Packers Roster Projection After Family Night

With Family Night in the books, the Green Bay Packers will turn their attention to Saturday night’s preseason opener against the New York Jets at Lambeau Field. It will be the first truly huge milepost on the path to general manager Brian Gutekunst picking the 53-man roster he’ll take into Week 1 against the Lions.

Training camp has been intense and fierce, and roster battles should only continue to trend that way. With the first big part of camp out of the way, here’s a look at who we believe will be on the 53-man roster.

Quarterbacks

Jordan Love, Malik Willis.

Analysis: This one is straight forward. Love is the starter and Willis, who helped the Packers win three games last year, is the backup.

There could be a wrinkle here if rookie Taylor Elgersma plays well enough in the preseason to get the attention of those around the league. That could cause the Packers to keep Elgersma on the roster rather than risk losing him to waivers.

For now, that doesn’t seem likely, and the third quarterback spot is essentially a waste with the new rules that allow the presence of an emergency quarterback.

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs, Marshawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks.

Analysis: This position group might need an extra body depending on the severity of Marshawn Lloyd’s injury. Coach Matt LaFleur said on Thursday that he did not believe Lloyd’s injury was a long-term situation, but Lloyd has had some rotten injury luck in his brief NFL career.

If Lloyd isn’t healthy, or gets dinged again, Emanuel Wilson would likely make the roster as the fourth running back. Assuming Lloyd is healthy, however, they might be looking for more of a role player who contributes on special teams as the third back. That sounds a lot like Brooks, who is an excellent pass protector and was very present on the kicking units through the first 10 days of camp.

Receivers

Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Savion Williams, Mecole Hardman.

Analysis: The first five are stone-cold locks. With Christian Watson likely to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list, the only real battle will be for the sixth and final spot, assuming the Packers keep that many on the depth chart.

Malik Heath has value as a blocker. Hardman has value as a returner. The question for the Packers to answer is which trait they value more. The guess here is Hardman’s return ability will be deemed more important, if for no other reason than to keep Reed and Keisean Nixon from being exposed to too may hits as the returner.

Tight Ends

Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, John FitzPatrick.

Analysis: Kraft and Musgrave look to be big parts of the offense, with Musgrave breaking out of his quiet camp on Thursday afternoon and again on Saturday night. For the No. 3 spot, Fitzpatrick has taken more snaps than Ben Sims. This will come down to special teams, where Fitzpatrick landed ahead of Sims to close the 2024 season.

Offensive Line

Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom, Jordan Morgan, Anthony Belton, Travis Glover, Donovan Jennings, Jacob Monk.

Analysis: The first seven players listed above are locks, with the first five being the projected starters. Morgan and Belton were first- and second-round picks, respectively.

Glover has been ahead of Kadeem Telfort. Monk has had some run with the top group and could be a swing interior offensive lineman. Jennings was a preferred undrafted free agent a season ago who has worked at center and guard this summer. Glover, Monk and Telfort are anything but safe. How they perform in exhibition games will go a long way toward whether or not they stick around on the 53.

What happened last night at #Packers Family Night?

A lot, led by a defense that intercepted five passes. Plus, we’ve got:

🏈Jordan Love’s night
🏈Play and Player of the Game
🏈Injuries
🏈Lineups
🏈Key plays
🏈Some practice videohttps://t.co/Y42gwg2Gef
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 3, 2025

Defensive Tackles

Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Nazir Stackhouse.

Analysis: The surprise here is undrafted free agent Stackhouse making the team over sixth-round pick Warren Brinson.

Brinson had a quiet camp until late last week, when he made some big appearances during the last two practices before Family Night. He made plays as a pass rusher and run defender on Family Night, as well. The joint practice sessions and preseason games will be big to see how far he has come.

Stackhouse, who was nicknamed “Big Sleepy,” has been active through the early stages of camp to earn a bunch of second-team reps alongside Brooks. He also could fill the void left by TJ Slaton as a run-stuffing defensive tackle, a role the Packers did not replace in free agency or the draft.

Defensive Ends

Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox, Collin Oliver.

Analysis: Gary and Van Ness look to be the starters. Van Ness has been active during camp and looks like he could be poised to fill some of the expectations the team had for him when they drafted him 13th overall in 2023. Sorrell has been getting rave reviews, including from LaFleur last week.

Cox has taken a jump as a third-year pass rusher after a promising second half to last season. Oliver has not been cleared for camp activities, but Gutekunst usually likes to keep his draft choices, so if he is healthy by the end of camp, he’ll likely make the roster.

The surprise here would be the release of Kingsley Enagbare. Enagbare has had some nice moments with 18 starts in three seasons but is entering his final season under contract. The Packers are extremely unlikely to re-sign him, and they have preferred to lean younger when they’re able to do so. Keeping Cox and Oliver over Enagbare would do just that.

Linebackers

Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Isaiah Simmons,

Analysis: For the first time in a long time, the Packers are loaded at linebacker. The top three are likely to be the starting trio in the base defense. Simmons, the former eighth pick of the draft, has drawn rave reviews from his coaches, and Hopper looks like he has made the leap as a second-year player.

That does not even include Kristian Welch, a special teams ace who the Packers re-signed this offseason, and the coveted undrafted free agent Jamon Dumas-Johnson, who has plenty of special teams experience from college. This competition could be fierce, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Packers go heavier at this position, or if they’re able to get either Welch or Dumas-Johnson back on the practice squad.

Cornerbacks

Nate Hobbs, Carrington Valentine, Keisean Nixon, Bo Melton, Kalen King, Micah Robinson.

Analysis: The top three on this list are locks. The back of the depth chart? That’s a huge question mark. For now, we’re keeping an extra body at this position due to the inexperience behind Hobbs, Valentine and Nixon.

Robinson, a seventh-round pick this year, has had some promising moments. King, a seventh-round pick last year, had a pick-six this week and looks more confident in the slot after a year on the practice squad. The inside-outside versatility could give him the nod for a roster spot.

Melton is the best story of the offseason and is on every special teams unit. With the way the team talks about him, it appears they’re finding a way to keep him one way or another.

Safeties

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

Analysis: This group is pretty simple, as well.

“MVP! MVP! Turn me up, O!”

It’s the story of the unquestioned star of #Packers Family Night.https://t.co/WV3m7PfmFj
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 3, 2025

McKinney is one of the best players in the league at his position. His running-mate could be a year-long competition between Bullard and Williams. Oladapo started the team’s season finale last year against the Bears. His size and athleticism could make him a key special teams contributor.

Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia called Anderson a staple to his units last year, and he did have an interception against the Saints when asked to play defense. That allows him to grab the last roster spot over camp sensation Omar Brown, who had three interceptions on Family Night.

Specialists

Brandon McManus, Daniel Whelan, Matt Orzech.

Analysis: This one is easy. McManus has been a savior to Green Bay’s kicking woes since he was signed last October. There are no other punters or long snappers in camp, thus no competition for these jobs. The Packers are in good hands with their specialists.