Packers 53-Man Roster Projections 1.0: Bubble Watch Before Training Camp

After months of talk, it’s time for actions to speak louder than words. The Green Bay Packers will hold their first practice of training camp on Wednesday, July 29. On Sunday, Aug. 30, general manager Brian Gutekunst must cut it to 53.

There aren’t a lot of juicy competitions on deck, but there is plenty to settle at the bottom of the roster. With that, here’s our look at a potential opening roster, with the focus on the tough decisions looming on the bubble.

Quarterbacks (2)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor, Kyle McCord, Kyron Drones.

Locks (or at least close to it): Love, Taylor.

Toughest decision: None, though the battle between McCord and Drones for the practice squad will be a fun one to monitor.

On the 53: Love, Taylor.

Running Backs (3)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Josh Jacobs, Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong, Damien Martinez, Jaden Nixon.

Locks (or at least close to it): Jacobs, Brooks, Lloyd.

Toughest decision: None, though that Brooks will open camp on the non-football injury list and Lloyd has a well-documented injury history will add a layer of intrigue to the competition. Even if Jacobs, Brooks and Lloyd are the backs for the regular season, whoever winds up on the practice squad would be one turned ankle away from a real role on offense.

On the 53: Jacobs, Brooks, Lloyd.

Receivers (6)

Green Bay Packers receiver Will Sheppard (82) makes a touchdown reception against the Seattle Seahawks last preseason. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Bo Melton, Savion Williams, Skyy Moore, Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor, J. Michael Sturdivant, Brenden Rice.

Locks (or at least close to it): Watson, Reed, Golden, Williams.

Toughest decision: None right now, though it could be an entirely different conversation in a few weeks. Neyor and Sturdivant, in particular, are big-time size-speed prospects. They didn’t do nearly enough during the offseason practices to merit being mentioned in a “bubble” conversation, though that could change in a hurry. Neyor, with a full season in the system, will be a player to watch.

If one of those bottom-of-the-depth-chart players emerges – Sheppard had the most productive offseason – it could put Melton or Moore in jeopardy. Moore was signed because of his return production with the 49ers last season. He’ll have to show that it wasn't a fluke.

On the 53: Watson, Reed, Golden, Melton, Williams, Moore.

Tight Ends (4)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle, Drake Dabney, Messiah Swinson, R.J. Maryland, Luke Lachey, Thomas Yassmin.

Locks (or at least close to it): Kraft, Whyle.

Toughest decision: Who is going to round out the depth chart? Is it time to go fishing again with Musgrave, or is it to come to cut bait? That he’ll open camp on PUP isn’t a great start as he tries to position himself for a role on the offense and his next contract.

With Kraft and Musgrave out to start camp, Whyle has a chance to put a firm grip on the No. 2 job. Also, all sorts of opportunities have been created for Maryland, an undrafted rookie with a receiver’s skill-set, and Swinson, Lachey, Dabney and Yassmin. None of those four practiced with the team this offseason, with Swinson and Dabney injured, Lachey added after OTAs and Yassmin signed on Tuesday.

On the 53: Kraft, Musgrave, Whyle, Swinson.

Offensive Line (9)

Green Bay Packers guard Aaron Banks (65) blocks Chicago Bears defensive end Grady Jarrett. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Projected Day 1 depth chart: LT Jordan Morgan, LG Aaron Banks, C Sean Rhyan, RG Anthony Belton, RT Zach Tom. T/G Darian Kinnard, T/G Travis Glover, C/G Jager Burton, C/G Jacob Monk, G/C Donovan Jennings, G/C John Williams, T Brant Banks, T Dalton Cooper, G/T Karsen Barnhart, G Dillon Wade, G Josh Gesky, G/C Dylan Barrett.

Locks (or at least close to it): Morgan, Banks, Rhyan, Belton, Tom, Kinnard, Burton.

Toughest decision: The bottom of the depth chart is a mishmash of undrafted players and players coming off injuries. We put seven on the “locks” list. At least two more will make it. Monk and Glover were drafted in 2024. Combined, they’ve played only 70 snaps in the regular season. Williams was drafted in 2025 and spent all of last season with Glover on injured reserve.

Between the returning interior backups, how many will make it between Monk, Jennings and Williams? Or will one of the talented undrafted rookies, such as Wade, make a run? An under-the-radar battle will be to see who the Packers prefer as the backup left tackle. The door is open for Brant Banks or Cooper, if the Packers opt for a pure backup instead of shifting personnel. Brant Banks will join Aaron Banks on PUP to start camp.

On the 53: Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Belton, Tom, Kinnard, Burton, Monk, Glover.

Edge Defenders (5)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Micah Parsons, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox, Dani Dennis Sutton, Collin Oliver, Arron Mosby, Nyjalik Kelly.

Locks (or at least close to it): Van Ness, Sorrell, Cox, Dennis-Sutton.

PUP: Parsons.

Toughest decision: Oliver is the man of mystery. A fifth-round pick last year, he missed all but Week 18 with recurring hamstring injuries. He missed the offseason practices as a rookie and again this year, too. But he’s not on PUP now, so presumably he’ll be ready to show if he can contribute as an undersized pass rusher. After missing most of his senior season at Oklahoma State, staying healthy will be the starting point.

Mosby is a proven player on special teams and Kelly is a talented undrafted rookie, but we’ll give the nod to Oliver, the former draft pick who could help solve Green Bay’s biggest weakness without Parsons.

On the 53: Van Ness, Sorrell, Cox, Dennis-Sutton, Oliver.

Defensive Tackles (6)

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Jonathan Ford (99) carries a bike to training camp in 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Devonte Wyatt, Chris McClellan, Javon Hargrave, Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, Jonathan Ford, Jordon Riley, Jaden Crumedy, Anthony Campbell.

Locks (or at least close to it): Wyatt, Hargrave, McClellan, Brooks, Brinson.

Toughest decision: Presumably, the Packers will keep a backup nose tackle to rotate behind McClellan. Riley and Stackhouse are starting camp on PUP – Riley is coming off a torn Achilles – leaving Ford the only healthy option for the first practice. Ford, a seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2022, played well in his return to Green Bay after Riley’s injury, and he could create a bit of distance until the others return.

Brooks and Brinson are close to locks, but don’t sleep on Crumedy, who was a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in 2024 and has some experience.

On the 53: Wyatt, Hargrave, McClellan, Brooks, Brinson, Ford.

Linebackers (5)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Edgerrin Cooper, Zaire Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann, Kristian Welch, T.J. Quinn.

Locks (or at least close to it): Cooper, Franklin, McDuffie, Hopper, Niemann.

Toughest decision: At this point, none. Niemann was a stud on special teams before a torn pectoral, so he seems locked into a spot. But let’s see what Quinn can do after a quality career at Louisville.

On the 53: Cooper, Franklin, McDuffie, Hopper, Niemann.

Cornerbacks (5)

Green Bay Packers cornerback Kamal Hadden (36) defends Denver Broncos safety JL Skinner on a special-teams play. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, Kamal Hadden, Jaylin Simpson, Shemar Bartholomew, M.J. Devonshire, Domani Jackson, Marlon Jones.

Locks (or at least close to it): Nixon, Cisse.

Toughest decision: Who will start opposite Nixon? The answer to that question will filter down through the rest of the depth chart.

The Packers signed St-Juste in free agency after an excellent performance in a part-time role with the Chargers last season and drafted Cisse in the second round. Those two will challenge the returning starter, Valentine.

Once that’s sorted out, the rest of the depth chart will fall into place. If Cisse or St-Juste wins the starting job, will Valentine be kept for depth or traded? Important in answering that question will be the development of Jackson, a sixth-round draft pick who missed the offseason practices but is not on PUP to start camp, and Hadden, who is on PUP following last year’s ankle injury.

On the 53: Nixon, St-Juste, Cisse, Hadden, Jackson.

Safeties (5)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard (slot), Kitan Oladapo, Mark Perry, Johnathan Baldwin, Murvin Kenion III.

Locks (or at least close to it): McKinney, Williams, Bullard, Oladapo.

Toughest decision: The Packers probably will keep five safeties. So, who will be that fifth? This will be an interesting battle. Perry is an excellent size-speed prospect but went undrafted in 2024, the Packers are his sixth team and he hasn’t played in a game. Baldwin played safety in Week 18 at Minnesota but spent the offseason in the slot. Kenion is an undrafted rookie with excellent ball production in college.

We’ll go with Perry. It was Oladapo who got most of the slot snaps in that Week 18 game. Plus, the Packers could always move Nixon back inside or give Cisse a shot.

On the 53: McKinney, Williams, Bullard, Oladapo, Perry.

Specialists (3)

Projected Day 1 depth chart: K Trey Smack, K Lenny Krieg, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech.

Locks (or at least close to it): Whelan, Orzech.

Toughest decision: The plot has thickened at kicker with the addition of Krieg, the German native who kicked for the Falcons last preseason, and the release of Lucas Havrisik. The job, obviously, is Smack’s to lose. He did little to give the coaches confidence during an erratic offseason, but that’s ancient history now.

Orzech will open camp on PUP, which is interesting in that we’ll see who else can snap the football.

On the 53: Smack, Whelan, Orzech.

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