger, higher-upside options. Rochell could likely catch on somewhere else but it's a good sign for Jeff Hafley's defense that there are too many good options that leads to potentially casting a quality player like Rochell aside.

2. OL Andre Dillard

Another player that the Packers chose to add to the roster this offseason but this time a newcomer, Brian Gutekunst did his best to protect the integrity of the offensive line in front of Jordan Love by bringing in former first-round pick Andre Dillard to bolster the depth. However, since the minimally expensive addition, the hierarchy along the line has started to take shape in a way that might simply push Dillard out of the picture.

For starters, the recent track record for Dillard is substandard -- and that's putting it as nicely as possible. He was one of the 10 worst qualified tackles in PFF grading last year and has truly never lived up to his billing as a first-rounder. Moreover, the Packers landed Jordan Morgan in the first year of the draft, a prospect who can play either tackle or guard depending on a battle with Zach Tom, which doesn't leave much room for Dillard.

Even in the case of providing depth, though, Green Bay has young players like sean Rhyan, Kadeem Telfort and others who the team appears relatively high on. There isn't a need for them to shoehorn Dillard onto the roster, especially since his versatility is less valuable to the Packers than perhaps any other franchise given that so many of their lineman possess the same movability. It was a nice idea to bring Dillard in at the time but it's simply unnecessary now.

1. RB AJ Dillon

Make no mistake, the MarShawn Lloyd injury suffered in the first week of the preseason could absolutely complicate things when it comes to veteran AJ Dillon -- incidentally and unintentionally the third offseason signing of these three players listed -- potentially being a cut candidate. Having said that, it still feels entirely possible that the veteran with quads that could take down a wild elk could be looking to one of the other 31 teams for work.

The big running back shakeup for the Packers this offseason was letting Aaron Jones out the door only to bring in another veteran, Josh Jacobs. What's interesting, however, is that Jacobs is simply a different style of player than his predecessor in this backfield. While Jones is more of a slasher and mover in space, Jacobs is much more of a physical player trying to run through defenders. And unfortunately, that might make Dillon a bit more redundant than he was previously when he was paired with Jones in the running back room.

Lloyd, if he's healthy, and Emanuel Wilson are far more complimentary as roster-building pieces to pair with Jacobs in the running back rotation than Dillon would be. Injuries could ultimately force the Packers' hand when it comes to making this a reality on cutdown day but, if everyone is healthy, it makes far more sense to keep Wilson and Lloyd than it does Dillon.