Close Menu
WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot
    Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski

    “A 103.0 MPH Heater”: Milwaukee Brewers Prospect Jacob Misiorowski Throwing Gas During Minor League Outings

    May 16, 2025
    Indianapolis Colts, Hunter Wohler

    Wisconsin Badgers: 2 Top Colts Officials Preview Big Changes in Linebacker Hunter Wohler’s Role to Help Them Adjust in ‘Match Up’ League

    May 16, 2025
    Lance Mason

    Wisconsin Badgers Football: Lance Mason Hopes to Have a Great End to College Career As He Prepares for 2026 NFL Draft

    May 16, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter)
    Trending
    • “A 103.0 MPH Heater”: Milwaukee Brewers Prospect Jacob Misiorowski Throwing Gas During Minor League Outings
    • Wisconsin Badgers: 2 Top Colts Officials Preview Big Changes in Linebacker Hunter Wohler’s Role to Help Them Adjust in ‘Match Up’ League
    • Wisconsin Badgers Football: Lance Mason Hopes to Have a Great End to College Career As He Prepares for 2026 NFL Draft
    • Class of 2026 DL Djidjou Bah Makes Important Insertion on His OV Schedule to Accommodate Wisconsin Badgers
    • NBA News: West Contender Prepares Appealing Package to Get Giannis Antetokounmpo, Read to Give Up 1 of Today’s Best Big Men
    • Marquette Golden Eagles Alum Kam Jones Reveals 2 Teams Have Talked to Him, Says Best He Can Offer is Everything As PG
    • Bucks News: 17-Year Veteran Brook Lopez Linked to West Strugglers in Desperate Need of Big Man
    • NBA Draft 2025: 7’2 Big Man Linked to Milwaukee Bucks Shows Off Skills in Combine – ‘Yaokic Out Here’
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
    • Packers
      • Aaron Rodgers News
      • Jordan Love News
      • Matt LaFleur News
      • Packers News
      • Packers Rumors
      • Packers History
    • Bucks
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo News
      • Bucks News
      • Bucks Rumors
    • Brewers
      • Brewers News
      • Brewers Rumors
    • Badgers
      • Wisconsin Badgers Football
      • Wisconsin Badgers Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Women’s Basketball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball
      • Wisconsin Badgers Hockey
      • Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling
    • Marquette
      • Marquette Basketball
    • Draft
      • 2023 NFL Draft Big Board & Scouting Reports
      • 2023 NFL Mock Drafts
    • Milkmen
      • Milwaukee Milkmen News
      • Milwaukee Milkmen Rumors
    • Podcasts
      • CheeseDads Sports
      • Packers Podcast
      • Wickett On Wisconsin
    • Fantasy
    • NFL
    WI Sports HeroicsWI Sports Heroics
    You are here Home » Packers: Five Fringe Players We Hope Make the Team
    Packers

    Packers: Five Fringe Players We Hope Make the Team

    Robin M AdamsBy Robin M AdamsAugust 25, 2021Updated:September 3, 2023No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    16145585 1 scaled
    Green Bay Packers' Kurt Benkert (7) participates in organized team activities Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Green Bay, Wis. Cent02 7fxwjeuk7dvxuyjf71c Original
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Green Bay Packers have one more preseason game left before the start of the regular season. Their roster has been trimmed from 90 to 80. Some players who were on the team last year have already been traded or released. Within the next week, they will need to trim it down to 53, which means 27 of these players will be let go:

    The Green Bay #Packers have trimmed their roster down to 80 active contracts.

    They still need to slash 27 names from the current list below in just 1 week from today: pic.twitter.com/foeaLO2L1t

    — Ken Ingalls – Packers Cap 💰 (@KenIngalls) August 24, 2021

    Of course, there are many players who are locks for this team. However, over the course of camp, there have been several players who have become fan-favorites who are on the fringe of the roster. Here, we present five of these players that we hope will make the final 53.

    #5- Bronson Kaufusi

    Bronson Kaufusi: I Want to Be the Spark for Jets Defense

    On of the positions in which the Packers have the most depth is tight end. Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Jace Sternberger, Dominique Dafney, and Josiah Deguara are all tight ends ahead of Bronson Kaufusi on the roster.

    Kaufusi was drafted into the NFL as a defensive end out of BYU. However, after three seasons and just 0.5 sacks, Kaufusi is making the shift to tight end. Even though he has not recorded any catches or made any tackles on special teams, players and fans love that Kaufusi is doing whatever it takes to make his NFL dreams come true. Aaron Rodgers called him one of the happiest guys he knows. With such a deep tight end room, Kaufusi’s chances to make the 53 are slim, but it would be very cool to see him do so after changing positions.

    Aaron Rodgers recently told @peter_king he loves TE6 Bronson Kaufusi.

    When Rodgers praised Jake Kumerow last year, the Packers cut him and he’s now on the Bills.@RobDemovsky: “I can’t wait to see what Kaufusi does in Buffalo this year.”

    Rodgers’ reaction: pic.twitter.com/rR00YUVBjz

    — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 18, 2021

    #4- Christian Uphoff

    Pressure is on final week ahead of Packers final roster cuts | WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton

    Christian Uphoff is an undrafted free agent rookie out of Illinois State. As a safety, he has to compete with Darnell Savage, Adrian Amos, and others for a roster spot. Therefore, his best chance to make the team is on special teams. The Packers have been notoriously bad on special teams in the past, and Uphoff has shown potential to be a real asset to the team in this area.

    Christian Uphoff is showing the potential to be an all-pro special teams player with this kind of gunner work! 👀 pic.twitter.com/RXQabz5IFG

    — JDV Experience (@JDVexperience) August 24, 2021

    With Will Blackmon headed to the IL, Uphoff’s chances of making the team have improved. However, there is still some competition at the position, especially with the next guy on our list.

    #3- Innis Gaines

    Former DoorDash Delivery Person Innis Gaines Fights For Roster Spot With Packers - Sports Illustrated Green Bay Packers News, Analysis and More

    If there was ever a guy to root for to make the team, it would be Innis Gaines. This is especially true if one loves a good comeback story.

    Wow. Innis Gaines has such a great energy about him. What a fun kid. The #Packers rookie safety is coming back from two ACL tears at TCU and spent last year working for @DoorDash. If you are looking for a bubble guy to root for Saturday at Buffalo, … No. 38 would be a good one. pic.twitter.com/8aYqJnDMyl

    — Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) August 24, 2021

    Gaines, like the previous #38 on the Packers, is an undrafted free agent out of TCU. After suffering two ACL tears, he had to support himself through the pandemic by working for DoorDash. Now, he is one of the fringe guys who could make the roster as a special teams player. Like Uphoff, he is a safety by trade, and his chances improved with Blackmon’s IL placement.

    #2- Jack Heflin

    Packers Friday Musings: Jack Heflin will look to build upon a solid first outing against the Jets - Acme Packing Company

    One of the positions of need for the Packers is interior defensive line. Last year, and so far this preseason, the interior linemen have not been effective in stopping runs or rushing the quarterback. TJ Slaton, one of the Packers’ fifth round draft picks, has been impressive in camp. However, another rookie, undrafted free agent Jack Heflin, is also making a roster push.

    DT Jack Heflin is playing the same spots on iDL as Tyler Lancaster – but doing it with so much more energy

    Stout vs double teams, controls single blocks, active chasing plays down the line, active in pass rush counters…

    Might've played his way onto this roster… pic.twitter.com/33JuguRkt4

    — Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 22, 2021

    Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster were disappointing last season, and are the two main depth pieces behind Kenny Clark and Kingsley Keke. Haflin has come very close to outplaying both of them, and just might make the roster.

    #1- Kurt Benkert

    If there was ever a player who just defined what being a Packer was all about, it is Kurt Benkert. This is a guy who rides skateboards to practice, went over to a fan’s (Cheesehead TV’s Paul Bretl’s) house for the Fourth of July, and posts videos of himself dressed as Master Chief. So popular is he that he has already been honored with the flag of the USS Green Bay.

    Not only is Benkert just easy to like as a person, he is also fun to watch as a player.

    The mobility by Kurt Benkert… what a throw on the run #Packers

    https://t.co/82bXTA86FQ

    — Joe (day 1 Jayden Reed fan) (@joepkipp) August 21, 2021

    Of course, Benkert will not make the team over Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love. Whether or not he makes the final 53 is dependent on if Matt LaFleur wants to three quarterbacks on the roster.

    We sure hope he does.

    [pickup_prop id=”5092″]

    For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content

    Follow me on Twitter at @theotherAdams14 and follow us @WiscoHeroics1 for more great content. Check out our merch page here and use promo code Wisco at check out for $1 off! To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!

    Get the latest Wisconsin sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, Badgers and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Wisconsin teams.

    Bronson Kaufusi Christian Uphoff Innis Gaines Jack Heflin Kurt Benkert
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Robin M Adams
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • LinkedIn

    Robin M Adams is an author, journalist, and writer of significant sports-related articles. Robin is also the co-owner of Wisconsin Sports Heroics, a sports news website that covers Wisconsin sports. He covers all things Wisconsin sports, but mostly the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Milwaukee Brewers.

    Related Posts

    USATSI 25032267

    Green Bay Packers: Fans Upset By Lambeau Field’s Most Expensive Tickets on Average for 2025-26 NFL Season

    May 15, 2025
    Aug 28, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur jogs on the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

    Green Bay Packers: Is Matt LaFleur A Top 10 NFL Head Coach? Some ESPN Experts Don’t Think So

    May 15, 2025
    Green Bay Packers Johnathan Baldwin

    “Is An Intriguing UDFA Signing”: Green Bay Packers Johnathan Baldwin One Undrafted Free Agent To Watch For By PFF

    May 15, 2025
    Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

    “This Will Be Must See TV”: NFL Analyst Dissects Potential Aaron Rodgers Matchup Later In 2025 Season Against the Green Bay Packers

    May 15, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    WI Sports Heroics
    Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy Policy
    • Corporate
    © 2025 WISportsHeroics All Rights Reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    x