Projecting the 2025 Packers' initial 53-man roster
With final cuts just around the corner, The Leap's Jason B. Hirschhorn reveals his projection for the 2025 Packers' initial 53-man roster.
Good morning!
The Green Bay Packers just wrapped up their preseason slate with a 20-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Of course, the score of that game doesn't matter. Between now and 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday, general manager Brian Gutekunst and the rest of the team's brain trust must slash the roster to just 53 players. Saturday's exhibition provides the final data points for those decisions.
Today's edition of The Leap projects what the Packers' initial 53-man roster will look like and whether they could make any moves before final cuts come due.
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Jason B. Hirschhorn's projection for the 2025 Packers' initial 53-man roster
Quarterback (2):
• Jordan Love
• Malik Willis
No surprises here. Jordan Love enters his third season as the Packers' full-time starting quarterback, and Malik Willis will again serve as his primary backup. Green Bay will place a third signal-caller on the practice squad following final cuts.
Running back (3):
• Josh Jacobs
• Emanuel Wilson
• Chris Brooks
IR-DFR —MarShawn Lloyd
We don't yet know the full extent of MarShawn Lloyd's hamstring injury. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur only said that the second-year running back would "miss some time." With no clear return and Lloyd unable to stay on the field for the second straight training camp, Green Bay might not have a better option right now than to place him on injured reserve with a designation to return.
As for the rest of the backfield, Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson have clearly established roles and roster spots. Chris Brooks might not have made the cut if not for Lloyd's injury, but he gets the nod for the initial 53. Even if he doesn't, the Packers will try to sign him to the practice squad with a plan to game-day promote him until Lloyd returns.
Wide receiver (6):
• Romeo Doubs
• Jayden Reed
• Dontayvion Wicks
• Matthew Golden
• Savion Williams
• Malik Heath
PUP — Christian Watson
The Packers have a clear pecking order among the wide receivers. The top four will handle the lion's share of the snaps when healthy, though it remains somewhat uncertain whether Jayden Reed and/or Dontayvion Wicks will return in time for Week 1. Regardless, Romeo Doubs and Matthew Golden have generally opened the 11-on-11 periods in training camp as the starting wideouts in two-tight-end sets, a strong indication that the two will start (or at least play a starter's workload) in the opener.
Behind the top group, Savion Williams will make the 53 unless the Packers deem his hamstring injury serious enough to warrant a four-game absence. The team would surely prefer to avoid that scenario as Williams needs all the practice he can get after missing large chunks of camp.
With only Doubs currently healthy among the bigger proven receivers, the Packers probably need to keep Malik Heath as insurance if Wicks doesn't recover in time for Week 1. Heath had an up-and-down camp and preseason, but the coaching staff clearly trusts him more than the other wideouts on the roster fringe, and he offers credible blocking and can play non-returner roles on both kickoff and punt units.
Tight end (4):
• Tucker Kraft
• Luke Musgrave
• John FitzPatrick
• Ben Sims
Neither Tucker Kraft nor Luke Musgrave has to worry about final cuts. John FitzPatrick seems to have secured the third roster spot at tight end, and he should action on both offense and special teams.
That leaves Ben Sims as the potential last tight end to make the cut. He plays enough on special teams to merit consideration (kickoff return in particular), and he offers some juice on offense when given the chance. Given the retention numbers at some of the other positions, Sims gets the nod.
Offensive line (9):
• Rasheed Walker
• Aaron Banks
• Elgton Jenkins
• Sean Rhyan
• Zach Tom
• Jordan Morgan
• Anthony Belton
• Kadeem Telfort
• Jacob Monk
PUP — John Williams
IR — Travis Glover
The top seven have already locked in their roster spots, even if some ambiguity remains as to one of the starting jobs. The Packers have yet to declare a winner between Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan at left tackle, and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich has already hinted that the two might begin the season in a platoon situation. The other starters -- Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom -- know where they'll play, and Anthony Belton will likely serve as the backup right tackle.
Behind them, little appears certain. Travis Glover would have almost certainly made the cut, but his season-ending shoulder injury derailed those plans. Seventh-round rookie John Williams never got a chance to show what he could do, and he'll begin the year on the physically unable to perform list. Given how much time Williams has already missed, the Packers might keep him there the rest of the season.
With Glover and Williams out of the picture, Kadeem Telfort seems the most likely to benefit. Telfort struggled when called upon last season, giving up multiple pressures and drawing a penalty in the Packers' playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, he offers tackle-guard versatility and has real NFL experience. And while he has mostly played top-line competition during this preseason, he has more than held his own, allowing just one pressure over 64 snaps.
The Packers have room for another offensive lineman, but whether they feel anyone left warrants that spot remains unclear. Jacob Monk's performance during training camp and the preseason -- one sack, five total pressures, and three penalties -- has left him on the bubble. Donovan Jennings hasn't looked much better, but he at least managed to suit up Saturday against the Seahawks. The broadcast stated that Green Bay had no healthy scratches, so Monk presumably had some issue preventing him from playing. The team hasn't provided any additional information.
Assuming Monk doesn't miss extended time, he gets the nod here. The Packers used a draft pick on him in the 2024 draft, and that buys players more runway than former undrafted free agents like Jennings. Regardless, if Gutekunst targets another team's player during the cutdown process, an interior offensive lineman would make plenty of sense.
Defensive tackle (6):
• Kenny Clark
• Devonte Wyatt
• Karl Brooks
• Colby Wooden
• Warren Brinson
• Nazir Stackhouse
Much like wide receiver, the interior of the defensive line has an established top group. Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt will start, and Karl Brooks will see extensive action as well. None of the three has to worry about making the initial 53-man roster.
The next tier also seems somewhat less established. The newly bulked-up Colby Wooden looks like the next man up at nose tackle, and he has experience playing other spots along the defensive line. Warren Brinson also appears well positioned to make the cut given the Packers just spent a sixth-round pick on him in April.
Do the Packers have room for another? The Packers clearly like Nazir Stackhouse, and his stature and playing style share more than passing similarities to T.J. Slaton. However, retaining six interior defensive linemen can create complications for special teams. Ultimately, Stackhouse gets the nod.
Defensive end (5):
• Rashan Gary
• Lukas Van Ness
• Kingsley Enagbare
• Barryn Sorrell
• Brenton Cox Jr.
PUP — Collin Oliver
Barring a trade for a disgruntled superstar pass rusher, we have a good idea of what the Packers' roster will look like at defensive end. Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness will start, and Kingsley Enagbare will rotate in extensively. Barryn Sorrell and Brenton Cox Jr. will also see action in obvious passing situations.
Sorrell's knee injury creates some ambiguity. The rookie hasn't practiced since going down during the Packers' second preseason game, and he might not recover quickly enough for the regular-season opener. Still, it doesn't sound like Sorrell will need a month to recover, so he avoids IR with a designation for return.
Linebacker (5):
• Quay Walker
• Edgerrin Cooper
• Isaiah McDuffie
• Ty'Ron Hopper
• Isaiah Simmons
Barring injury, Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper should play on nearly every defensive snap in 2025. Isaiah McDuffie will begin the season as the third starting linebacker in base defense, but Ty'Ron Hopper could push for that job over the course of the year.
If the Packers keep a fifth linebacker, Isaiah Simmons seems the most likely candidate. He has looked far from impressive during the preseason, but the coaching staff likes what his athleticism offers on special teams and in certain defensive situations. That gives him the edge over Kristian Welch, who feasts on back-of-roster talent during the preseason but probably doesn't have the juice to replicate that against starters.
Cornerback (5):
• Keisean Nixon
• Nate Hobbs
• Carrington Valentine
• Corey Ballentine
• Bo Melton
When healthy, the Packers will use Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs as their starting corners in base defense. The coaching staff hasn't clarified if Hobbs will move into the slot in nickel with Carrington Valentine backfilling on the boundary, but the latter will make the squad regardless.
The identity of the rest of the corner room looks as clear as mud. Corey Ballentine rejoined the team late in training camp and offers both starting experience and special-teams utility, but the Packers gave other cornerbacks more work during the preseason. Maybe that means the Packers like others more. Perhaps they simply feel comfortable with Ballentine already and don't want to expose him to injury. Here, we lean toward the latter explanation.
For the last spot, Bo Melton gets the nod. While the recently converted wideout probably shouldn't see real action at cornerback early in the season, the Packers believe in his long-term potential at his new position. He can also help out on offense if some of the currently injured wideouts suffer setbacks. Just as importantly, he seems less likely to clear waivers than Kalen King or Micah Robinson.
Safety (5):
• Xavier McKinney
• Evan Williams
• Javon Bullard
• Zayne Anderson
• Kitan Oladapo
IR-DFR — Omar Brown
The top of the safety group looks solidified. All-Pro Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams will start. Javon Bullard will split his time between slot corner and the primary backup safety.
Behind them, Zayne Anderson and Kitan Oladapo should make the team, principally for their work on special teams. Anderson did play credibly at safety when forced into action last season, however.
Omar Brown wouldn't have made the initial 53 even if healthy, but the Packers probably would have earmarked him for the practice squad had he cleared waivers. LaFleur made it sound like Brown has made it through the worst of his lung issue, but he would require an injury settlement to cut right now. Only Lloyd received the IR return designation though, so Green Bay can use its second on Brown if it so desires.
Specialists (3):
• Brandon McManus
• Daniel Whelan
• Matt Orzech
The Packers haven't worried about their specialists during training camp and the preseason, and for good reason. Brandon McManus had a stellar camp, making nearly every kick from all manner of distances. Daniel Whelan's leg looks as strong as ever, and he has shown good hands as the holder on kicks. Matt Orzech enters the last year of his contract, but the Packers never brought in any competition for him.
Could the Packers look to make any trades during the cutdown process?
JBH: If Gutekunst and the personnel department covet a potential cut candidate from another team and believe he won't clear waivers -- 22 teams have priority over Green Bay -- they could plausibly try to swing a trade. On Thursday, The Leap identified several players that the Packers could target if made available.
However, that list doesn't account for anyone currently on Green Bay's roster who might draw interest from another club. The Packers might have considered dealing one of their proven veteran receivers, but the injury bug that hit the position renders that option less palatable. And while Rasheed Walker would have a robust trade market if made available, the team doesn't want to force Anthony Belton into action early in the season should something happen to Morgan or Tom.
So, who does that leave as potential trade pieces? Arron Mosby has played meaningful football in the league and showed promise as a tertiary pass rusher, but the Packers don't appear to have space for him. Perhaps they could swap him for a conditional late-round pick or a backup offensive lineman.
No one else really stands out as a trade piece. Perhaps one of the final interior defensive linemen or linebackers could garner interest, but the Packers would probably rather have the players than the trade compensation.