Mandatory minicamp has come and gone for the Green Bay Packers, and now everyone awaits training camp, which starts July 23.
Minicamp provided a glimpse of what the Packers could be thinking when it comes to roster construction, and it gave some insight into what battles could really heat up as the summer rolls along.
With this phase of OTAs in the book, let’s take a swing at a 53-man roster for the Packers.
QUARTERBACKS (2):
This one seems really straightforward. Willis showed last year that he can be a serviceable backup and a solid option to turn to when Love suffered injuries at several different junctures of the season. These two are locked in.
They cut Sean Clifford in this projection, while Taylor Elgersma gets some practice squad consideration. Elgersma is not eligible for the International Player Pathway program since he’s from Canada. That removes a potential loophole option for the Packers if Elgersma shines in training camp.
RUNNING BACKS (3):
Well, this one wasn’t easy.
Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd are locks, and Green Bay is keeping four running backs. Chris Brooks may also be part of the equation. Brooks is the better pass blocker between him and Wilson. He offers versatility, and the Packers can use him on special teams.
Ultimately, this boils down to Wilson being the better pure runner. Jacobs is the bell cow, but if he is sidelined for any period of time, the Packers would likely want to pivot to Wilson and Lloyd being in a 50/50 timeshare at running back instead of handing the keys over strictly to Lloyd.
With Wilson being a more proven back to hand the ball to, he gets the spot over Brooks.
WIDE RECEIVERS (7):
It’s not the most orthodox approach, but the Packers could enter the season with seven receivers.
Let’s start with the obvious. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, and Savion Williams are locks. That’s five spots swiped up. In this prediction, we also include Mecole Hardman and Bo Melton to get to seven.
Hardman was a standout in minicamp and gives the Packers a real option at punt returner and potentially kick returner. Green Bay preaches the importance of versatility, and now they can practice it by having seven wide receivers make the cut. Melton has been a key contributor on special teams for Rich Bisaccia and is now experimenting at cornerback and wide receiver.
While some may see the cornerback flirtation as a last-gasp effort to keep him on the roster, let’s view it as the Packers being enamored with everything he can possibly do, thus earning him a spot. Malik Heath ends up on the outside looking in here.
TIGHT ENDS (3):
Tight end is cut and dried. Tucker Kraft is your No. 1. Luke Musgrave is your No. 2.
The third spot likely comes down to Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick. The nod here goes to Sims, who’s been entrenched in Green Bay for a year longer. The Packers used him slightly more in 2024, even though FitzPatrick didn’t join the squad until October.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9):
Of all the positions up for debate, offensive line may take the cake in terms of how many different directions the Packers could go.
There are seven locks: Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Jordan Morgan, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, and Anthony Belton. After that, any guess is worth hearing out. For this prediction following minicamp, we went with Jacob Monk and Travis Glover.
Monk got some work with the first-team offense and offers plenty of versatility entering his second year. At Duke, Monk started at right tackle, right guard, and center. Glover gets the nod for his favorable frame. The Packers were willing to pivot to him when Jenkins went down against the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs last season, even though that experiment didn’t go well.
John Williams, a seventh-round pick this April, is a perfect practice squad candidate. His injury-related absence from mandatory minicamp has already put him on the eight ball. In all likelihood, Kadeem Telfort will be right on the fringe of making the roster or being cut. The Packers could release Telfort and put him on the practice squad.
DEFENSIVE ENDS (6):
This group has four locks: Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, and Collin Oliver. One is a veteran in Gary. One is a third-year player in Van Ness who has wildly underachieved. The other two are rookies. Therefore, the Packers would be wise to keep six instead of five.
Kingsley Enagbare is entering the final year of his rookie deal, providing the Packers with a steady depth player. Brenton Cox Jr. took his opportunity a year ago after Green Bay traded Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers and ran with it. Both should make the final 53-man roster.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES (5):
Let’s keep this one short, sweet, and to the point because it seems obvious. Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, and Warren Brinson make the squad. In an ideal world, the Packers get Nazir Stackhouse back for the practice squad.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (5):
Just like defensive tackle, inside linebacker shouldn’t require a lot of critical thinking. Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, and Isaiah Simmons make the team.
Some may stretch it out and try to create a spot for Jamon Johnson or Kristian Welch, but a more logical outcome is that both end up as practice-squad candidates. Simmons is the wild card here, with a ton of athleticism he hasn’t tapped into yet in his career.
SAFETIES (5):
Xavier McKinney is as good as it gets at the position. Second-year players Evan Williams and Javon Bullard are big puzzle pieces on the board who will be relied upon to take the next step. Kitan Oladapo and Zayne Anderson provide the Packers with depth, with the latter being a key cog on special teams for Bisaccia.
CORNERBACKS (5):
There are three certainties, and then things get a little crazy. With Jaire Alexander firmly out of the picture, the Packers will be rolling with a top three at the corner featuring Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine. After that, spots are up for grabs.
Some on the coaching staff have raved about Kalen King this offseason, but being spotted in a cast at minicamp isn’t a great sign for the present.
Given all the uncertainty at corner and assuming King will be good to go by training camp, he still warrants a spot. In this prediction, the fifth spot goes to Kamal Hadden, and the Packers are crossing their fingers that seventh-round rookie Micah Robinson gets back to them on the practice squad.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3):
Brandon McManus is your kicker. Daniel Whelan is your punter. Matthew Orzech is your long snapper. Outside of some potential competition at long snapper, mark this in Sharpie.