The draft is over, so how does the Green Bay Packers’ roster look like going into the summer? I took my best stab at projecting the team’s 53-man roster and depth chart following the team’s eight draft choices.
I’m certain to get something wrong. Some undrafted free agent is going to rise in training camp. Some players are going to get banged up and start the year on NFI, PUP or the IR lists. It’s bound to happen. At the moment, though, this is how I see the Packers’ 2025 roster shaking out:
Quarterbacks
Starter: Jordan Love
Backup: Malik Willis
The Packers have had no appetite to keep three quarterbacks on their roster since Jordan Love’s rookie season, when he served as the team’s third-string quarterback. I don’t think that will change in 2025, at least until the postseason, when the team tends to add another quarterback on the 53-man roster to take advantage of the third-quarterback rules.
Running Backs
Starter: Josh Jacobs
Backups: MarShawn Lloyd, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks
I could see the Packers going three or four running backs, depending on how many numbers they want to carry elsewhere. I think four could work, though, as each of MarShawn Lloyd, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks has a different element they bring to the backfield behind Josh Jacobs. Brooks, notably, was used in a sort of fullback/blocking role in split-back sets toward the end of the season. Like quarterback, nothing of substance changed here this offseason — outside of Lloyd’s health.
Receivers
Starters: Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed (slot)
Backups: Matthew Golden, Savion Williams and Mecole Hardman
PUP: Christian Watson (ACL)
I can hear the complaints about the team taking backups in the top-100 already, but the Packers are usually slow to work in their rookie receiver. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks lead the team in outside receiver snaps in 2025. The final roster spot here comes down to Mecole Hardman, Bo Melton and Malik Heath, all players who have been on NFL 53-man rosters in the past. Hardman and Melton will probably both compete for the punt returning job, something that rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden can do, too. Savion Williams should be a difference-making kick returner. If the rookies win the return jobs, I could see the team letting both Hardman and Melton walk in favor of Heath, who can do some more dirty work in the blocking game and as a non-returner on special teams.
Tight Ends
Starters: Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave
Backups: John FitzPatrick and Ben Sims
Again, nothing has really changed at this position. If anything, I think that the roster spot up for grabs is Ben Sims’, considering that John FitzPatrick outsnapped him on both offense and special teams toward the end of the 2024 season. With how the Packers operate on special teams, they’ll want to keep four players at the position and have them all active on gameday. Maybe an undrafted free agent pushes Sims for his roster spot, but that’s the only uncertainty I have here.
Offensive Linemen
Starters: Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom
Backups: Jordan Morgan, Anthony Belton, Jacob Monk and two others
Pay no attention to the starters here. I believe that the selection of Anthony Belton will allow both Belton and 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan to compete for the left tackle and right guard positions in 2025. I wouldn’t be surprised by any combination of those four players starting this season.
On the lower end of the depth chart, though, I do think that competition is going to be very, very tough. That’s why I see the team keeping 10 offensive linemen on the 53-man roster. The team returns Kadeem Telfort and Travis Glover, two players who made the 53-man roster last year, Donovan Jennings, who was given a big signing bonus as an undrafted free agent last year, and seventh-round pick John Williams as options for their last one or two roster spots at the position. That’s such a close race that I don’t really even know how to call it. My guess is as good as yours.
Defensive Ends
Starters: Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare
Backups: Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver
Again, pay no attention to the starters here. Rashan Gary is locked into his role, but I fully expect Kingsley Enagbare, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver all to compete for playing time this year. While the conversations about the pass-rush have revolved around Van Ness recently, it’s worth reminding people here that it was Enagbare, not Van Ness, who replaced Preston Smith as the team’s starting defensive end opposite of Gary following Smith’s trade to Pittsburgh. I also think that Oliver’s ability to play both end and linebacker will help the team only need to roster five true linebackers in 2025.
Defensive Tackles
Starters: Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt
Backups: Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden and Warren Brinson
The Packers needed a backup nose tackle in the draft and got one in Warren Brinson. For a sixth-round pick, he’s going to be pushed to contribute, as the team lost T.J. Slaton in free agency to the Cincinnati Bengals. Brinson is really the only player they’ve added at the position. The loss of Slaton should also push Kenny Clark to a full-time nose tackle position, which will then allow Devonte Wyatt to play a full-time three-technique role, instead of being just a pass-rushing specialist — as he’s been for the first three years of his NFL career.
Linebackers
Starters: Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and Isaiah McDuffie
Backups: Ty’Ron Hopper and Kristian Welch
Losing Eric Kendricks allowed the Packers the space to re-sign Kristian Welch, a noted special-teams ace who performed well for Green Bay in the 2024 preseason. At the moment, Welch and second-year third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper are set to be the team’s backups at the position, with fifth-round pick Collin Oliver potentially playing the position from time to time, too. The starters are locked in with Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper playing the two-linebacker sets and Isaiah McDuffie coming off of the bench for about one-third of the team’s snaps as the third linebacker in 4-3 base looks.
Cornerbacks
Starters: Jaire Alexander, Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs (slot)
Backups: Carrington Valentine and Micah Robinson
Depending on the numbers that the Packers carry elsewhere, I can absolutely see the team only keeping five cornerbacks on the team in 2025. If Jaire Alexander is on the team, he is going to start. The only question is if he’s actually going to be on the roster this year. Based on how the NFL slot defender market has reacted to the Nate Hobbs contract, the league seems to believe that the Packers will be playing Hobbs in the slot. Keisean Nixon is going to start outside no matter what Alexander does, but Carrington Valentine will probably be the starter opposite of Nixon if Alexander is eventually traded or released. If not, he’ll be the next man up. I slotted in seventh-round pick Micah Robinson as the team’s fifth cornerback, which is arguably the weakest position on Green Bay’s entire roster.
Other contenders for the job are 2024 seventh-round pick Kalen King, who spent all of his rookie year on the practice squad, and 2024 sixth-round pick Kamal Hadden, who was activated from the practice squad several times last year. My general thought here is that if Green Bay really liked either of King or Hadden, they wouldn’t have taken Robinson to push him. Just my two cents on the situation.
Safeties
Starters: Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams
Backups: Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson and Kitan Oladapo
The Packers returned all five of their top safeties from their 2024 team, who each performed relatively well when called upon last year. This should pretty much remain the same. The only question is whether or not Javon Bullard, a 2024 second-round pick, will be able to beat out Nate Hobbs for the slot role or Evan Williams for the starting safety job. Right now, it looks like he’s going to be on the bench until an injury pops up.
Specialists
Starters: Brandon McManus (kicker), Daniel Whelan (punter) and Matt Orzech (long snapper)
For the first year in what feels like a century, there’s no drama surrounding the starting members of the Packers’ special teams battery. Knock on wood that there are no injuries that happen in camp. I like having some peace at this position.