From Last Year’s Opening 53, How Many Won’t Be on Packers’ Roster This Year?

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a quest to finally win the NFC North and make a real playoff push, the Green Bay Packers are hardly running it back.

When the dust settles on Sunday’s roster cuts and the initial 53-man roster emerges, this year’s Packers roster could hold only a slight resemblance to last year’s opening roster.

Here’s a closer look.

Quarterbacks (2)

Last year: Jordan Love, Malik Willis.

This year: Willis signed with the Dolphins in free agency. Love, obviously, will be back as the starting quarterback with Tyrod Taylor signed to be his backup.

Changes on the 53: One.

Running Backs (3)

Last year: Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks

This year: Wilson signed with the Seahawks in free agency. After two seasons lost to injuries, MarShawn Lloyd is set to enter the regular season as the No. 2 back. Because of his intangibles, Brooks’ place on the roster is probably safe.

Changes on the 53: One.

Receivers (6)

Last year: Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Dontayvion Wicks, Savion Williams, Malik Heath.

This year: There are big changes here. Doubs signed with the Patriots in free agency, Wicks was traded to the Eagles this offseason and Heath was released last season. Reed, Golden and Christian Watson, who was rehabbing a torn ACL at this point last year, will be the three leaders of the receiver corps.

Changes on the 53: Three. A potential wild card is the health of Williams, who suffered an ankle injury against Denver. For the sake of this story, we’ll assume Williams will be healthy enough to make the opening roster.

Tight Ends (4)

Last year: Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, John FitzPatrick, Ben Sims

This year: There is major upheaval here with Musgrave on PUP, FitzPatrick unsigned following last year’s torn ACL and Sims released last season.

Changes on the 53: Three. Fortunately for the Packers, Kraft is healthy and ready to rumble following last year’s torn ACL.

Offensive Line (9)

Last year: LT Rasheed Walker, LG Aaron Banks, C Elgton Jenkins, RG Sean Rhyan, RT Zach Bako-Bewele, T/G Jordan Morgan, T/G Anthony Belton, T Darian Kinnard, G/C Donovan Jennings.

This year: The Packers released Jenkins this offseason and let Walker sign with the Panthers on a bargain-basement one-year contract. That’s the only two changes from a roster perspective, but Rhyan is the team’s center, Morgan is the team’s left tackle and Jacob Monk, who opened last season on injured reserve, is slated to be the right guard.

Changes on the 53: Two and maybe four. Jennings could be on the roster bubble due to the rise of Monk and the addition of Jager Burton. Kinnard could be on the bubble, too, with the demotion of Belton perhaps taking Kinnard’s role on the roster.

Edge (5)

Last year: Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox, Barryn Sorrell.

This year: Gary was traded to Dallas this offseason and Enagbare signed with the Jets in free agency. One thing remains the same: Micah Parsons wasn’t on last year’s opening 53-man roster and won’t be on this one, either. From the returning players, Van Ness and Sorrell will be Week 1 starters and Cox will be a key backup.

Changes on the 53: Two.

Defensive Tackles (6)

Last year: Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse.

This year: Clark, of course, was traded in the Micah Parsons blockbuster. Wooden was traded this offseason for Zaire Franklin.

Changes on the 53: Two and perhaps four. Stackhouse is on the bubble and could lose his job to Jonathan Ford. It’s possible Brinson will wind up on injured reserve due to the calf injury sustained pregame at Denver. If Brinson is healthy, the Packers will have more roster-worthy players than roster spots, which could bring about a trade for Brooks.

“It’s very hard to find those guys,” general manager Brain Gutekunst said last week. “We seem to have some pretty good depth there right now, including Jordon Riley, who will start the season on PUP. At the end of the day, it’s making sure you have enough versatility and balance in that room.”

Linebackers (4)

Last year: Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty'Ron Hopper.

This year: Walker signed with the Raiders in free agency. One day after last year’s final cuts, the Packers added a fifth linebacker, Nick Niemann, who seems to be a lock to make this year’s roster after starring on special teams.

Changes on the 53: One.

Cornerbacks (6)

Last year: Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, Carrington Valentine, Bo Melton, Kamal Hadden, Micah Robinson.

This year: After signing a four-year contract in free agency last offseason, the Packers released Hobbs after a dismal debut season. Robinson lasted only one day before he was released; he wound up going from Green Bay’s practice squad to Tennessee’s roster. Melton is back at receiver but will remain on the roster.

Changes on the 53: Two and possibly three if a veteran is traded following the additions of Benjamin St-Juste in free agency and Brandon Cisse in the second round. With Nixon likely to start alongside Cisse, that veteran would be Valentine.

Safeties (5)

Last year: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo, Zayne Anderson.

This year: Anderson signed with the Dolphins in free agency.

Changes on the 53: One.

Specialists (3)

Last year: K Brandon McManus, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech.

This year: McManus was released after the team drafted Trey Smack.

Changes on the 53: One and possibly two, though the coaches seem to be leaning toward going with Orzech once he’s healthy rather than sticking with Cal Adomitis. Orzech, though, remains on PUP.

What About Watson?

Of note, running back MarShawn Lloyd and lineman Jacob Monk opened last season on injured reserve and receiver Christian Watson, edge Collin Oliver and offensive lineman John Williams started on PUP.

Lloyd, Monk and Watson will have key roles on this year’s team. Oliver is fighting for a roster spot and suffered a calf injury at Denver. Williams is in the heat of the competition for a roster spot on the line.

The Bottom Line

From last year’s opening 53, 18 players no longer were on the roster for the start of the offseason practices in May.

Another six players might not make it past Sunday’s cuts, with those players being offensive linemen Darian Kinnard and Donovan Jennings (roster bubble), defensive linemen Nazir Stackhouse (bubble) and either Warren Brinson (injured) or Karl Brooks (hypothetical trade), cornerback Carrington Valentine (hypothetical trade) and long snapper Matt Orzech (injury opening the door for Cal Adomitis).

That’s the potential of 24 players, or 45.3 percent of the roster being swapped out.

“Roster building is 365,” Gutekunst said at the start of camp. “Where our team is right now, what it’ll be Game 1, what it’ll be Game 8 and so forth, we’ll see, but I like the group, I like the way they work. They’re good guys that approach it the right way. I like our locker room.”

For the afternoon crowd, here are the credentials for 13 players on the Packers' roster bubble (and why it might burst) headed into two huge days to wrap up training camp. ⬇️https://t.co/uVOmlPL4we
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 25, 2026

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