What's Real, What's Wrong About First Packers Depth Chart

The Green Bay Packers released their first unofficial depth chart on Monday night to reveal who has won starting positions for their Week 1 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Ok, so not all of that is true. Sometimes a depth chart is insight into what the team might be thinking for when the games count. Sometimes it’s not worth the piece of paper it is written on.

That’s why we are here, to help cut through what is real and what is not.

Some things are obvious. Jordan Love is going to start at quarterback. Jordan Morgan is going to start at left tackle. Beyond that? Some things are still pretty murky as the Packers roll toward their first preseason game on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Perhaps there will be more insight on Thursday if the Packers elect to play their starters, which Matt LaFleur alluded to the possibility of during his media availability on Monday.

“Sometimes you have to push the envelope,” LaFleur said, while citing data that players who play during the preseason are less likely to get injured during the regular season.

Of course, LaFleur said that a year ago and Jordan Love threw five passes in the preseason, and the rest of the starters hardly played as the team relied on joint practices to get themselves ready for the regular season opener.

For now, all we can go on is what the Packers have done in practice, and if it lines up with the depth chart they released on Monday evening. Here is our look at what is real, and what is not real.

Musical Chairs Up Front

What’s listed

The starting lineup has Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Anthony Belton, and Zach Bako-Bewele in the starting lineup.

The backups from left to right are listed as John Williams, Jacob Monk, Jager Burton, Donovan Jennings, and Darian Kinnard.

What’s real

It’s hard to say at this point as the Packers’ offensive line remains in flux. Anthony Belton is arguably having the most disappointing training camp of any player on the roster as he was supposed to be a stabilizing force on the right side of the offensive line.

Instead, he’s conceding reps to former fifth-round picks Jacob Monk and Jager Burton. Banks has yet to take part in team drills, and it does not sound like that is going to happen anytime soon.

If Belton does not win the job at right guard, he likely converts to the team’s swing tackle, which is another position that has been up for grabs this offseason.

As far as starters, LaFleur and the rest of the team need to get their top five settled before having to face off against Brian Flores and his complex Minnesota Vikings’ defense on opening day.

“Yeah, I think we've, we've talked about that quite a bit in here,” LaFleur said on Monday. “I think right, about the importance of getting all five of those guys out there at the same time. But you know, you got to adjust to the circumstances, and the circumstances are we've had two guys that have started a lot of football games for us that haven't been available.”

In the second group, there’s plenty of intrigue, but perhaps the biggest riser in camp other than Monk is 2025 seventh-round pick John Williams.

The rocket scientist turned offensive lineman did not play at all as a rookie as he was nursing a back injury for the duration of the year. Now, he has the potential to be the team’s backup left tackle and is listed as such on the depth chart.

That lines up with what has happened in practice as camp has progressed. It will be worth noticing where Williams lines up on Thursday night against the Steelers.

Backup Nickel

What’s listed

Kamal Hadden is listed as the backup nickel corner to Javon Bullard, who missed Monday’s practice with a foot injury.

Bullard’s injury is nothing serious as he joked it was something his mother would tell him to put some dirt on and get back on the field.

Hadden returned to team drills for the first time on Monday as he is shaking off an injury that required much more than dirt to heal from.

Hadden’s story to this point is a remarkable one as he’s not only trying to work his way back onto the field, but trying to learn a position he has not played much of on top of it.

“I did it a little bit in my past before,” Hadden said about playing nickel. “It's fairly, not new, but I haven't played it much. I haven't showed it much outside of practice, but I've been in the slot a little bit.”

What’s real

Hadden was the backup slot corner at practice on Monday, but if the Packers had to play a game without Javon Bullard, they have options.

Keisean Nixon was their slot corner for the 2023 season before getting bumped outside, where he’s been ever since.

Kitan Oladapo is another potential option in the slot, but he is listed as a backup safety as well. The reality is the Packers love Bullard and hope he does not have to miss any time as he’s one of their core players primed for a breakout season.

“Yeah, yeah, Bull is, he's a dog, man,” LaFleur said on Monday. “You talk about a guy that plays with the right mentality, the right play style, what we want to be about, and so it's been cool just to see his evolution. I think we, you know, one thing that we put him in more situations where there's been some man coverage situations, and I think he's really progressed.”

Outside Cornerbacks

What’s listed

Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon finished the 2025 season as the team’s starting cornerbacks, and they are still listed as the starters for now.

That might be in name only.

What’s real

Valentine has not practiced in over a week with a leg injury, which has given way to second round pick Brandon Cisse to take starting reps. The other interesting part of the equation started on Sunday when Benjamin St. Juste started rotating into the starting lineup, but he wasn’t rotating with the rookie. He was rotating with Nixon.

Competition is going to be a factor at this spot all season, but it’s worth monitoring what happens throughout the rest of camp.

For now, however, it looks like Cisse is in line to start his first game.

Edge Depth

What’s listed

Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell are listed as starters with their primary backups being Brenton Cox and Collin Oliver.

The edge position is one of intrigue because of the absence of Micah Parsons for the early portion of the season.

What’s real

Collin Oliver is listed as a primary backup, but rookie fourth round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton has been ahead of Oliver across from Cox. This is a position that should be fluid throughout the year as they try to manufacture pass rush in the absence of Parsons.

Beyond that, the Packers need someone to emerge as rotational players behind Parsons and Van Ness.

Defensive Tackle

What’s listed

The two starting defensive tackles listed on the depth chart are Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks. Javon Hargrave was the Packers’ biggest free agent acquisition this offseason, but is listed as the primary backup to Brooks. He has not participated in training camp except for two practices as he works his way back from a knee injury that landed him on the PUP list to start training camp.

What’s real

It’s hard to say too much at this juncture because Hargrave has not taken any team reps. It’s also hard to envision the Packers would commit the kind of money they gave Hargrave to have him not start next to Wyatt.

One possibility is that they envision Hargrave as their starting nose tackle at this point, and that position is not listed on the depth chart.

If that were the case, their starting defensive front in base makes sense. The Packers will continue to rotate their guys throughout the season as a way to keep them fresh, but expect Hargrave to be a starter once he gets his sea legs underneath him.

Our daily Play of the Day and Player of the Day features two Plays of the Day, including Bo Melton's highlight-reel catch over Keisean Nixon and what it means for earning the trust of Jordan Love by catching a 50/50 ball.

Plus, two bubble stars.⬇️https://t.co/FqlJuEKMnt
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 10, 2026

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