12 Winners and Five Losers From Packers Minicamp

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the Green Bay Packers, starting jobs weren’t won and roster spots weren’t lost during the three weeks of offseason practices that culminated with this week’s minicamp. However, if the practices weren’t important, coaches wouldn’t have them.

Here are the winners and losers.

Winner: RB MarShawn Lloyd

The biggest development this offseason was the health of running back MarShawn Lloyd. A third-round pick in 2024, injuries have limited him to one game in his career. Among all running backs the last two seasons, Lloyd is tied for 156th with six rushing attempts with six, 162nd with 15 rushing yards and 170th with 18 total yards.

Lloyd’s extensive offseason work with a specialist appears to have paid dividends. He called it “very rewarding” to get through every practice with no issues.

“Coming in my rookie year when I did OTAs, battled a little bit of stuff,” he said. “Last year, I battled a little bit of stuff throughout the OTAs and didn’t really get reps. This year, I was able to actually finally work out the whole time, took no days off. It was pretty good. Really, really good.”

With or without Josh Jacobs, it would be an enormous lift for Green Bay’s offense if Lloyd can get on the field, stay on the field and reach his obvious potential. He could be the X-factor that propels Green Bay to new heights.

The Packers finished the offseason with almost 20 percent of their roster sidelined by injuries.

However, the most important injury development was a player who wasn't injured at all. ⬇️https://t.co/6pjRZ3H1Gw
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 12, 2026

Winner: WR Christian Watson

There are 92 million reasons why Watson was one of the offseason winners, starting with the moment the $31 million signing bonus reaches his checking account.

“I think that, obviously, with the organization wanting to see me here long term, I got to embrace that leadership role even more than I have. Try to bring guys along with me,” he said. “I’m trying to see everybody under my wing get that same kind of deal done. Make all the money they can in this league. Just continue to be the best player, best leader, everything possible so I can bring everybody else around me, too.”

Winner: WR Matthew Golden

This could be a copy-and-paste statement from last year. All Golden does is get open and catch the football. That, not his speed, is his superpower.

Golden didn’t make any huge plays during the five practices that were open to reporters the past few weeks. However, just about every pass thrown his direction was caught.

“Just the mindset, just attacking each day trying to get better 1 percent,” Golden said recently. “Obviously, just putting myself in position to be able to help the team out as much as I can. Right now, I feel really confident in myself. I’m excited for what we got going on for the season and just keep building the chemistry with Jordan (Love).”

Winner: WR Savion Williams

Savion Williams will take a big Year 2 jump, Jordan Love said. pic.twitter.com/O1bTqbd0fK
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 12, 2026

On Tuesday, quarterback Jordan Love was asked if any player had stood out to him throughout the offseason. He could have given the politically correct “there’s a lot of guys” response. Instead, he pointed to two players. One of them was receiver Savion Williams, who he forecasted would take a “Year 2 jump.”

A third-round pick last year, Williams had one huge catch against the Giants that sparked the game-deciding drive. Otherwise, his other nine targets were caught 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Williams is going to play a key role this season, even if the trio of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden stay healthy. With his size and speed, he has to be a force.

Winner: TE Josh Whyle

Josh Whyle was the other player who had stood out to Jordan Love. During a 2-minute drill that wrapped up minicamp on Thursday, Whyle caught two passes that produced first downs to help get the offense into scoring position. Earlier in the week, he caught a touchdown pass against Zaire Franklin.

Whyle was a fifth-round pick by the Titans in 2023. He caught 28 passes in 2024 but failed to make their roster in 2025. The Packers signed him to their practice squad, and he wound up playing in eight games following Tucker Kraft’s torn ACL.

With Kraft rehabbing the knee this offseason, Whyle was given an opportunity to showcase what he can do in a bigger role. He took advantage. There’s a good chance he will be the No. 2 tight end.

Winner: LT Jordan Morgan

The Packers drafted Jordan Morgan in the first round in 2024. A left tackle by trade, he was inconsistent, at best, in a utility role the last two seasons.

Now, with Rasheed Walker leaving in free agency, Morgan’s time has arrived to play his preferred position. It’s dangerous to make any grand statements about offensive line play during shorts-and-helmets practices, but Morgan more than held his own against the speed rushes that dominate this time of year.

“It feels good. It feels really good,” Morgan said. “I finally get the spot that I like, that they know I’m good at, and that they drafted me at. They drafted me as a tackle. So, I get to line up outside out there. And so I’m doing really good right now.”

Winner: C/G Jager Burton

In the NFL, the window of opportunity frequently is opened because of injuries. Jager Burton, a fifth-round draft pick, took full advantage.

With 2024 fifth-round pick Jacob Monk rehabbing the biceps injury sustained in the playoffs, Donovan Jennings out for the first two weeks of OTAs and starting left guard Aaron Banks sidelined for minicamp, Burton rose up the depth chart faster than usual for a rookie.

After working mostly with the second unit at center and right guard for OTAs, he replaced Banks with the starters for minicamp. Having taken advantage of his opportunities, he will enter training camp as the front-runner to be the top interior backup.

“I think every practice he gets a little bit more comfortable, a little bit better, and he’s definitely going to be in the mix to compete for playing time this year,” coach Matt LaFleur said.

Winner: Edge Lukas Van Ness

Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) is tackled by Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas van Ness (90). | David Banks-Imagn Images

With Micah Parsons going to miss the start of the season, the Packers desperately need Lukas Van Ness to finally match the expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick. In perhaps the most encouraging sign of the offseason, Van Ness was arguably the most impactful player on the field.

Van Ness has only 8.5 sacks in three seasons. A foot injury ruined last season and limited him to just 1.5 sacks. It’s not hyperbole to say the fate of the season will rest on Van Ness’s powerful shoulders.

He’s off to a great start. He was in the backfield so frequently that Jordan Love probably could smell his breath and detect what he ate for breakfast.

“My goal for this year is getting back to really having fun with football and just enjoying it. I think I’m doing that,” Van Ness said after dominating the first practice of minicamp. “This OTAs has been great. I think with this new defense, there’s a lot of versatility, allowing us to play free without thinking, and I’m just having a lot of fun and you saw a little bit of that today.”

Winner: Edge Brenton Cox

We’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating. Where will Green Bay’s pass rush come from without Micah Parsons? In the first six games after the Packers traded Preston Smith in 2024, Brenton Cox had four sacks.

After missing most of last season due to injury, Cox spent a lot of time in the backfield during the offseason practices.

“I’m getting to the quarterback almost every other play,” Cox said on Thursday.

Winner: DT Chris McClellan

If you could wager on such things, the betting favorite to be the first Packers rookie to start a game this season would be Chris McClellan.

The third-round pick spent most of the offseason running with the starters. It would be a shock if he’s not ahead of both Nazir Stackhouse and Jonathan Ford when training camp begins. Plus, as advertised, he’s much more than “just” a nose tackle.

Winner: LB Edgerrin Cooper

Green Bay Packers linebackers Edgerrin Cooper (56) and TJ Quinn warm up before a practice at minicamp. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Thursday, running back Josh Jacobs got the ball and had a lane. However, from the back side of the defense, Edgerrin Cooper was there in a flash to “tackle” Jacobs for a minimal gain.

Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon turned to a couple coaches behind him and smiled.

After a rookie season filled with high-impact plays, stardom was forecasted for Cooper at this time last year. That didn’t happen. It could happen this year if Gannon turns Cooper loose, which might be the plan.

Winner: Nickel Javon Bullard

Javon Bullard has been a solid starter for two seasons but has zero interceptions and four passes defensed in 32 career games.

Bullard made a leaping interception at Wednesday’s practice and got his hands on a couple more passes the past couple days. His speed and violence have always been there; the rest of his game appears to be rounding into top form.

“I think he’s played pretty damn good football the last two years,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “We always talk about style of play, and he epitomizes what we want to be about in terms of his effort, physicality, finish. I just think you know the longer these guys are in the league, the more familiar they are with certain looks, they understand the why a little bit better, the detail of how you go about executing, and I think it’s been a very, very, very productive spring for Bull.”

Loser: TE Luke Musgrave

Even before Luke Musgrave missed the final two-and-a-half days of minicamp with an undisclosed injury, he had been going through another invisible spring.

With his size and speed, he should flourish in these noncontact practices. With Tucker Kraft out, he should have benefited from the additional snaps. Instead, Josh Whyle was the team’s most productive tight end.

Loser: G/C John Williams

John Williams was a seventh-round draft pick last year after starting at left tackle for his final two seasons at Cincinnati, but a back injury ruined his rookie season. He missed OTAs, minicamp and training camp, and didn’t hit the practice field until late in the season.

Williams is healthy and was given additional opportunities the past few weeks with injuries sidelining Jacob Monk, Donovan Jennings and Aaron Banks for all or parts of the offseason. Williams spent a lot of the spring playing a new position, center. He fired shotgun snaps over the head of Tyrod Taylor on Wednesday and Thursday.

Those plays, obviously, won’t be the end of the world. His versatility could be a big asset, but he’ll have to master the starting point for every play.

Loser: Edge Collin Oliver

As was the case for John Williams, injuries ruined the rookie season of Collin Oliver. A fifth-round pick last year, recurring hamstring injuries sidelined him for OTAs, minicamp and training camp. He finally started practicing late in the season and provided some impact in his NFL debut at Minnesota in Week 18.

“Obviously, he was drafted for a reason,” position coach DeMarcus Covington said at the start of the offseason. “He had some good productive in college. He’s shown some great traits. Hopefully, he can come help us out this year in 2026.”

Oliver, however, once again missed all of OTAs and minicamp due to injury. The Packers need all the pass rush they can get without Micah Parsons. Can Oliver deliver it? Who knows after an opportunity to hone his craft went down the drain.

Loser: CB Competition

Brandon Cisse pic.twitter.com/sJJORzYWHs
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 10, 2026

This offseason, general manager Brian Gutekunst retooled the cornerback room. While Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine returned, Gutekunst signed Benjamin St-Juste and drafted Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson.

St-Juste and Jackson missed all of the offseason practices with undisclosed injuries. Because of it, Nixon and Valentine took the lion’s share of the No. 1 reps. They didn’t make many plays, though.

When training camp begins, the door will be open for Cisse, who had a really good Wednesday practice until getting beat deep for a touchdown.

Loser: K Trey Smack

Assuming rookie kicker Trey Smack wins the job, he at some point this season will be asked to make a big kick to win the game, tie the game or put a game away.

He got his first opportunity in that role at Thursday’s practice. In a 2-minute drill, Jordan Love completed five consecutive passes to help set up Smack for a 35-yard field goal to win the drill. It’s a chip-shot kick – only 2 yards longer than an extra point. Smack missed it to the left.

Good kickers make field goals. Great kickers tune out the pressure and make clutch field goals. While there’s pressure on Smack with every kick based on the expectations heaped upon him and the need at the position after last year’s playoff disaster, the pressure of a kick in June won’t remotely compare to the pressure he’ll face at Minnesota in Week 1, rivalry showdowns against Chicago and Detroit, and potential playoff games.

“We’re still in the early stages,” coach Matt LaFleur said at the start of minicamp.

That’s true, but there has to be a reason for concern organizationally – and a glimmer of hope for Lucas Havrisik.

“I think he’s done an outstanding job,” LaFleur said on Thursday. “I think both those guys have shown progress in terms of their consistency of how they’re kicking. So, that’s what we expect. Every competition should bring out the best in each other.”

Packers minicamp wrapped up today. Here is everything you need to know about what's ahead, injuries, key plays, lineups, a major headache and a major statement. ⬇️https://t.co/DmyTRfwWUI
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 11, 2026

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