KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chris Banjo has done all he can. The rest is up to general manager Ted Thompson, the scouting staff and the coaches.
The Green Bay Packers rookie safety, who signed with the team four days into training camp after initially joining the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, had one sack and another quarterback pressure — and came back from a hip injury — in the Packers' 30-8 preseason-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night.
With the Packers playing without starting safety Morgan Burnett, Banjo entered the game in the first quarter and pressured quarterback Chase Daniel, then left the game with the hip injury only to return in the second half and register a sack on Chiefs QB Tyler Bray.
When asked if any players on the roster bubble caught his eye, the first name out of coach Mike McCarthy's mouth was Banjo's.
"I look at a young man like Banjo. He did a nice job," McCarthy said. "He was struggling there a little bit (with the injury) and then came back, had some good plays on special teams (as well)."
The Packers' top three safeties are set with Burnett, M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian, with McMillian and Jennings having battled for the starting job alongside Burnett. If the Packers decide to keep a fourth safety, Banjo seems like the choice. But he's not assuming anything.
"I feel like I've done as much as I can in terms of positive way in terms of my effort and trying to be assignment and fundamentally sound. Whether or not I made enough plays is obviously up to the decision makers," Banjo said. "Regardless, I just thank God for this opportunity to experience it. The NFL is a business about producing. I'm trying to do my best out there."
Jason Wilde wrote: