The Packers have officially established their initial 53-man roster for the season. Sunday was a busy day for Brian Gutekunst, who made several moves as the team finalized its lineup.

Green Bay was involved in three trades, acquiring Kaleb Johnson and Mark Redman, while trading away Kyle McCord.

While this isn’t a full breakdown of the roster, these are the biggest takeaways and most notable personnel decisions.

Packers Notable Moves at Key Positions

Quarterback: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor

Traded to Miami: Kyle McCord

After a thrilling end to the preseason, the Packers ultimately decided to move on from Kyle McCord. Gutekunst traded McCord to the Dolphins in exchange for a 2028 6th-round pick.

McCord more than earned the opportunity to be Love’s backup. However, it is hard to overlook Tyrod Taylor’s experience in the league. This gave him the job as the number two quarterback.

RB: Kaleb Johnson

Exempt List: Josh Jacobs

The NFL made the decision to place Josh Jacobs on the commissioners’ exempt list. This is a common procedure made when a player is in an ongoing legal investigation.

However, Jacobs court date is not until November. This means at a minimum, he will miss ten games. This bars the question; will Jacobs be released?

LaFleur remained confident that he will stay on the roster. Nonetheless, the NFL has made their stance clear. The Packers had no choice but to trade for Kaleb Johnson from the Steelers.

Johnson showed a ton of potential being drafted in the third-round out of Iowa. The Steelers have a crowded backfield, making Johnson’s chances of improving slim. A fresh start in Green Bay could prove to be game changing.

WR: J. Michael Sturdivant

The Packers are going on over twenty seasons of rostering an undrafted player. Sturdivant more than earned the opportunity after a promising training camp and preseason.

TE: Tucker Kraft, Jonnu Smith, Mark Redman.

The Packers made two additions to their tight end room. This signals the end of Luke Musgrave’s disappointing tenure.

Jonnu Smith is another veteran with a ton of experience. Meanwhile, Mark Redman will focus primarily on being an in line blocking tight end. This has remained a crucial role in Matt LaFleur’s offense.

Meanwhile, Tucker Kraft will be back week one after suffering a torn ACL last season. Kraft will be Jordan Love’s safety net and getting him back is massive for the teams’ success.

EDGE: Micah Parsons (PUP)

Micah Parsons being on the physically unable to perform list became set in stone. This means Parsons will miss the first four games of the season. Hopefully, since the team has practiced without him all summer, they will be more confident starting the season.

DT: Anthony Campbell

Anthony Campbell quickly became a fan favorite at camp. He joined the team during the final week of last season, signing on the practice squad.

Now, Campbell joins the 53 coming off a fantastic summer. He recorded a sack in the final preseason game and remained consistent in each practice.

LS: Matt Orzech

Long snapper being a notable move isn’t on most people’s lists. However, Matt Orzech missed the entire training camp with an injury. This gave Cal Adomitis the role during preseason.

Trey Smack made all of his kicks in the preseason. The special teams looked revamped, many believed Adomitis would keep the job. Orzech has been up and down in recent seasons, making the move puzzling to many.

Overall Outlook of the Initial Roster

Recently, the Packers have been a run first offense. With Jacobs out, Marshawn Lloyd’s health questionable, and Kaleb Johnson just getting to Green Bay, the offense’s keys are in the hands of Jordan Love.

The passing game has the opportunity to be one of the most dynamic in the league. We have yet to see an offense with Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, and Jayden Reed all on the field at the same time.

Yes, you read that right. Green Bay’s top three receivers on offense have not even played together in a full game. Imagining Jordan Love with his top three receivers is full of promise and excitement.

On the defense, who will step up in Parsons’ absence? Someone has to take the mantle and bring fire and energy. There are plenty of players who can take advantage of the opportunity.

Jonathan Gannon is bringing the leadership needed for the defense to succeed. Perhaps the change of scenery and going back to focusing on a coordinator role is what he needed.

Cam Achord has put together a competent and above average special teams’ group. We need to see it play out in the regular season, but everything seen thus far is hopeful. Trey Smack has looked poised when it matters most.

Overall, there is still plenty of room for this team to grow and develop into its full potential. The wait is nearly over. In less than two weeks, the Packers will have their chance to prove whether they can overcome the challenges in front of them.