It’s basically a tradition for the Green Bay Packers to carry at least one undrafted rookie on the 53-man roster.
It has happened for almost two decades, and one edge defender has the chance to keep the trend going: Brenton Cox Jr. Matt LaFleur mentioned him among the best rookies on the field during OTAs.
Cox was an impressive college prospect and would probably have been drafted if not for many off-the-field struggles. Most notably, Georgia and Florida kicked him out of school. Last year, Florida coach Billy Napier dismissed Cox from the team after he threw a punch during a game against his former team. According to the coach, his punishment was the result of “a cumulative effect.” Three years earlier, he had been dismissed from Georgia after being arrested for marijuana possession.
The edge rusher played one year at Georgia and three at Florida, finishing his college career with 14.5 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and 10 passes defended. Cox earned second-team All-SEC honors from The Associated Press in 2020 after registering a career-high 41 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, a fumble recovery, and a team-leading 18 quarterback hurries. However, his best season was in 2021, when he played 13 games and set career-highs in solo tackles (26), tackles for a loss (14.5), sacks (8.5), and passes defended (four). After Florida dismissed him, Cox declared for the NFL draft.
He was seen by many as a top-50 talent, but it’s hard to find a team willing to invest in a player with such a checkered history. As a result, he went undrafted.
According to Keith Sanchez from The Draft Network, Cox has what NFL teams look for as a 3-4 edge defender.
On the field, Cox showcases the ideal combination of size, speed, and athleticism that NFL teams covet in an edge rusher. Cox is a productive run defender that has the natural play strength to set the edge. Cox has strong hands in that he can engage with offensive linemen and control them with his hands and shed them when he needs to make a play on a ball carrier that’s near. Cox also has the athleticism to chase plays down on the backside when he is left as the unblocked defender on the backside of plays.
Even though he lacks consistency and technique, those are areas of the game NFL coaching staffs can meaningfully act to develop the player. In terms of pure talent, Cox is undeniably promising. However, his athletic profile is not that impressive.
The Packers gave him a $9,000 signing bonus, so there’s really no downside if they release him. If he has off-the-field issues again, the team will cut ties and move on. But knowing what he wants to do with his career was a part of the recruiting process after the draft.
“I remember when I got a phone list through this process,” Packers outside linebackers coach Jason Rebrovich said. “I called the young man, and I said, ‘Hey, man, I don’t want to know about football. I want to know who I’m going to get on a daily basis. Am I going to get this knucklehead that’s gone through this stuff or am I going to get a guy that wants to become a pro and have the opportunity to become a star in this league?'”
Brenton Cox will have a hard time making the 53-man roster, though. Right now, the Packers have four locks to make the team: Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and Kingsley Enagbare. Justin Hollins will most likely be on the roster, too. So unless there is an injury or Gary starts the season on the PUP list, Cox will have to play at a high level during training camp and preseason to justify a spot. Green Bay would probably prefer to keep him on the practice squad. Therefore, Cox will have to play well enough for general manager Brian Gutekunst to fear someone else claiming him on waivers if he is cut.
“Watching Brenton coming out – and again, he was highly recruited, and there’s a lot of guys who have trials and tribulations through college – the best thing I saw about him is how he is as a player,” Rebrovich added.
It feels like Brenton Cox has all the tools to be an impact player, even as an undrafted free agent. But he needs to get out of his own way. That’s going to be one of his biggest challenges in the next three months to justify a spot with Green Bay.
