The Green Bay Packers released their first unofficial depth chart of 2011 Tuesday, four days before their preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns.
With four preseason games and just under a month before Week 1, take this depth chart with a large grain of salt. Plenty will happen between now and Sept. 4, meaning plenty of names will be moved around.
Here is a look at the depth chart, via Packers.com:
OFFENSE
QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Graham Harrell
RB: Ryan Grant, James Starks, Dimitri Nance, Alex Green/Brandon Saine
FB: John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson, Jon Hoese
WR1: Greg Jennings, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Brett Swain/Diondre Borel, Kerry Taylor
WR2: Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Chastin West, Tori Gurley/Antonio Robinson, Shaky Smithson
TE: Jermichael Finley, Andrew Quarless, Tom Crabtree, D.J. Williams/Ryan Taylor/Spencer Havner
LT: Chad Clifton, Marshall Newhouse, Theo Sherman
LG: Derek Sherrod, T.J. Lang, Adrian Battles
C: Scott Wells, Nick McDonald, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Sampson Genus
RG: Josh Sitton, Nick McDonald, Caleb Schlauderaff
RT: Bryan Bulaga, Chris Campbell, Ray Dominguez
DEFENSE
LDE: Ryan Pickett, C.J. Wilson, Lawrence Guy
NT: B.J. Raji, Howard Green, Jay Ross, Chris Donaldson
RDE: Mike Neal, Jarius Wynn, Eli Joseph
LOLB: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, Vic So'oto, Diyral Briggs
LILB: A.J. Hawk, Robert Francois, Cardia Jackson, K.C. Asiodu
RILB: Desmond Bishop, D.J. Smith, Elijah Joseph
ROLB: Erik Walden, Frank Zombo, Ricky Elmore, Jamari Lattimore
LCB: Charles Woodson, Pat Lee, Jarrett Bush, Brandian Ross
RCB: Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Josh Gordy, Davon House
SS: Morgan Burnett, Charlie Peprah, M.D. Jennings, Anthony Bratton
FS: Nick Collins, Anthony Levine, Brandon Underwood
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Mason Crosby
P: Tim Masthay
KR: Alex Green, Randall Cobb, Pat Lee, Sam Shields
PR: Randall Cobb, Shaky Smithson, Diondre Borel, Jordy Nelson
LS: Brett Goode, Evan Dietrich-Smith
NOTES
There are no real surprises on the first depth chart of the season, but quite a few things stand out. At left guard, Derek Sherrod is the only rookie listed as a starter. He has taken all the first team reps in practice thus far and, while T.J. Lang will have a chance to unseat him, it seems as though the Packers are moving forward with Sherrod as their Week 1 starter.
Wide receiver Donald Driver is listed as a starter, but expect his playing time to be right in line with James Jones and Jordy Nelson, listed third and fourth on the depth chart, respectively.
Tight end Andrew Quarless is listed No. 2 on the depth chart behind Jermichael Finley. While he has missed a good portion of training camp with a hip flexor injury, his experience has helped him earn that spot. Rookie D.J. Williams will get the chance to move up the depth chart in, potentially all the way up to No. 2.
Dimitri Nance, not Alex Green, is listed as the Packers' No. 3 running back. Many expected the rookie Green to handle third down duties and, while that may be the case, Nance is slotted in front of him.
Defensively, right outside linebacker Erik Walden is listed as the starter on the depth chart, with Frank Zombo behind him. It is interesting to note that Zombo is ahead of Brad Jones, who is listed behind Clay Matthews at LOLB. If could very well be that Jones' versatility to be used inside has him listed as the third linebacker of the three competing for the job. Preseason games will be very telling as to who gets the starting gig opposite Matthews, but for now it looks like Walden's to lose.
It is a good sign for Packers fans that Morgan Burnett is listed as the No. 1 strong safety. The ACL injury that cost him most of the 2010 season looks to be behind him, with Charlie Peprah behind him as the No. 2 SS.
Return specialist Shaky Smithson will have some work to do in preseason games, as rookie Randall Cobb was listed as the No. 1 punt returner on the team's first depth chart. Smithson's only chance of making the active roster is to win that position, and he will have to unseat Cobb to do so.
Rookie Alex Green has first dibs on kick returns, behind rookie Randall Cobb and cornerbacks Pat Lee and Sam Shields.
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