Every year, the Green Bay Packers add a draft class to a talented roster.
Every year, general manager Brian Gutekunst keeps most, if not all, of those rookies.
For every fresh face that makes the 53-man roster, an established player has to go.
Usually, anyway. Will that be the case this year after Gutekunst selected a slim-and-trim group of six draft picks. Plus, he signed or traded for five veterans. That’s 11 newcomers to the roster – setting aside the highly paid undrafted class.
Meanwhile, 12 veterans with season-long spots on last year’s roster are no longer with the team.
Malik Willis, Romeo Doubs, Quay Walker, Kingsley Enagbare, Rasheed Walker, Emanuel Wilson and Zayne Anderson were lost in free agency. Plus, Rashan Gary and Dontayvion Wicks were traded for 2027 draft picks, Colby Wooden was traded for Zaire Franklin, Elgton Jenkins was released and injured tight end John FitzPatrick was not re-signed.
In totality, with more subtractions than additions, this potentially could be a drama-free training camp for expensive veterans or returning players on the bottom of the depth chart.
It’s not necessarily as simple as the math suggests, though. Here’s a closer look, highlighting the key additions and subtractions.
Quarterbacks
Hello: Tyrod Taylor in free agency.
Goodbye?: With Willis signing with the Dolphins, this should be an easy one-for-one swap of backup quarterbacks.
Running Backs
Hello: No draft picks or battle-tested veterans.
Goodbye?: If everything works out as hoped, the Packers will roll into the season with Josh Jacobs, Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd as their top three in the backfield. If Brooks struggles with a larger workload or Lloyd gets hurt again, things could change. For teams that need a running back, all eyes will be on the Cardinals, who have a roster full of holes but a glut of quality runners.
Receivers
Hello (officially): Skyy Moore in free agency.
Hello (in reality): Bo Melton by how he’s listed on the roster.
Goodbye?: With the deletion of Doubs and Wicks from the roster, the Packers on paper are a net minus-one. However, the reality is the Packers replaced Doubs and Wicks with Moore and Melton.
Where there could be drama is if one of the young receivers, such as Isaiah Neyor or J. Michael Sturdivant, plays so well in training camp and the preseason that he forces his way onto the 53. While Savion Williams is a lock for one backup spot, Moore and Melton can’t afford to relax.
Tight Ends
Hello: No draft picks or battle-tested veterans.
Goodbye?: Maybe nobody, because they’re already a man down without FitzPatrick. The blocking role will be an underrated competition between Messiah Swinson and Luke Lachey, a pair of young players who haven’t played in a game. A trade of Luke Musgrave can’t be ruled out, though that might depend on potential-packed rookie RJ Maryland’s development during training camp.
Offensive Line
Hello: Fifth-round pick Jager Burton.
Goodbye?: Jacob Monk or Donovan Jennings. While the Packers were a man down on the line following the departure of Rasheed Walker in free agency, selecting Burton – a center-guard combo prospect – isn’t a one-for-one replacement.
Monk, a fifth-round pick in 2024, and Jennings, an undrafted free agent in 2024, held season-long spots on the 53-man roster last year. The Packers might not need three interior backups. Burton is practically a lock, perhaps leaving it to Monk vs. Jennings.
Edge
Hello (officially): Fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton.
Hello (in reality): Collin Oliver, who missed all but the final game of his rookie season with hamstring problems.
Goodbye?: Maybe nobody. With Micah Parsons on injured reserve, the Packers ended last season with Gary, Enagbare, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox, Oliver and Arron Mosby on the 53. That’s seven – which seems like too many. With Gary and Enagbare no longer on the roster and the addition of Dennis-Sutton, the Packers could go into the season with the five holdovers and the rookie.
The wild card is the Packers could be looking to add, depending on the development of the young rushers. If another player is acquired, Mosby might be the odd man out, though he was a weapon on special teams last year.
At some point, Parsons will be back. At that point, a move will have to be made.
Overall, this is a confounding combination of a lot of players with potential but not a lot of production.
Defensive Tackle
Hello: Third-round pick Chris McClellan and Javon Hargrave in free agency.
Goodbye?: Nazir Stackhouse or Jonathan Ford. The Packers are plus-1 after adding Hargrave and McClellan and trading Wooden, but the change to a 3-4 scheme means they’ll probably go with six players rather than five. So, generally speaking, the math works out.
However, McClellan will play the nose when the base defense is on the field. Therefore, it probably will be Ford vs. Stackhouse – a pair of one-dimensional run-stoppers – for one spot.
Linebackers
Hello: Zaire Franklin in free agency.
Goodbye?: Maybe nobody, with Franklin being a true one-for-one replacement for Quay Walker, who signed with the Raiders in free agency. When camp begins, Edgerrin Cooper and Franklin will be the starters, Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper will be the top backups, and Nick Niemann and Kristian Welch will try to impress special teams coordinator Cam Achord.
The wild card is undrafted rookie RJ Quinn. If he forces his way onto the roster, could there be a trade market for McDuffie? McDuffie, who started 37 games the past three seasons, is entering his final season under contract.
Cornerbacks
Hello: Second-round pick Brandon Cisse, sixth-round pick Domani Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency.
Goodbye?: Carrington Valentine or Kamal Hadden. With three additions and the release of Nate Hobbs, the Packers are plus-2 at corner. Really, though, they’re only plus-1 now that Bo Melton has been moved back to receiver.
Last season, the five-man cornerback group was Keisean Nixon, Valentine, Hobbs, Melton and Hadden. Hadden replaced Valentine for the second half against Baltimore, only to suffer a season-ending injury that ultimately led to the brief flirtation with Trevon Diggs. Hadden is a talented player with an injury history so could be the odd man out, unless St-Juste or Cisse are good enough to start Week 1, which could put Valentine on the trade block.
Safeties
Hello: Nobody.
Goodbye?: Nobody. The Packers are down a man after Anderson signed with the Dolphins. That means there’s a roster spot open for the taking between Jonathan Baldwin (who spent the offseason as the backup to Javon Bullard in the slot), former undrafted free agent Mark Perry (who spent the offseason alongside Kitan Oladapo with the No. 2 defense) and undrafted rookie Murvin Kenion III.
Special Teams
Hello: Trey Smack in the sixth round.
Goodbye?: Lucas Havrisik. Of course, the Packers would love for this to be so cut-and-dried. Smack’s rough offseason, however, has opened the door at least a bit for Havrisik – or some other veteran.
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