Breaking Down the Packers Biggest Position Battles As of Now

The Green Bay Packers will continue to work this offseason with OTAs, and minicamps scheduled over the next two months. The team is coming off three consecutive playoff appearances but hopes to contend for a Super Bowl title this season. The roster has talent and for the most part, the starting jobs are known, pending injuries or a surprise improvement by some players. But there are still positions that are currently unsettled. Here is a look at the Packers biggest position battles as of now. They are not listed in any particular order.

The Packers Biggest Position Battles: Defensive Tackle

The Packers do not have a clear-cut run stuffing nose tackle on the roster. Right now, Nazir Stackhouse returns for his second NFL season but has yet to establish himself as a starter. He will battle with rookie third-round pick Chris McClellan to fill this position.

Granted the run-stuffing nose tackle will likely only be on the field roughly 25 percent of defensive snaps, but it’s still an important position that remains unsettled.

GM Brian Gutekunst could also add another player before training camp starts to try to fill this role.

Kicker

Brandon McManus returns to fight for his job, but he will face a big challenge from rookie Trey Smack.

McManus struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season. His three missed kicks in the Packers overtime playoff loss remains stuck in the memory of fans. He also struggled to make kicks from 40 yards out or more. In the modern NFL, kickers are expected to be almost automatic from inside 50 yards.

The Packers traded up to select Smack with the final pick in the sixth round of this year’s draft. The Florida alum has a strong leg and was 10-of-13 from 50 yards or longer in college.

This will be an interesting battle throughout training camp with only one kicker likely to make the 53-man roster.

The Packers Biggest Position Battles: Running Back

Josh Jacobs will be the starter, but the second-string running back will be an interesting competition. Last year’s primary backup, Emanuel Wilson, signed with Seattle. That leaves Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd as the primary candidates to be RB2 this season.

Brooks has served as the third running back on the depth chart for the last two seasons. He gives the team reliability as a runner and receiver. His biggest strength is his ability to pick up blitzes and pass rushers. His blocking ability kept him on the roster the last two seasons and encouraged Gutekunst to re-sign him this offseason.

Lloyd has the ability to break long runs and provides an outside threat to complement Jacobs’ strong between the tackles running. The issue for Lloyd remains staying healthy. He’s only played one game in his two seasons with the Packers and has six carries for 15 yards.

If Lloyd can stay healthy, he’s likely the favorite to be the second string running back, but that’s a big “if” for Lloyd. This will likely be his final chance to prove he can stay healthy and contribute to the offense.

Edge Rusher

After the departure of Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare, there are openings here. Micah Parsons will start at one edge rushing spot with Lukas Van Ness the favorite to start opposite him. However, Parsons will miss the first few games of this season as he rehabs from a torn ACL suffered last December. That means there will be a battle for the starting job opposite Van Ness for the first few games of the season and for the third edge rusher overall.

Brenton Cox, Barryn Sorrell, and Collin Oliver are the leading returnees who will battle rookie fourth-round pick, Dani Dennis-Sutton for playing time and the biggest role in the rotation after Parsons returns.

The Packers Biggest Position Battles: Cornerback

The Packers have only three experienced cornerbacks on the roster entering training camp and they will battle with second-round pick Brandon Cisse for the starting positions.

Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and free agent addition, Benjamin St-Juste give the team a veteran presence on the boundary. Cisse likely will need some time to refine his technique and adjust to the NFL.

They key for the Packers will be getting Cisse ready to start by 2027 as neither Nixon nor Valentine are under contract beyond this season.

Javon Bullard will return as the starting slot corner.