The Packers had to reduce their roster from 90 to 53 players on Tuesday afternoon. It was a bittersweet day around the league. Over 1,000 players across the NFL lost their jobs and are now unemployed. Describing the day as “exciting” seems wrong, but for fans, it’s always enjoyable to find out who made the final cut. This piece analyzes the Packers’ decisions position by position. Some position groups turned out to be exactly as everyone predicted, but other position groups saw a few surprises.

Before getting started, some general takeaways stood out after taking some time to process the roster moves and news. For starters, the Packers have the youngest roster in the league for the third straight season. Helping that stat is another undrafted free agent rookie making the team for 21 years in a row. It also seemed noteworthy that special teams weren’t as prioritized for Gutekunst and company. In years past, the Packers have filled out the bottom of their roster with special teams-only players. Lastly, it was not a good day to be a vested veteran who was on the bubble. The Packers released four vested veterans in total.

Quarterback (2)

Jordan Love, Malik Willis

Not much needs to be said about the quarterback position. This was one of the easiest decisions for Gutekunst and company to make. Jordan Love is the franchise quarterback, and Malik Willis is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. Neither Sean Clifford nor Taylor Elgersma was ever going to have a legit chance at a 53-man roster spot. Spoiler: the Packers didn’t even bring them back on the practice squad either.

Running Back (3)

Josh Jacobs, Emmanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks

IRDR: MarShawn Lloyd

Jacobs, Wilson, and Brooks were all expected to make the team. Some would even go as far as to say they were locks for a good portion of training camp. Jacobs will be the bellcow once again. Wilson is an excellent fill-in to spell Jacobs when needed. Brooks is the “do a little of everything” back. These three complement each other’s skillsets well. The younger backs, Amar Johnson and Israel Abanikanda, were nice additions for training camp, but it would’ve taken multiple injuries for them to challenge for a spot on the 53.

After Lloyd suffered another injury in the second preseason game against the Colts, he seemed destined to start the year on the Injured Reserve-Designated to Return. He will be out for at least the first four games. The Packers’ bye week is week five, so Lloyd could have the chance to return week six against the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s a tough break for the second-year running back, but the Packers have to be cautious, knowing his extensive injury history.

Wide Receiver (6)

Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, Malik Heath, Savion Williams

PUP: Christian Watson

After much debate, the Packers decided to keep six wide receivers on their final roster. There aren’t any surprises on this list. Doubs, Reed, Wicks, Golden, and Williams were all expected to make the team barring injury. All five will be expected to play significant roles throughout the season. The injury concerns for Reed, Wicks, and Williams potentially forced Gutekunst to keep a sixth wide receiver, but it’s encouraging that Reed and Wicks were able to return to practice on Wednesday.

That sixth man will be Heath, who makes the team for his third-straight season. The former undrafted free agent contributes on special teams, is well-versed in the offense, and is trusted by the Packers’ coaching staff. He edged out Mecole Hardman for that sixth spot. The Packers gave Hardman multiple chances to earn his way onto the roster, but ultimately, he didn’t do enough to earn that sixth spot.

As expected, Christian Watson will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, so he will miss the first four games of the season. Watson could return as soon as week six, but it will likely be longer before he returns to game action. It will be interesting to see what happens once he is healthy enough to be activated because the Packers likely won’t want to keep seven wideouts on the roster, but they can cross that bridge when they get there.

Tight End (4)

Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, John FitzPatrick, Ben Sims

The Packers opted to keep four tight ends on the final roster. Kraft looks to build upon a 2024 season where he showed glimpses of being one of the better tight ends in the league. Musgrave, who has remained healthy throughout training camp, is looking to show why the Packers used a second-round pick on him. These two should see most of the work on the offensive side of the ball.

FitzPatrick has quietly won over the coaches since joining the team last October and is expected to be third on the depth chart. Initially thought of as a blocking tight end, FitzPatrick has expanded his game to show he can block, catch the football, and contribute on special teams. Sims, more known for his special teams ability than anything else, makes the team again and should make his mark primarily on the special teams units.

Offensive Line (9)

Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Jordan Morgan, Anthony Belton, Darian Kinnard, Donovan Jennings

IRDR: Jacob Monk

PUP: John Williams

IR: Travis Glover

Initially, there were a lot of questions about what the Packers would do with their offensive line group, but as training camp went on, it became fairly straightforward. The Packers have six offensive linemen capable of starting for them right now in Jenkins, Banks, Tom, Walker, Rhyan, and Morgan. Belton, the second-round pick, was also going to make the team regardless, since the team used a high draft pick on him this past offseason. After those seven, there was some uncertainty.

As the preseason came to a close, it was clear that the Packers needed some more depth on the offensive line. Players like Jennings and Kadeem Telfort didn’t do anything to help themselves on the field. Monk’s injury made matters even worse. The Packers knew they needed to make a move, and they did so by acquiring G/T Darian Kinnard from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Once the Packers made the trade for Kinnard, it was a given that he would also make the team. It then came down to Jennings versus Kadeem Telfort for the ninth and final spot. The Packers went with Jennings. Jennings didn’t necessarily earn his spot, but since the Packers already had quality tackles, Jennings was a better fit. His experience playing an interior offensive line spot was more valuable at this time.

Monk will miss at least the first four games, but will have an opportunity to earn his way onto the active roster once that time is up. The severity of his injury is unknown, but the Packers will likely be cautious. Williams, who missed all of OTAs and training camp with a back injury, will remain on the PUP list. That means he could eventually practice if he is healthy enough. Had he been placed on injured reserve, his season would be over. He may not play at all this season, but keeping him on the PUP list gives him a chance.

Defensive End (5)

Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell

PUP: Collin Oliver

It was widely expected that the Packers would keep five or six defensive ends. The Packers ultimately kept five, which left Arron Mosby as the odd man out. Gary and Van Ness will be the presumed starters, and the two should be logging the majority of the reps. Enagbare and Cox both had really strong preseasons and should be the next in line to see quality playing time.

There was some question about what would happen with rookie fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrel. He left the preseason game against the Colts with a knee injury, and he’s expected to miss some time. The Packers had a decision to make: place him on IR designated to return to start the season or keep him on the active roster. The Packers decided on the latter, which should serve as a positive sign for his knee injury, although he still hasn’t returned to practice.

The decision to move on from Mosby shows a shift in the Packers’ thinking from recent years. Mosby played in 16 games for the Packers a year ago as one of the Packers’ main special teams contributors. He never had many opportunities to contribute much on defense. Another spoiler: the Packers were able to sign Mosby to the practice squad. He will be a candidate to be elevated to the active roster on game days for his special teams prowess.

Defensive Tackles (6)

Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse

Brian Gutekunst probably didn’t anticipate keeping six defensive tackles on the final roster before training camp began, but all six showed why they deserve a spot on the team at different points. Clark heads into his tenth season at age 29. After battling an injury all of last season, both Clark and the Packers are hoping for a bounce-back season. Wyatt is the other presumed starter and will look to prove the Packers right for picking up his fifth-year option.

Third-year players Brooks and Wooden will also be expected to do some of the heavy lifting. Brinson and Stackhouse, the two rookies and former teammates at Georgia, both made the team after showing flashes throughout the preseason. The Packers may choose to mix and match their matchups with this group of defensive tackles. During the preseason, the Packers opted to use a pairing of Brooks and Brinson on some of the passing situations, and then use a pairing of Wooden and Stackhouse on the run-heavy downs.

Keeping six defensive tackles makes sense for a variety of reasons, but the one downside is that none of them contribute much on special teams. Neither Brinson nor Stackhouse will be running down the field on punt or kickoff coverage, so the Packers will have to look elsewhere to find special teams contributors.

**The Packers keep the streak of undrafted free agent rookies making the 53-man roster alive by keeping Stackhouse on the final roster.

Linebackers (5)

Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Neimann

It’s hard to fathom the Packers only keeping four linebackers on their final 53-man roster, but they did it. Walker and Cooper should see the most work. Walker calls the defense on the field, and Cooper is a budding superstar. McDuffie is the third presumed starter in base defense. Hopper had a phenomenal training camp and earned his spot as the fourth linebacker on the depth chart, and should be a capable placement if any of the top three miss time. After those four, no one else really stepped up.

Simmons and Welch were the main notable omissions from the final roster, not because they deserved it, but because most people assumed the Packers would keep at least five linebackers on the team. Simmons had an abysmal preseason. His performances in the first two preseason games were by far the poorest of anyone on the roster. Welch’s preseason was fine, but he doesn’t move the needle either way. Their special teams skills didn’t outweigh their lack of defensive capabilities.

The Packers only kept four linebackers on their initial 53-man roster, but it didn’t take long for the Packers to add another linebacker to the roster. They were never going to stick with only four players on the roster. On Wednesday afternoon, it was reported by Bill Huber that the Packers were signing linebacker Nick Niemann to the roster. Neimann has logged over 1,300 special teams snaps over his four-year career and even led the Chargers in special teams tackles in three of the last four years. The uber-athletic linebacker should play on all of the special teams units in Green Bay.

Cornerbacks (5)

Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Bo Melton, Kamal Hadden

The Packers initially decided to keep six cornerbacks, but that didn’t last very long. Hobbs, Nixon, and Valentine were all no-brainers to make the roster. If healthy, they will be the main three cornerbacks. After those three, Melton quickly earned his spot as the number four corner. His strong preseason steadily moved him up the depth chart. After that, it was anyone’s guess.

Melton’s story of switching positions shouldn’t be lost on anyone. A year ago, he made the 53-man roster as a wide receiver. He didn’t switch positions to cornerback officially until last month. And now, he made the roster at a new position, one he hasn’t played since high school. This isn’t just a cool story; it’s unheard of. The Packers probably don’t want to rely on him to play 60-70 snaps per game at cornerback, but his ability to learn and compete at a new position is unprecedented.

Hadden made the team as the fifth cornerback, despite an inconsistent preseason where he missed a lot of time due to injury. By all accounts, Hadden was outplayed throughout training camp by Kalen King. King arguably had the best camp of any of the bubble cornerbacks. He performed well in the preseason games and strung together some very good practices. The Packers’ decision to move on from King likely had more to do with his position. King is primarily a slot cornerback. The Packers prioritized Hadden, who lines up primarily on the perimeter. Despite King’s strong camp, he just ran into a log jam at his position.

The last 48 hours for Micah Robinson have likely been filled with emotion. As of 3:00 pm on Tuesday, he had made the final roster. By 3:00 pm on Wednesday, he was cut and without a team. It’s just another example of the NFL being a cruel business. His time on the 53-man roster only lasted about 24 hours. He was released to make room for Niemann, so the Packers will be back to only keeping five cornerbacks on the roster. Robinson is expected to join the Packers’ practice squad.

The decision to keep only five cornerbacks on the roster seems to indicate that Hobbs will be healthy enough to play early on in the season. Hobbs had a procedure done on his knee, forcing him to miss most of training camp. He returned to practice on Wednesday.

Safety (5)

S: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson, Kitan Oladapo

IR: Omar Brown

There weren’t any curveballs with the safety group. McKinney is one of the best safeties in the league and the leader of the defense. Williams, heading into his second season, will man the other safety spot. Bullard will see time at both safety and in the slot. Ideally, these three will play most, if not all, of the snaps.

Anderson, a special teams ace, makes the team once again. He did well filling in at safety last season. He may miss some time to start the season due to a knee injury, but he starts the season on the active roster. Oladapo didn’t have a very eventful preseason, but he earned the fifth safety spot. He will also need to contribute on special teams if he wants to be active on game days.

Omar Brown was having a nice preseason before suffering a lung injury against the Colts. He spent several nights in an Indianapolis hospital because of a collapsed lung. Ultimately, the Packers chose to place him on season-ending injured reserve. While it’s probably disappointing, Brown still has an excellent opportunity to be around the team every day.

Special Teams (3)

It was always going to be this trio. For starters, McManus has completely stabilized the kicker position for the Packers. Last summer, it was a battle between Anders Carlson, Greg Joseph, and Bradyn Narveson. That didn’t end well. McManus came in and went 20 of 21. The Packers then re-signed him for three years, $15.3 million in March. This preseason, between games and practices, McManus went 73 of 79. What a revelation he has been.

Daniel Whelan has quietly become a weapon for the Packers. In three preseason games, he punted 15 times for an average of 53.7 yards. His longest punt was 67 yards. He downed 5 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Whelan’s net average was an impressive 52.3 yards. He has also turned into a reliable holder. The Packers are obviously hoping they don’t have to use him much this season, but if they do, there is a lot of confidence that he can flip the field in any situation.

With Orzech, the hope is that he’s not noticeable. If the long snapper is being noticed, it’s usually a negative thing. Orzech has just done his job throughout the preseason. The Packers had no reason to try and replace him. Instead, they rewarded him with a three-year extension worth up to $4.8 million. He becomes the third-highest-paid long snapper in the NFL.

Practice Squad

  • Israel Abanikanda
  • Deslin Alexandre
  • Johnathan Baldwin
  • Brant Banks
  • Dalton Cooper
  • James Ester
  • Mecole Hardman
  • Jamon Johnson
  • Mark McNamee (IPP)
  • Arron Mosby
  • Isaiah Neyor
  • Micah Robinson
  • Will Sheppard
  • Jaylin Simpson
  • Clayton Tune
  • Kristian Welch