Winners, Losers at Every Position on Packers’ Roster Bubble After Preseason Finale

GREEN BAY, Wis. – By 5 p.m. Sunday, the Green Bay Packers must cut their 91-man roster to 53 players. That’s 38 players who won’t be on the initial roster.

While injured lists will account for some of the transactions, that’s a lot of bubbles that are about to burst. But not all. Some NFL dreams will be alive.

Here’s a closer look with one player at every position.

Winner: QB Kyle McCord

Kyle McCord was electric in a superb wire-to-wire performance that included four touchdown passes and a rather improbable 11-point comeback in the final minutes. Two of the touchdown passes came on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield.

Will McCord win a roster spot? Probably not. But he’s proven he’s a legitimate NFL quarterback worthy of being the potential backup to Jordan Love in 2027.

“I think with all the preseason games, there’s that feeling of I’m doing well in practice, but this is my opportunity to really go out and play,” McCord said after the game. “I don’t know if nervous is the right word, but you just want to do what you’ve been doing in practice, if that makes sense.

“That was the goal. I feel like that’s a comforting feeling, knowing that I don’t have to go out there and do anything other than what I’ve been doing all camp.”

Winner: RB Pierre Strong

Everybody knows the story in the backfield with Josh Jacobs’ legal issues and what it could mean for Pierre Strong making the roster.

Strong carried four times for 12 yards (10 yards after contact) and caught one pass for minus-4 yards on a doomed screen. That’s not very good. So, why is he a winner? He played 12 snaps in the first two series and got to enjoy the rest of the game from the sideline, a clear signal of where he stands on the pecking order and the fact the coaches didn’t need to see anything else.

He said he’d spend the next couple days praying and with family.

“If you’ve been around this league, you know around this time, you get a lot of anxiety,” he said. “Because you don’t know. I’ve been traded. I’ve been waived. So, around this time of the year, it’s just like, you don’t know. You’ve just got to let God do His thing.”

Winner: WR J. Michael Sturdivant

Undrafted rookie J. Michael Studivant has a souvenir and a chance. He doesn’t intend to let either slip away after a breakout performance of six catches for 112 yards and one touchdown.

Packers receiver J. Michael Sturdivant has a souvenir and a chance. He hopes to hold into both. ⬇️https://t.co/y9OpSOucDl
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 29, 2026

Loser: WR Isaiah Neyor

There was a lot of hype surrounding Isaiah Neyor based on his size, speed and splash plays. However, at Denver last week, he dropped one pass and was guilty of two penalties. Against Arizona, he dropped what should have been a 65-yard touchdown.

With the rise of J. Michael Sturdivant and Will Sheppard, who scored two touchdowns against the Cardinals, Neyor almost certainly will be on the outside looking in by Sunday evening.

Loser: TE Drake Dabney

The Packers on Saturday made official the signing of Jonnu Smith, creating a three-man tight end room of Tucker Kraft, Josh Whyle and Smith. Will the Packers keep four? If so, Drake Dabney would be that player but he allowed a quarterback hit on the opening series and also dropped a pass.

Winner: G/C Donovan Jennings

Donovan Jennings won a roster spot last year and put himself in position to do it again with an excellent ending to the preseason. He played 106 snaps in the three games, with action at all three interior positions. According to PFF, he allowed one pressure (a quarterback hit) in 69 pass-blocking opportunities.

“I like the edge he plays with,” coach Matt LaFleur said in the wake of the Denver game. “It’s just sometimes you’ve got to kind of temper back a little bit and realize that you’re not going to get a pancake on every play. I thought he played under control and competed. He had a couple of finishes, which we’re always looking for. He’s just got to continue to stack and show that consistency.”

Loser: T/G Darian Kinnard

The Packers acquired Darian Kinnard toward the end of training camp last year. After playing in three games in his first three seasons, Kinnard provided solid play in 17 appearances. So, the Packers re-signed him in free agency and gave him a $1 million signing bonus.

Kinnard, due in part to an ankle injury, failed to build on that experience. LaFleur opted to rest all of his starters against Arizona. Kinnard wasn’t among the backups who got the start; rather, he was part of the second group. Playing right guard and then right tackle, he gave up one sack and was penalized once.

Winner: DT Jaden Crumedy

For all the focus on the incredible rise of Anthony Campbell, we will repeat a line we’ve used several times over the last month: Don’t sleep on Jaden Crumedy.

Crumedy hasn’t made as many splash plays as Campbell but he’s quietly and consistently gone about his business. He had two pressures against Arizona, including the quarterback hit that produced Nyjalik Kelly’s interception.

If it comes down to Campbell or Crumedy, the decision would be Campbell’s juice as a pass rusher or Crumedy’s more well-rounded game.

Winner: Edge Nyjalik Kelly

Green Bay Packers edge player Nyjalik Kelly (47) tackles Arizona Cardinals running back Tre Stewart. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Nyjalik Kelly went undrafted but received a contract that included a $15,000 signing bonus and $247,000 of guaranteed base salary. That’s a big investment.

During the last two weeks, Kelly began to play like that type of prospect. He was superb against the Cardinals with one sack, three tackles for losses, one interception and four pressures. He had seven pressures in the last two games.

More than just a pass rusher, his strength and length could get him on the field on run downs if he makes the 53. In fact, according to league data, the run defense was 1.31 yards per carry better when he was on the field.

“I think he’s made tremendous progress,” LaFleur said after the game. “I think DC [position coach DeMarcus Covington] does a great job with those guys, and it was cool to see him get extended action and out there making plays.

“He had a sack, a TFL and an interception, and I saw multiple other times. I know late they converted on a third down where he’s hitting the quarterback just as he’s releasing the football. So, I thought he did some really nice things.”

Will it be enough in a position group that includes 2025 fifth-round pick and proven special-teams player Arron Mosby?

Loser: LB Kristian Welch

Kristian Welch had superb training camps with the Packers in 2024 and 2025 but failed to make their roster either time. He was facing an uphill climb this year and wasn’t able to meet the challenge.

According to PFF, he missed three tackles on defense vs. Arizona. Of course, Welch’s role in the NFL is on special teams. He was as good as usual in that department.

Loser: CB Domani Jackson

As a sixth-round pick, Domani Jackson might have won a roster spot with a good game. Instead, he was picked on by Gardner Minshew.

According to PFF, Jackson gave up 4-of-6 passing for 84 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown. He also missed two tackles.

Maybe he’ll be saved because he was a draft pick who missed all of the offseason practices and the start of training camp following core-muscle surgery.

Loser: S Tra Fluellen

Tra Fluellen did pretty well, all things considered, since he was a late addition to the training camp roster. However, the Packers released him on Sunday to clear a roster space for Jonnu Smith.

A return trip to the practice squad isn’t out of the question.

Here are our Packers roster projections.

From me: https://t.co/Q2a34M512O

From @JacobWestendorf: https://t.co/1tRpbeXD88
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 29, 2026

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