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Packers 53-Man Roster: Who Made It, Who Got Cut, And Where They Need Help

Here’s a look at the initial 53-man roster that emerged from Sunday’s roster cuts. Here’s who made the roster, who fell short and a look at the strengths and weaknesses.
Bill Huber|
Green Bay Packers cornerback Kamal Hadden reacts against the Cardinals. He made the 53-man roster.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Kamal Hadden reacts against the Cardinals. He made the 53-man roster. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have a 53-man roster. It may or may not be the 53-man roster that gets ready for Week 1 at the Vikings, but it’s the 53 that emerged by Sunday’s deadline.

After the dust settled on a busy Sunday in which one player was traded, two were acquired and a bunch of hopes and dreams were dashed, here are the 53 men left standing after training camp and the preseason. Plus, here’s a look at whether the Packers need help at those positions.

Quarterbacks (2)

On the 53: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor.

Released: Nobody.

Traded: Kyle McCord.

Strength, need help or something in between: The Packers only have two quarterbacks, period, so they’ll need to find a quarterback for the practice squad.

The Titans released former first-round pick Will Levis; given the Packers’ ability to turn nothing (Malik Willis and McCord) into something (potential third-round compensatory pick for Willis, who they acquired for a seventh-round pick, and a sixth-round pick for McCord, who they signed for free), he would be an intriguing addition if he clears waivers.

Running Backs (3)

On the 53: MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Kaleb Johnson.

Released: Pierre Strong, Jaden Nixon, Damien Martinez.

Commissioner’s exempt list: Josh Jacobs.

Strength, need help or something in between: The Packers took care of the “need help” part by trading for Johnson, a third-round pick by the Steelers last year after a dominant final season at Iowa in 2024. Johnson had a horrendous rookie season. He wound up in then-coach Mike Tomlin’s doghouse and couldn’t revive his career with new coach Mike McCarthy.

The Packers had Aaron Jones and Jacobs as their bellcow runners the last several seasons. Now? They’ll be banking on Lloyd to stay healthy and live up to his potential, Brooks to be something he hasn’t been and Johnson to be a quick study capable of restarting his career.

Or, they’ll let Love cook.

Tight Ends (4)

On the 53: Tucker Kraft, Josh Whyle, Jonnu Smith, Mark Redman.

Released: Drake Dabney, Messiah Swinson, McCallan Castles.

PUP: Luke Musgrave.

Strength, need help or something in between: The Packers doubled down on the “need help” by signing Smith, a Pro Bowler for the Dolphins in 2024 who set an unwanted NFL record with the Steelers in 2025, and trading for Redman, a big man who was the odd man out in the Rams’ loaded tight end corps.

Fortunately for the Packers, they have the indomitable Kraft, who has blown through his rehab and appears ready to blow away the competition.

Receivers (6)

On the 53: Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Bo Melton, Skyy Moore, J. Michael Sturdivant.

Released: Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor, Kisean Johnson, Kaden Prather, Chris Hilton.

Injured reserve: Savion Williams (ankle).

Strength, need help or something in between: The top three are a strength. After that? This is Melton’s fifth season in the NFL and he’s never been a consistent factor on offense. This is Moore’s fifth season in the NFL … and the same is true. They’ll be assets on special teams, at least.

Williams was just getting going during training camp when he was injured in the second preseason game at Denver. He’ll miss at least the first four games. That injury perhaps opened the door for Sturdivant, the streak-extending undrafted rookie who had a really good preseason, though that was against bottom-of-the-roster cornerbacks. He is too talented and was too productive for the Packers to risk him to waivers.

Offensive Line (10)

On the 53: LT Jordan Morgan, LG Aaron Banks, C Sean Rhyan, RG Jacob Monk, RT Zach Bako-Bewele, T/G Anthony Belton, G/C Jager Burton, T John Williams, T/G Travis Glover, G/C Donovan Jennings.

Released: T/G Darian Kinnard, T Dalton Cooper, T Brant Banks, C Dylan Barrett, G Josh Geske, G Dillon Wade.

Strength, need help or something in between: Help is wanted, though that sentence could be repeated for practically every team in the NFL. The college game just doesn’t produce enough quality linemen to go around.

So, from that perspective, the Packers probably feel at least OK, though Belton is going to have to find his place after losing the starting job at right guard and Burton must be able to hit the ground running. For as unimpressive as the Packers’ depth appeared to be during training camp and the preseason, they still managed to find 10 for the roster.

Veteran Darian Kinnard was not a surprise cut, but he provided competent depth last year.

Edge (4)

On the 53: Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox, Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Released: Nyjalik Kelly, Arron Mosby, Arden Walker.

PUP: Micah Parsons (knee).

Injured reserve: Collin Oliver (calf).

Strength, need help or something in between: The Packers went thin here by releasing Kelly, the impressive undrafted free agent, and Mosby, the proven special-teams ace.

The Packers will get help – at some point – when Parsons is activated from PUP and plays in his first game. But they’ll be counting on an unheralded quartet for the first several games. For now, though, this seems like a position group that could use another player.

The Green Bay Packers will be counting on Dani Dennis-Sutton.
The Green Bay Packers will be counting on Dani Dennis-Sutton. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Defensive Tackle (7)

On the 53: Devonte Wyatt, Jonathan Ford, Karl Brooks, Javon Hargrave, Warren Brinson, Chris McClellan, Anthony Campbell.

Released: Nazir Stackhouse, Jaden Crumedy.

PUP: Jordon Riley (Achilles).

Strength, need help or something in between: Strength – at least based on training camp and the preseason. It’ll be a whole other animal when the games are real and they’re playing against proven starting offensive linemen.

The interior rush, with Wyatt and Hargrave leading the way, could be formidable. Brooks seems primed for a bounce-back season, Brinson took a big step forward during camp before a calf injury sidelined him for the final two preseason games and McClellan might be an instant-impact rookie.

Seven is a big number but it’s the right call. Campbell was just too good to let go, even with a practically nonexistent resume.

Linebackers (5)

On the 53: Edgerrin Cooper, Zaire Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann.

Released: Kristian Welch, TJ Quinn.

Strength, need help or something in between: Strength. Welch is a proven veteran and Quinn is a promising prospect, but neither had a prayer of making it on the 53.

Cornerbacks (5)

On the 53: Keisean Nixon, Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, Carrington Valentine, Kamal Hadden.

Released: Domani Jackson, Jaylin Simpson, Shemar Bartholomew, MJ Devonshire.

Strength, need help or something in between: It’s definitely a strength in terms of depth. If Cisse and Nixon are the Week 1 starters, does any team have a better pair of backups than the Packers with St-Juste and Valentine? Hadden, who will be the backup in the nickel, was rewarded for a stellar comeback and training camp.

Are the starters strong, though? That’s the big question, especially if the pass rush is lacking. Nixon had an up-and-down summer and Cisse is going to take his lumps at times.

Safeties (4)

On the 53: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo.

Released: Mark Perry, Murvin Kenion III, Tra Fluellen, Trey Dean (waived/injured).

Strength, need help or something in between: If linebacker is not the team’s best position, then it’s safety. They are light on depth on the 53 but they’ll probably get Perry back on the practice squad. So, however you slice it, Perry is the fifth safety.

Specialists (3)

On the 53: K Trey Smack, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech.

Released: Cal Adomitis.

Strength, need help or something in between: Whelan is a major field-tilting weapon. The key to everything will be how Smack performs in the regular season after making every field goal and extra point during the three preseason games. And the key to that will be how the operation handles the adjustment back to Orzech as the snapper after he spent all of camp on PUP. The Packers are confident that Whelan will be the calming influence.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.