Packers keeping rookie OLB Brenton Cox Jr. on initial 53-man roster

Rookie edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. has made the initial 53-man roster of the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay Packers rookie edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. has made the team’s initial 53-man roster, per reporting from both Matt Schneidman of The Athletic and Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com.

Cox, a prized undrafted free agent who was kicked out of the football programs at Georgia and Florida before entering the NFL, led the Packers in pressures (seven, including six hurries) and also batted down two passes (one resulting in an interception) and produced a tackle for loss over three preseason games.

Packers Wire picked Cox as one of the team’s stars of the preseason for 2023.

Keeping Cox provides a talented young player with developmental potential to an edge rusher group already featuring star Rashan Gary, veteran Preston Smith, ascending second-year player Kingsley Enagbare and 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness.

The Packers gave Cox a second (or third) chance after his troubles in college, and he repaid the organization with a fantastic summer. Now, he’ll get a chance to stick in Green Bay and develop over time.

Cox joins rookie receiver Malik Heath as the two undrafted free agents expected to make the 53-man roster of the Packers.

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