Packers Make Interesting Roster Decision Before Playing Eagles

The Green Bay Packers elevated linebacker Kristian Welch from the practice squad for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sometimes, the roster moves that aren’t made are more interesting than the moves that are made. Here’s a look at Monday’s transactions.

Not Elevated: Receiver

The Packers’ receiver room limped through the week of preparation for Monday night. Coach Matt LaFleur listed three receivers as questionable

Dontayvion Wicks, one of the team’s top players at the position, missed the last two games with a calf injury. He practiced all week as limited participation and “hopefully” will play, LaFleur said on Saturday.

“Injuries, they’re frustrating but, at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to get back out there,” Wicks said on Saturday. “Not just getting back out there but getting back out there at my best. So, I’ve just really been working with the trainers, doing extra work so I can get on top of it and also staying on it as I’m getting back into it, too. That’s the big thing.”

Rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden, who missed the second half last week with a shoulder injury, didn’t practice on Friday or Saturday.

“He’s fighting to play,” LaFleur said before Saturday’s practice. “He’s got to be able to handle everything we’re throwing at him.”

Rookie third-round pick Savion Williams, who usually gets a schemed touch or two on offense but has done increasingly well as the kickoff returner, didn’t practice on Thursday but was limited on Friday and Saturday.

So, with no receivers elevated, what will the Packers do if one or more can’t play or can’t make it through the game? Easy. They’ll turn to Bo Melton, making the receiver-turned-cornerback a receiver turned-cornerback-turned-receiver again.

“I definitely know what’s going on and definitely been in the loop, for sure,” Melton said on Saturday.

Melton has been a core player on special teams with 94 snaps this season. While he made the roster at cornerback, all seven snaps from scrimmage have come as a receiver. He has one run for 3 yards.

Melton joined Green Bay’s practice squad late in 2022 and made his debut in November 2023. In Week 17 at Minnesota, he caught six passes for 105 yards and one touchdown.

“I’m a team-guy first. That’s the first rule here,” Melton said when he made the move during the June minicamp. “I’m going to be for the team. Whatever the team asks me to do, Coach LaFleur came up and asked me would you ever think about doing it. I was like, if it’s going to help the team, I might as well, you know what I mean? That’s my motto since I’ve been here. I’m a team-first guy. I’m going to help my team win any way I can and let’s see how it falls.”

Not Elevated: DB Jaylin Simpson

With veteran cornerback Nate Hobbs battling a knee injury serious enough to keep him out for a couple games but not serious enough to place him on injured reserve, the Packers could have elevated one of their practice-squad defensive backs.

They did not, which leaves only Bo Melton and Kamal Hadden in reserve at cornerback. Neither have played a single snap of defensive back in a regular-season game.

Jaylin Simpson was the most experienced option. He was a fifth-round draft pick last year by the Colts who ended his rookie season on the Jets’ 53-man roster. He’s got safety and cornerback experience and an interesting mentality.

Elevated: LB Kristian Welch

The Packers placed linebacker and special teams ace Nick Niemann on injured reserve before last week’s game and briefly promoted Kristian Welch, another special-teams veteran, to the 53-man roster. Welch played 10 snaps last week, was released from the roster and re-signed to the practice squad.

This will be Welch’s second game of the season. In five seasons, he’s played almost 1,400 snaps on special teams.

Eagles Roster Moves

As expected, Eagles outside linebacker Nolan Smith has been activated from injured reserve. He missed five games with a triceps injury.

In last year’s playoff game, Smith had two sacks of Jordan Love.

“Hungry and just happy to be out there with my guys,” Smith said this week. “Miss the fellas. You miss the camaraderie, you miss the practicing together, you miss all those types of things.”

One of the team’s inactives will be former Packers All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander.

“Ja is definitely a character,” quarterback Jordan Love said this week. “I got of great memories from being here with Jaire. Obviously, he’s phenomenal player. We’ll see what it’s like, if he’s going to be out there, and what the situation might be come Monday. But definitely got a lot of respect for Ja. We’ve got to be aware of him when he’s out there on the field, wherever he is at.”