Where the Packers' depth chart stands following mandatory minicamp
The Packers' full 90-man roster won't return to 1265 Lombardi Ave. until training camp. With camp more than a month away, The Leap looks at where the depth chart currently stands.
Good morning!
The Green Bay Packers’ Mandatory minicamp has concluded, and only rookies will take part in next week’s organized-team activities. Accordingly, the full 90-man roster won’t return to 1265 Lombardi Ave. until players report to training camp in late July.
Today’s edition of The Leap uses this period to evaluate where the Packers’ depth chart currently stands and look at which position groups appear the most fluid and settled at this point in the calendar.
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Post-mandatory minicamp depth chart
Jason B. Hirschhorn: Though the Packers’ personnel could change between now and training camp -- trades as well as outside roster churn could create opportunities for tweaks -- the team excused veterans from this week’s OTAs. Accordingly, the roster won’t fully reunite again until training camp.
With that in mind, it seems like the right time to take a step back and look at where Green Bay’s depth chart currently stands and what jobs appear up for grabs.
(Note: Unless otherwise specified, players within a tier are listed in alphabetical order.)
QUARTERBACK
Starter(s): Jordan Love
Primary backup(s): Tyrod Taylor
On the fringes: Kyron Drones, Kyle McCord
To no one’s surprise, Jordan Love will lead the quarterback room for the fourth season in a row. He’ll have a new backup this year, as Malik Willis departed in free agency this offseason for a starting opportunity with the Miami Dolphins. Tyrod Taylor, who turns 37 during training camp, will serve as Love’s primary backup in 2026.
Behind them, Kyron Drones and Kyle McCord will ostensibly compete for the No. 3 job and a spot on the practice squad. However, the Packers will keep an eye on the other signal-callers who become available during final cuts.
RUNNING BACK
Starter(s): Josh Jacobs
Primary backup(s): Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd
On the fringes: Damien Martinez, Jaden Nixon, Pierre Strong Jr.
As of yet, nothing new has developed on the Josh Jacobs front since the Brown County district attorney opted not to formally charge the star running back following his arrest. Unless and until that changes, he will remain on the Packers’ roster and will serve as the primary ball carrier when the season begins.
Even if Jacobs never receives charges or punishment from the NFL, the Packers have little proven depth behind him. MarShawn Lloyd remains a theoretical player until he demonstrates otherwise, and the offense cannot rely on Chris Brooks as a featured rusher. Can one of the other running backs handle a featured role? Will general manager Brian Gutekunst have to address the position again before Week 1? These questions will linger over the next month and change.
WIDE RECEIVER
Starter(s): Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson
Primary backup(s): Bo Melton, Skyy Moore, Savion Williams
On the fringes: Jakobie Keeney-James, Isaiah Neyor, Brenden Rice, Will Sheppard, J. Michael Sturdivant
After quarterback, no position on offense features as much clarity as wide receiver. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden should open the season as the starting boundary wideouts -- they both saw most of the work with the No. 1 offense in two-receiver sets as well -- while Jayden Reed will again handle slot duties. Behind them, Savion Williams and Skyy Moore will provide depth, as will Bo Melton, a perennial favorite of the coaching staff.
The Packers would love another wideout to step up, especially among those who can play on the boundary. J. Michael Sturdivant, a 2026 UDFA Prospectus choice, flashed during the early stages of the offseason program, but Isaiah Neyor received the most praise from head coach Matt LaFleur following mandatory minicamp.
“I’d say it’s night and day for him,” LaFleur said of Neyor. “He’s really shown a lot, a lot of flashes of excellence. Another big, long guy that can run. You can never have enough of those guys, especially at that position. I’m excited about what’s to come for training camp for him.”
TIGHT END
Starter(s): Tucker Kraft
Primary backup(s): Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle
On the fringes: Drake Dabney, RJ Maryland, Messiah Swinson
According to Tucker Kraft, he’ll open training camp on the physically unable to perform list. However, he seems adamant that he will both come off the PUP list prior to Week 1 and will begin the season without a snap restriction.
The Packers need Kraft to avoid a setback, as the depth behind him looks precarious at best. Luke Musgrave didn’t make it through minicamp without suffering an injury, and Josh Whyle spent a chunk of his reps at fullback rather than a traditional tight-end role. Of the rest of the position room, RJ Maryland probably offers the most upside, but Messiah Swinson continues to work ahead of him.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Starter(s): LT Jordan Morgan, LG Aaron Banks, C Sean Rhyan, RG Anthony Belton, RT Zach Tom
Primary backup(s): Jager Burton, Darian Kinnard
On the fringes: Brant Banks, Karsen Barnhart, Dylan Barrett, Dalton Cooper, Wade Dillon, Josh Gesky, Travis Glover, Donovan Jennings, Jacob Monk, John Williams
The complexion of the starting offensive line won’t surprise anyone who has paid attention, though it remains entirely unclear when those five players will actually take the field together. Zach Tom remains sidelined while rehabbing last season’s partially torn patellar tendon, and Aaron Banks spent part of minicamp in the rehab group.
On a positive note, rookie fifth-rounder Jager Burton appears to have already taken the reins as the team’s primary backup along the interior. He worked with the No. 1 offense at both guard spots during minicamp, and LaFleur declared that Burton has put himself “in the mix to compete for playing time this year.”
With Darian Kinnard likely holding down another backup spot, the Packers still need another offensive lineman or two to emerge as capable players. Travis Glover earned praise from the staff during training camp last year before suffering a season-ending injury. John Williams effectively redshirted in 2025 and could push for a role. Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk each enter Year 3, and either need to demonstrate development or find a new job.
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE
Starter(s): Javon Hargrave, Chris McClellan, Devonte Wyatt
Primary backup(s): Warren Brinson, Karl Brooks
On the fringes: Anthony Campbell, Jaden Crumedy, Jonathan Ford, Jordon Riley, Nazir Stackhouse
While interior defensive linemen rarely contribute heavily as rookies, Chris McClellan will apparently receive every opportunity to become an exception. The third-round pick spent most of the past few weeks at nose tackle with the No. 1 defense, pushing second-year pro Warren Brinson to a de facto backup role. The situation could change quickly once the full pads come on, but McClellan has the early lead.
But even if McClellan wins that job, the Packers will need multiple players to rotate in for him, as well as starters Javon Hargrave and Devonte Wyatt. In addition to Brinson, veteran Karl Brooks provides quality depth with some pass-rush upside. Can Jonathan Ford or Jordon Riley emerge as another option at nose tackle?
EDGE DEFENDER
Starter(s): Micah Parsons, Lukas Van Ness
Primary backup(s): Brenton Cox Jr., Dani Dennis-Sutton, Barryn Sorrell
On the fringes: Dante Barnett (international), Nyjalik Kelly, Arron Mosby, Collin Oliver
Much of the Packers’ offseason has focused on when Micah Parsons will return from last year’s ACL tear, and that remains a highly important question. However, Parsons’ ability to tilt the field might not look quite the same when he suits up, at least not right away. The Leap studied the effects of torn ACLs on pass rushers, and Green Bay shouldn’t assume Parsons will look exactly the same whenever he does play again.
Regardless, the Packers still need to figure out who will see most of the action in Parsons’ absence. Lukas Van Ness will start at one of the edge positions, with at least three players entering their first or second seasons vying for the chance to start on the other side. No clear front-runner has yet emerged in that competition, and that competition could take all of training camp to settle.
OFF-BALL LINEBACKER
Starter(s): Edgerrin Cooper, Zaire Franklin
Primary backup(s): Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper
On the fringes: Nick Niemann, TJ Quinn, Kristian Welch
At off-ball linebacker, the Packers seem to have settled every major question, including who will wear the green dot on game days (newly acquired Zaire Franklin, not third-year pro Edgerrin Cooper). That leaves all the guesswork for the backup roles behind the starters.
Isaiah McDuffie started 30 games over the past two seasons, including playoffs, and will likely serve as the first man up if Cooper or Franklin has to miss time. Ty’Ron Hopper, a 2024 third-round pick who has played fewer than 150 defensive snaps, will have to win a job this summer or risk missing final cuts. Behind Hopper, the Packers have two proven special teamers -- Nick Niemann and Kristian Welch -- as well as a potential special-teams ace in undrafted rookie TJ Quinn.
CORNERBACK
Starter(s): Javon Bullard (slot), Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine
Primary backup(s): Brandon Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste
On the fringes: Shemar Bartholomew, MJ Devonshire Jr., Kamal Hadden, Domani Jackson, Marlon Jones, Jaylin Simpson
Along the boundaries, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine still seem to have an edge over second-round pick Brandon Cisse and veteran newcomer Benjamin St-Juste, though that can quickly change during training camp. Javon Bullard’s grip on the slot role appears less likely to shift, barring an injury to one of the starting safeties for whom he could backfill.
In any event, the Packers will retain at least one more cornerback for the eventual 53-man roster. Sixth-round rookie Domani Jackson will receive the benefit of the doubt due to draft status, but the team liked what it saw from Kamal Hadden last year.
SAFETY
Starter(s): Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams
Primary backup(s): Javon Bullard
On the fringes: Johnathan Baldwin, Murvin Kenion, Kitan Oladapo, Mark Perry
For over a calendar year, the depth chart at safety has stacked a particular way in Green Bay. Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams have served as the primary starters, with Bullard backing up either spot and otherwise playing in the slot. McKinney leads the group, but the Packers have expressed faith in all three.
The outlook behind that trio features far less certainty. Kitan Oladapo has made the roster each of the past two seasons, though those decisions had far more to do with special teams than defense. Could Johnathan Baldwin or Mark Perry, two holdovers from last year’s practice squad, push for that spot? Might Murvin Kenion, an older and well-traveled undrafted rookie, make that competition interesting? Training camp looms large for all of them.
SPECIALIST
Starter(s): K Trey Smack, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech
On the fringes: K Lucas Havrisik
The Packers gave Anders Carlson over a full calendar year to settle into the NFL before pivoting to another kicker. Trey Smack, a prospect for whom the team gave up multiple draft picks to acquire, will presumably receive at least as much runway. Barring an injury or a disastrous run during training camp and the preseason, he’ll serve as the kicker when Week 1 arrives, though Lucas Havrisik or another backup could land on the practice squad.
Most fluid position group: Interior defensive line
JBH: One could look at the presumed base-defense starters in this group and see a clear separation from the backups in at least two spots. However, Hargrave and Wyatt each spent at least part of minicamp working with the rehab group, and McClellan needs to continue working with the No. 1 defense once the pads come on before anybody can lock him into a role.
And in pads, it remains entirely possible that second-year pros like Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse demonstrate polish that a rookie like McClellan doesn’t possess. And while Hargrave and Wyatt seem unlikely to lose their jobs once healthy, they still have to fully return to action. If one or both haven’t by the time training camp arrives, Brooks could capitalize with an increased role, as he has in the past.
Most settled position group (other than QB): Wide receiver
JBH: For the first time since Love took the reins under center, a clear hierarchy exists among the wide receivers. Barring injury, Watson and Golden will serve as the primary boundary wideouts with Reed handling the lion’s share of the slot duties. They form a clear lead trio, with Williams, Moore, Melton, and perhaps an undrafted or street free agent providing depth behind them.
One could make an argument for safety, and that position group does make a strong case. However, the scheme change under Jonathan Gannon introduces just enough uncertainty there -- might the new DC prefer Bullard to Williams in split-field coverages? -- to push wide receiver ahead for purposes of this discussion.