Big Loss But Big Day: What Packers Roster Moves Mean for Sunday vs. Panthers

Before the Green Bay Packers host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, both teams made some important roster moves on Saturday. Here they are, including a big day for a Wisconsin native.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Niemann is shown against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Wisconsin native Kristian Welch failed to make the Green Bay Packers’ roster at the end of training camp in 2024 and again in 2025. Belatedly, he’s on it now and will be on the field for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

He was one of three roster moves made by the Packers on Saturday. Here’s what it all means.

Promoted: LB Kristian Welch

The Packers surprisingly released linebacker Kristian Welch at the end of training camp in 2024, even after a superb preseason. So, it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise that they released him at the end of camp this year, too.

This summer, Welch battled Isaiah Simmons for what seemed like it would be the fifth and final spot on the linebacker depth chart. Instead, they released them both.

With Nick Niemann placed on injured reserve as the corresponding roster move, Welch will fill a key role for at least the next four weeks, beginning on Sunday.

This will be his first game of the season.

“It would mean a lot,” to make the roster, Welch said at the end of the preseason. “I worked really hard. It’s a business, at the end of the day, and I’ve been in it long enough to understand that part of it. Yeah, it would mean a lot. That’s certainly been the goal. To achieve it would be a good feeling.”

Welch is a proven commodity on special teams. He had five tackles this preseason, including three in the first game against the Jets.

“In our time with him, he just has a knack in space of finding the ball,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said after the game. “I think it’s a compliment to him and his ability to find the ball in space, know when to settle, know when to shoot and make the tackle. He also did a good job in protection, did a good job on kickoff return, so hopefully he can just keep playing well.”

Welch is a native of Iola, Wis., and a lifelong Packers fan. Even after the disappointing ending in 2024, Welch re-signed with the team in 2025.

“It was a pretty easy decision,” he said. “The history I do have here and obviously some unfinished business, too. So, I’m excited to be back.”

Since entering the NFL in 2020, Welch has played 1,386 snaps on special teams. That includes 210 with the Packers in 2023, when he had six tackles in 14 games.

Injured Reserve: LB Nick Niemann

The Packers placed linebacker Nick Niemann on injured reserve following the pectoral injury sustained against the Steelers.

It’s a big loss. Signed after final roster cuts, Niemann led the Packers with 11 tackles on special teams in seven games. That was tied for fourth in the NFL this year. It’s the most by a Packers player since Isaiah McDuffie had 13 in 2022, and he had a chance to surpass Marviel Underwood’s 23 tackles in 2005 as the team’s most over the past two decades.

“He was real smart and had a lot of different skills,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said this week. “We moved him all over the place. We put him in a lot of different positions, not only on kickoff but on punt return and what we were doing on kickoff return, as well. We’ll see how long and when and it’ll be a loss for this week, for sure.”

Elevated: Arron Mosby

With defensive end Lukas Van Ness inactive for a third consecutive game with the foot injury sustained when he sacked Cincinnati’s Joe Flacco, Arron Mosby has been elevated again.

Against Arizona and Pittsburgh, Mosby played 38 snaps on special teams. He had one tackle against Arizona.

Mosby played in 16 games last season and had a half-sack among 12 tackles.

This will be Mosby’s final elevation. If the Packers want him to play next week, they’ll have to sign him to the 53-man roster.

Key Move by Panthers

The Carolina Panthers activated guard Chandler Zavala from injured reserve. Zavala, who has started two games this season and 11 in his first three seasons, presumably will start at right guard against Green Bay on Sunday. That position had been manned by Brady Christensen, but he suffered a torn Achilles last week.

This will be the Panthers’ seven starting line combination this season.