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Where did the Green Bay Packers upgrade in 2026?
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Where did the Green Bay Packers upgrade in 2026?

Originally posted on PackersTalk.com  |  By Drew Sayer  |  Last updated Jul 28, 2026 8:09 AM ET
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So much is at stake for the Green Bay Packers in 2026. Thankfully we are finally just one day away from the unofficial start of the journey for this year’s team. So, on the eve of training camp here’s my analysis of this roster and where I think they’ve upgraded or downgraded going into this new season. 

QB

Departures: Malik Willis 

Arrivals: Tyrod Taylor, Kyron Drones 

The expectations right now for Jordan Love are vastly different than they were this time last year. After the 2024 season, we were all largely unsure that Love would prove worthy of his contract. Mainly because we hadn’t seen him put together a full and consistent season of high-end QB play. Now we have. 2025 was unquestionably Love’s best season, and we can now reasonably expect him to turn in top 10 level QB play on an annual basis. 

Outside of Love I do feel this room got worse. Tyrod Taylor is a great guy to have as a backup, and I am elated that he was brought in. But that doesn’t mean he is Malik Willis. 

Malik Willis was honestly a fever dream over the last two seasons. It’s truly hard to remember a short-term Green Bay Packer who has been more likable, or will be more fondly remembered than Willis will be. Both his personality and his dynamism on the field will be missed. Hopefully, Love can stay healthy this year and effectively negate Malik’s departure. 

Slight downgrade at the backup QB position is cancelled out by the potential for another statistical jump up from Love. 

Final Answer: Push. 

OL

Departures: Elgton Jenkins, Rasheed Walker

Arrivals: Jager Burton, Travis Glover and John Williams (both returning from injury)

On paper the offensive line got worse. I think that is hard to objectively argue against. Walker and Jenkins both struggled last season, but they were still opening day starters. That means the Green Bay Packers felt they were among their 5 best linemen. Now, both of those guys are gone, and for nothing in return. 

The argument here is that the new starting 5 will fit together better. Jordan Morgan, the former first round pick, will finally get to play where he was meant to play. Sean Rhyan will get a full season to focus on what the coaches now say is his best position. And finally, Anthony Belton will get a full offseason to focus on what was so obviously the correct position for him. 

Couple that with improved injury luck for Zach Tom and Aaron Banks, and the argument for improvement in 2026 is at least conceivable. 

What this argument fails to address though is depth. Depth on the offensive line is a massive issue right now. 

Darian Kinnard, Jager Burton, Jacob Monk, Travis Glover, John Williams, Josh Gesky, or Donovan Jennings. That’s your list of backup linemen. Woof! 

The Green Bay Packers need at least a couple of these guys to pop or they should be looking to add a reserve lineman or two through late stage free agency or the trade market. 

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the starters perform better this year, but the depth concerns are too glaring to ignore. 

Final Answer: Downgrade.

RB

Departures: Emmanuel Wilson

Arrivals: Damien Martinez, Marshawn Lloyd (returning from injury) 

Josh Jacobs started to slow down last season in my opinion. Maybe it was the heavy workload and nagging injuries he was forced to endure, but he surely didn’t break off long runs as often as he did earlier in his career. 

Couple that with the departure of Emmanuel Wilson and I am a little concerned with the state of the RB room right now. If Marshawn Lloyd can’t stay healthy, then the workload will fall squarely back on Jacobs. That didn’t go great last season, and now Wilson is gone, plus Jacobs is just another year older. 

However! If Lloyd does stay healthy, then this RB room becomes an immediate strength of the team. Lloyd has the power to be a real game changer for this team while also lightening the load for Jacobs. If that can finally happen, then watch out. If not, then we might be in trouble. 

Final Answer: Downgrade if Lloyd is hurt again, huge upgrade if healthy

WR

Departures: Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks 

Arrivals: Skyy Moore

Similar to the O-line, the talent that is walking out the door is greater than the talent that is walking in the door. It is impossible to ignore that. So, for that reason I feel like you have to say the WR room is worse off. At the very least, you have to admit that the depth is worse off. 

However, once again similar to the O-line, I do feel like we might be in for improved performance out of the WR room. As long as they are blessed with relatively good health that is. 

For starters, the Green Bay Packers missed Christian Watson for half the season in 2025, and Jayden Reed for almost the entire season. Those are their best two receivers, and the offense simply operates differently when they are out there. Give those guys a full healthy season and we’re already moving in the right direction. 

The next big step forward could be a potential emergence for Matthew Golden and/or Savion Williams. Both of these guys were top-100 picks in 2025 who languished behind Doubs and Wicks on the depth chart. Whenever they got the chance to play they showed out, but the crowded WR room kept them down for much of the season. 

These two are simply too good to ride the bench. That’s why I was so adamant that letting Doubs walk and trading Wicks were both good moves. Clearing space for Golden specifically, but also for Williams was of paramount importance this offseason. 

The WR depth chart is worse off right now than it was last year, but with a target share that will finally be set up to funnel towards their best players, the Green Bay Packers are still set up well at WR. 

Final Answer: Downgrade barring a breakout from the 2nd year wideouts 

TE

Departures: John Fitzpatrick 

Arrivals: RJ Maryland 

Not much has changed for this position group. John Fitzpatrick won’t play this year due to his late season achilles tear, but Josh Whyle can provide a lot of the same things that Fitzpatrick did. I wouldn’t expect much dropoff there. 

Tucker Kraft’s ACL rehab seems to be going swimmingly, and I get the sense he’ll return to his normal domination straight away. 

Final Answer: Push 

DL 

Departures: Colby Wooden

Arrivals: Javon Hargrave, Chris McLellan 

After Devonte Wyatt got hurt last year, the Green Bay Packers went into their playoff game with Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks as their starting DT’s. Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson were the primary backups. That is a laughably bad lineup. It really can’t be stated how much the defensive interior was a weakness for the Packers down the stretch. 

Now the Packers return a healthy and recently extended Devonte Wyatt, new free agent Javon Hargrave, and an exciting rookie in Chris McLellan. 

Hargrave didn’t have his best season last year, and there are reasons for that, but he would have been the best Packers D-lineman by a country mile in that playoff game. He’s no longer a star, but the Green Bay Packers can count on him to at least be an above average starter. 

McLellan is another guy to look out for, even as a rookie. McLellan packs a real punch in his hands. His tape at Missouri is littered with true knockback power. As long as McLellan maintained his leverage, it was rare to see a college lineman who could handle his strength. 

Allow Karl Brooks to return to a rotational role and couple these additions with potential improvement from the 2nd year linemen out of Georgia. Hand up, I am a huge fan of Warren Brinson.  

Final Answer: Upgrade

OLB

Departures: Rashan Gary, Kingsley Enagbare 

Arrivals: Dani Dennis Sutton, Collin Oliver and Brenton Cox (returning from injury) 

No matter how you look at Rashan Gary, I still think there’s been an overall talent downgrade at this position. Especially if you factor in Micah Parsons missing at least a few games to start the season. 

The Green Bay Packers are going to need massive production jumps from players like Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, Lukas Van Ness and Brenton Cox if they even want to tread water at this position until Parsons returns. 

If some of these young guys don’t truly pop in training camp, expect the Packers to show interest in a guy like Jadeveon Clowney. An addition like that wouldn’t cost much, but would be enough to make this unit serviceable until Micah returns to save us. 

Here’s my one hot take for this position group: Lukas Van Ness has already made the jump that we’ve all been calling for. LVN was legitimately disruptive last season and easily had the best season of his career. When filtered for volume, LVN had the league’s 12th best pass rush win rate last season. If he can play like that again, then the Green Bay Packers will be sitting pretty once Micah returns. 

Final Answer: Downgrade

ILB

Departures: Quay Walker 

Arrivals: Zaire Franklin 

I would not call myself a fan of Quay Walker’s, but I still think this is a talent downgrade going from Walker to Franklin. 

Even with all of Quay’s struggles, he’s still an exciting enough player that he did warrant a sizable contract from the Raiders. Franklin, on the other hand, is likely past his prime and doesn’t possess nearly the same athletic ability that Quay did. 

This is another position group where the end result will come down to fit. The Green Bay Packers brought in Franklin because they identified him as the type of linebacker that could free up Edgerrin Cooper. 

In hindsight, I think it was a smart move. Pairing the flashy and rangy Cooper with a “do the dirty work” type thumper like Franklin has exciting potential. Only time will tell. 

Final Answer: Push 

Secondary

Departures: Nate Hobbs 

Arrivals: Benjamin St-Juste, Brandon Cisse, Domani Jackson 

The cornerbacks specifically were an absolute mess for the Green Bay Packers in 2025. So in other words, it would be quite difficult for them to be worse this season than they were last year. 

That being said, I do feel that the Green Bay Packers made some strong additions to this position group. 

Benjamin St-Juste played a roughly similar number of snaps as Nate Hobbs did last season. The difference in performance between those two players last year cannot be overstated. Swapping out Hobbs for St-Juste should be viewed as a sizable upgrade. 

Now add in two exciting young draft picks, and it’s easy to see the improvements in this room. 

If Cisse can become something as a rookie, then this room could be a real strength of the defense. 

Final Answer: Upgrade

This article first appeared on PackersTalk.com and was syndicated with permission.

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