Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Packers' starting secondary could undergo cornerback overhaul

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers could have as many as six new starters when the NFL season opens. Here's a starting lineup projection:

Offense

Quarterback (Aaron Rodgers): The two-time NFL MVP ended last season with 18 touchdowns and no interceptions in his final seven games in leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game.

Running back (Ty Montgomery): Even after drafting three backs -- BYU's Jamaal Williams (fourth round), UTEP's Aaron Jones (fifth round) and Utah State's Devante Mays (seventh round) -- Montgomery should be the No. 1 back.

Receiver (Jordy Nelson): Some think a player is better the year after he returns from ACL reconstruction. Even if that's the case with Nelson, it would be hard to imagine him topping the 97 catches, 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns he totaled in his NFL Comeback Player of the Year season of 2016.

Receiver (Davante Adams): Heading into a contract year, Adams will look to match or better his career-best numbers from last season (75 catches for 997 yards and 12 touchdowns).

Receiver (Randall Cobb): The slot receiver hasn't been able to match his 2014 production -- 91 catches for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns -- but he has been slowed by injuries over the past two seasons. It's a critical year for him.

Tight end (Martellus Bennett): How quickly the team's biggest free-agent pickup jells with Rodgers might determine how effective this offense is. Another newcomer, veteran Lance Kendricks, will see plenty of action in two-tight end sets.

Left tackle (David Bakhtiari): He put together his best season last year after he signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension in September.

Left guard (Lane Taylor): He replaced Pro Bowler Josh Sitton without much trouble after the Packers dumped Sitton a week before the season opener.

Center (Corey Linsley): The only question about Linsley is his ability to stay healthy. He missed all the offseason practices while recovering from ankle surgery. He missed the first half of last season because of a hamstring injury.

Right guard (Jahri Evans): The veteran free agent, formerly of the New Orleans Saints, should give the Packers a one-year replacement for T.J. Lang while they develop a long-term starter from the group of Kyle Murphy, Lucas Patrick and sixth-round pick Kofi Amichia.

Right tackle (Bryan Bulaga): The veteran had one of his best seasons in 2016, when he played in every game for the first time since his rookie year of 2010. As long as his knees hold up, he'll be fine.

Defense

Defensive tackle (Kenny Clark): The 2016 first-round pick became more of an impact player late in his rookie season after a slow start, giving the Packers reason to believe he'll be more of a factor this season. Veteran Ricky Jean Francois also could be a starter when the Packers use a three-man front.

Defensive tackle (Mike Daniels): The heart and soul of the defensive front, Daniels has improved each season and should be a candidate for his first Pro Bowl.

Outside linebacker (Clay Matthews): He could spend time at inside linebacker like he did in 2014 and 2015, but either way, the Packers need more than the career-low five sacks he produced last season.

Outside linebacker (Nick Perry): Can the 2012 first-round pick duplicate -- or even improve on -- last year's career-high 11 sacks that led to the five-year, $60 million contract he signed this offseason? He'll need to prove he has shaken the injury bug first.

Inside linebacker (Jake Ryan): It's time for the third-year pro to show playmaking ability. In two seasons, he has no sacks, no interceptions, no forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Inside linebacker (Blake Martinez): A promising rookie campaign took a turn for the worse when a late-season knee injury cost him three games. Joe Thomas will push Martinez and/or Ryan for a job.

Cornerback (Kevin King): The second-round pick (No. 33 overall) gives defensive coordinator Dom Capers his tallest cornerback at 6-foot-3.

Cornerback (Davon House): The veteran should be more consistent than LaDarius Gunter was last season.

Nickel defensive back (Damarious Randall): The 2015 first-round pick is better suited to play in the slot than on the outside, where he struggled last season, in part because of injuries.

Safety (Ha Ha Clinton-Dix): The budding star of the Packers' defense had a career-high five interceptions on the way to his first Pro Bowl.

Safety (Morgan Burnett): The Packers used him in a variety of roles last season, including as a linebacker in the sub packages. They drafted NC State's Josh Jones in the second round to do some of those same things, but the veteran Burnett should hold on to the job for now.

Special teams

Kicker (Mason Crosby): The franchise's all-time scoring leader has made 86.8 percent of his field goals over the past three seasons and all but one of his 15 postseason kicks during that stretch.

Punter (Justin Vogel): He's the only punter on the roster after Jake Schum was released in the spring, but the undrafted rookie is far from a lock. Expect competition to arrive soon.

Long-snapper (Derek Hart): See above. Like Vogel, Hart is the only specialist at his position on the roster, but veteran Brett Goode should be on speed dial if the undrafted rookie doesn't cut it.

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