When Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst sees a roster deficiency, he attacks it with everything he has. We’ve seen Gutekunst sign expensive free agents, double down on premium rookies, and draft three players at the same position multiple times.
For a few years, the safety position was a major weakness in a Packer defense that already wasn’t playing up to snuff. Gutekunst finally attacked the position for the 2024 season by signing Xavier McKinney, one of the top players in free agency and a picturesque fit in new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense, and drafting three more new faces in Javon Bullard (second round), Evan Williams (fourth round), and Kitan Oladapo (fifth round).
The safety room looks night-and-day different heading into the 2024 season, but there are a few returning faces. Former seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson Jr., who played a significant amount of snaps as a rookie, is in the mix for a starting spot next to McKinney. And Zayne Anderson saw some first-team reps in relief of McKinney during the team’s first training camp practice.
Anderson isn’t a household name for Green Bay fans. However, the fourth-year safety had a strong offseason and could earn a spot on the roster with a good summer. If his ball-hawking skills transition through the preseason and he keeps playing a major role on special teams, Anderson could be in the mix in the safety room by the time the regular season starts.
Anderson played 50 games for BYU with two redshirt seasons thanks to injuries and finished his collegiate career with 162 tackles (105 solo) and six interceptions. He went undrafted in 2021 and joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a UDFA, spending most of his rookie season on the practice squad.
He won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in 2022 before signing a two-year deal with the Buffalo Bills before the 2023 season. However, Buffalo waived Anderson in August, and the Packers claimed him shortly after.
Anderson appeared in 10 games for Green Bay, missing the first seven thanks to injuries. He played 127 special teams snaps, recording four tackles. Anderson saw his first defensive snaps at the end of the playoff game in Dallas but did not make much of an impact.
The Packers signed Anderson with special teams in mind, and he didn’t have any regular-season defensive snaps. With a star veteran in place, a returning Day 3 pick who showed positive things his rookie season, and three high-ceiling rookies in the mix, how can Anderson carve out a role and make Green Bay’s roster?
Anderson was one of Rich Bisaccia’s core special teamers in the 10 games he was available, taking 51% of available special teams snaps. He had the 14th-most special teams snaps on the roster, an impressive feat in 10 games.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t particularly impactful in those snaps, with only four tackles. While he showed flashes, it’s hard to call him a special teams weapon despite the number of snaps played. To be fair, though, most of Bisaccia’s group underperformed in 2023.
The easiest path toward a roster spot is showing he can evolve into a true weapon for the we-fence. Bisaccia lost many of his core players when the Packers rebuilt their safety and linebacker groups, meaning there is plenty of opportunity for someone to step up. The Packers aren’t above keeping a safety on the roster primarily for special teams purposes.
Of course, any special teamer is more valuable if they can play a role on their side of the ball. Anderson will have a much better shot at making the roster if he can show enough to be considered a viable depth safety, and he put on a good show of it early in minicamp.
Anderson was one of the standouts during the first minicamp practice on June 11. He showed off the ball-hawking skills he honed at BYU by intercepting Sean Clifford not once, not twice, but thrice in a single practice. His final pick ended practice for the day. And a tough day at the office for Clifford became a performance for Anderson to hang his hat on.
Anderson was humble about the experience. “I always tell the guys and I always tell myself, and remind myself, that if you’re doing the right thing and doing the right technique, the ball will come to you when it’s supposed to come to you,” he claimed. “Luckily, it was gravitating towards me. It was a good day.”
Matt LaFleur praised Anderson’s big day and work ethic. “He had a heck of a day, huh?” he asked rhetorically. “Zayne, he always approaches it the right way and gives great effort. He started to gain some confidence as a player last season, especially on ‘we-fense.’ And then to see him get more opportunities on defense and go out there and make plays, I think that’s exciting.”
It won’t be easy for Anderson to make the roster. The Packers typically keep four or five safeties on the initial 53-man roster, and this is the most talented group they’ve had in the LaFleur era. But it’s not unheard of for a former UDFA to take a big leap, and it’s not uncommon for a rookie to struggle. If Anderson can maintain a positive trajectory as a defensive player, he could push for a role.
The Packers need more ballhawks; they were 31st in interceptions (7) last season. And that looks like Anderson’s best skill. If his role on special teams can grow and he looks competent on defense, he could be a player to watch for.
