By Paul Imig Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Sep 08, 2015 at 4:26 PM

Have Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy put together a Super Bowl-caliber roster for the 2015 season?

The Green Bay Packers certainly didn’t plan on Jordy Nelson not being available. However, the last-minute addition of James Jones should help the offense not take too big of a step back without its second-team All-Pro. Question marks remain on defense and special teams. Those concerns will be alleviated somewhat if the offense is able to score 30-plus points per game yet again.

With the regular season finally within sight, here’s a position-by-position look at the Packers roster compiled by Thompson and McCarthy.

Quarterbacks: (3)

In: Aaron Rodgers, Scott Tolzien, Brett Hundley

Practice squad: (none)

Analysis: Hundley made the active roster from the moment Green Bay traded up in the fifth round to draft him. Even when Hundley reported to rookie minicamp and didn’t look ready to play whatsoever, he was still always going to beat out Matt Blanchard to be on the 53-man roster. Of course, after the show Hundley put on in preseason, there was no way the Packers could have gotten him to the practice squad.

Not only does Green Bay boast the reigning league MVP as its starting quarterback, but Tolzien is arguably a top-10 backup QB in the NFL and it’d be hard to find a more exciting No. 3 quarterback than Hundley. This is the complete opposite of what the Packers went into the season with in 2013, when Rodgers’ fractured collarbone midway through the year exposed how ill-prepared the offense was to continue on without him.

Running backs: (5)

In: Eddie Lacy, James Starks, Alonzo Harris, John Kuhn, Aaron Ripkowski

Practice squad: John Crockett

Analysis: There was no bigger roster surprise than Green Bay’s decision to keep Harris over Rajion Neal. Clearly, the Packers preferred a bigger running back like Harris (6'1", 237 pound) over a more versatile one like Neal. That No. 3 running back job could belong to Crockett down the line, once he spends more time in the system.

Meanwhile, eeping two fullbacks seemed like a certainty, especially once Ripkowski played so well on special teams. It seems unlikely that Ripkowski will see any time on offense as a rookie, but he can learn under Kuhn for one season and then take the leading role in 2016.

Wide receivers: (5)

In: Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, James Jones, Ty Montgomery, Jeff Janis

Practice squad: Jared Abbrederis, Ed Williams

Injured Reserve: Jordy Nelson

Analysis: The biggest shakeup over the Labor Day weekend came at wide receiver. The Packers initially kept Myles White on the 53-man roster, but Jones being released by the New York Giants changed everything. Jones’ familiarity with Rodgers and Green Bay’s offense made it a relatively simple decision to add him to the group and release White. That allows Montgomery and Janis to integrate themselves more slowly and not have the pressure of playing too many snaps early in the season. Abbrederis could be a mid-year call-up if he stays healthy and shows consistent improvement on the practice squad.

Tight ends: (3)

In: Richard Rodgers, Andrew Quarless, Kennard Backman

Practice squad: Justin Perillo

Analysis: Green Bay released Mitchell Henry, seemingly with the hope of getting him onto the practice squad. But the Denver Broncos interfered with those plans, claiming Henry on waivers. Backman is a project, and he’ll likely be a game-day inactive early in the season. But with Rodgers and Quarless available, whoever the No. 3 tight end is would be unlikely to see much action. Keeping Perillo around gives the Packers options if there’s an injury – or if Quarless ever ends up facing a suspension for his offseason arrest.

Offensive line: (9)

In: David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang, Bryan Bulaga, JC Tretter, Don Barclay, Lane Taylor, Josh Walker

Practice squad: Matt Rotheram, Jeremy Vujnovich

Analysis: Does keeping nine offensive linemen say more about the overall talent of the group, or does it say more about the health of the starting five? Barclay struggled in preseason, which could have made the Packers hesitant to plug him in for any meaningful snaps early in the year. Perhaps an offensive lineman will be out the door once the suspensions of Jones or Guion are over.

Defensive line: (5, plus 2)

In: Mike Daniels, B.J. Raji, Mike Pennel, Josh Boyd, Bruce Gaston

Practice squad: Christian Ringo

Suspended to begin season: Letroy Guion, Datone Jones

Analysis: Ringo was the only rookie draft pick who didn’t make it onto the 53-man roster. However, keeping Ringo on the practice squad will give him a chance to develop. Gaston earned his way on by being a productive pass-rusher. Khyri Thornton became a major third-round bust, as he was released and then claimed by the New England Patriots. Would Green Bay actually keep seven defensive linemen once Jones and Guion are back? Probably not.

Linebackers: (9)

In: Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal, Nick Perry, Sam Barrington, Jake Ryan, Jayrone Elliott, Andy Mulumba, Nate Palmer

Practice squad: Carl Bradford, James Vaughters

Analysis: Getting Bradford to the practice squad is the best of both worlds for that situation. It doesn’t waste a 53-man roster spot on him, while also letting the Packers continue to attempt turning their fourth-round draft pick investment into something useful.

The group of nine is very deep and quite versatile. Palmer and Mulumba are both capable of playing inside and outside linebacker, just like Matthews is. Vaughters had such a productive preseason that keeping him on the practice squad could pay off in the future. The success of the group, though, will depend on Matthews’ health and whether he’s able to dominate games.

Cornerbacks: (6)

In: Sam Shields, Casey Hayward, Quinten Rollins, Damarious Randall, LaDarius Gunter, Demetri Goodson

Practice squad: Robertson Daniel

Analysis: Keeping Goodson was a bit of a surprise. He wasn’t healthy, and he had fallen behind Gunter. But with the relative health of the Packers’ roster, they were able to keep Goodson and plan for him to be on the game-day inactive roster in Week 1. Goodson seems like a logical candidate to be released when either Jones or Guion return from suspension.

This is a very inexperienced group, as only Shields and Hayward have any regular-season experience under their belts. Could undrafted Gunter be trusted to play as a rookie over first- and second-round picks Randall and Rollins? That will be an interesting decision for position coach Joe Whitt.

Safeties: (5)

In: Micah Hyde, Morgan Burnett, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Sean Richardson, Chris Banjo

Practice squad: (none)

Analysis: Banjo likely earned one of the last roster spots. His ability to contribute on special teams certainly helped his case. Hyde practices with the safeties, but he’s the starting nickel back. Richardson will be used when the Packers need an assist to stop the run.

Specialists: (3)

In: Mason Crosby, Tim Masthay, Brett Goode

Practice squad: (none)

Analysis: Masthay’s struggles in preseason can’t be overlooked. However, Green Bay chose him over Cody Mandell in early August and didn’t present any other in-house competition for Masthay since then.

Paul Imig Special to OnMilwaukee.com
Paul Imig spent the past five years working for FOX Sports WI. He began by covering the Milwaukee Bucks and Milwaukee Brewers before taking over the Green Bay Packers beat in 2011. In addition to his writing, Paul also made television appearances nationwide on FOX Sports 1. He can be heard on the radio statewide on The Bill Michaels Show and can be seen on Time Warner Cable's Roundtable show with Dennis Krause. Paul is the 2015 recipient of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's award for Graduate Of the Last Decade (GOLD).