Green Bay Packers Roster: Who Makes The Final 53?

Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor (2)

The quarterback position is one of the easier positions to predict. The team will be rolling with franchise quarterback Jordan Love, who will be entering his fourth year as a starter. Backing up Love will be veteran Tyrod Taylor, who will begin his 16th NFL season. Former sixth-round pick Kyle McCord’s preseason made it a bit of a conversation, but expect him to land on the practice squad.

Running Back

Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Pierre Strong Jr (4)

Green Bay historically doesn’t keep four running backs, but with legitimate questions at the position, now would be the year to keep four. The top three are locked in with Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, and Chris Brooks. Jacobs’ legal trouble could possibly cause him to miss games though; this is where Pierre Strong Jr may earn his spot. A veteran presence like Strong would provide a boost to an otherwise unproven backfield beyond Jacobs.

Wide Receiver

Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Mathew Golden, Savion Williams, Skyy Moore, and Bo Melton (6)

This is another position on this Packers roster where the players are probable locks. The top four are Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Savion Williams, who will be featured heavily in the offense. Behind them are Skyy Moore and Bo Melton, who also provide special teams versatility.

Green Bay currently has a few UDFA wide receivers in J. Michael Sturdivant, Will Sheppard, and Isaiah Neyor, who will also fight for a spot. If the Packers decide to keep seven, Sturdivant would be the one to watch. He was a sought-after free agent post-draft and has been on kickoff coverage all preseason. He was also the lead blocker on kickoffs during his time at Florida, and the Packers love their guys with special teams ability.

Tight End

Tucker Kraft, Jonnu Smith, Josh Whyle (3), Luke Musgrave PUP

Tight end has been one of the biggest questions for Green Bay’s roster all offseason. Tucker Kraft is coming back from his ACL injury and looks to be ready for Week 1. Unfortunately, former second-round pick Luke Musgrave suffered a neck injury, which has kept him out all of camp, and he will start the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Behind Kraft, the Packers roster received a much-needed boost with the recent signing of veteran tight end Jonnu Smith. Smith is a reliable vertical threat who will step in during the absence of Musgrave. Rounding out the room will be Josh Whyle, who is a solid all-around tight end but more of an in-line blocker than receiver.

Offensive Line

Zach Bako-Bewele, Aaron Banks, Sean Ryhan, Anthony Belton, Jordan Morgan, Jacob Monk, Jager Burton, Darian Kinnard, Travis Glover, and John Williams (10)

Green Bay usually keeps 10 offensive linemen on the team, and this year should be no different. The team loves to move guys all over the line, and they love to preach about having the “best five” out there regardless of position. Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly known as Tom) is their best player along the line and looks to bounce back after an injury-riddled 2025.

2024 first-round selection Jordan Morgan will be moving to his natural position at left tackle after last year’s experiment at guard failed. Kinnard settled in as the team’s swing tackle last year, and Belton, Monk, and Burton will battle for the final starting guard spot. Banks has been injured for most of camp and started camp on the active PUP list before he was taken off, but could find his way back on to start the season.

Edge Rushers

Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Brenton Cox, Collin Oliver, (5) Micah Parsons (PUP)

What might be the most crucial position on the Packers roster is the edge rushers. With Micah Parsons possibly not returning until around the midway point of the year, Green Bay will have to create pressure by committee. Van Ness will be going into the year as the number one pass rusher, while Barryn Sorrell and Dani Dennis-Sutton will be backing him up.

Edge rushers are one of the more mediocre and unproven positions on the roster with the loss of Parsons. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have to do his best to scheme up pressure until their star pass rusher returns to the field. One player to watch is fourth-round pick Dennis-Sutton, who made his preseason debut against the Cardinals with an impressive sack and two QB hits as well. Sutton has legit talent as a pass rusher, and many thought he was a steal of the draft.

Defensive Line

Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave, Chris McClellan, Warren Brinson, Anthony Campbell (5)

Under the new defensive regime, the Packers will revert to a 3-4 defense after spending the last two years as a 4-3. With a 3-4 scheme, having depth in the interior defensive line is a must. Luckily for Green Bay, this is one of the deeper positions on the team. The biggest surprise here is Campbell making it over Karl Brooks.

Brooks is a veteran who was drafted in 2023 and had an impressive rookie year but has yet to match that production since. Someone who was an absolute standout during training camp was Anthony Campbell, who solidified his strong summer with a sack against the Cardinals.

Linebackers

Zaire Franklin, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Tyron Hopper, Nick Niemann(5)

Linebackers are another position on the Packers roster that is mostly locked up. The top four of Franklin, Cooper, McDuffie, and Hopper can be penciled in, and the competition really begins at the fifth spot. Realistically, it should come down to former Iowa teammates Kristian Welch and Nick Niemann, both of whom have been around the team in recent years.

Ultimately, the team should favor whoever offers more in the special teams department. Niemann has been somewhat of a special teams ace over the last couple of years and received more playing time on defense last season. He also has more guaranteed money, which is always something to look at for roster cuts.

Safeties

Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo, and Mark Perry (5)

The safety spot is pretty cut and dry when it comes to the top four players. McKinney, Bullard, and Williams play huge roles in this defense, and Oladapo will serve as their backup. Someone who has earned their spot through training camp and the preseason is Mark Perry. He spent time on the practice squad last season and has made an impact in every preseason game, highlighted by his interception against the Denver Broncos.

Cornerbacks

Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St. Juste, Kamal Hadden (5)

Cornerbacks are another position where the Green Bay roster has real question marks. After last year’s meltdown against the Chicago Bears, the team needed to revamp this cornerback room. Using their limited resources, they did that. The Packers drafted Brandon Cisse in the second round and added Benjamin St. Juste in free agency. They will provide new blood to a group that needed it.

Cisse has looked the part so far through the summer, and he may very well find himself as one of the top two corners going into Week 1. St. Juste is coming off the best season of his career, where he was able to primarily play on the outside, which suits his skill set as a long and physical corner.

Special Teams

Trey Smack, Daniel Whelan, Matt Orzech (3)

Trey Smack has had a perfect preseason, not missing a single field goal or extra point. He is a sixth-round pick who Green Bay traded up for, and the early returns have looked promising. Daniel Whelan should come as no surprise, as he is a very quality punter and a veteran. Orzech will be manning the long-snapping duties; he’s been injured. The team hasn’t cut him, though. That signifies that the Packers expect him to be ready to go at the start of the season.

End Of My Green Bay Packers Roster Rant

This season is going to be an interesting one for Green Bay. On paper, they should still be a good team, but injuries and key departures from last year make this season more questionable than it has been in recent years. Some guys who should find their way into the practice squad include Kyle McCord, J. Michael Sturdivant, Will Sheppard, and Kristian Welch.