The Packers’ first 53-man roster is set, but a few names on it are living on borrowed time.
Green Bay kept some notable surprises when it trimmed down to 53, including defensive tackle Anthony Cambell, cornerback Kamal Hadden and receiver J. Michael Sturdivant.
Even so, “initial” is the key word here. A few players who made the cut could still be vulnerable before Week 1 arrives.
Tackle Travis Glover is one of them. He earned a spot as the 10th offensive lineman, beating out veteran Darian Kinnard after Kinnard struggled through the preseason.
That alone made Glover one of the summer’s bigger surprises. But being the last lineman in can also make a player the easiest one to move out if the Packers need room elsewhere.
Green Bay carried only four edge rushers on the 53, with Collin Oliver starting the year on injured reserve, and that’s one area where the team could still look to add help. Glover’s situation gets even shakier if the Packers aren’t comfortable with their depth behind starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, who is still dealing with lingering injury concerns.
Long snapper Matt Orzech is another name worth watching, even though the Packers clearly trust him. He’s a seventh-year veteran and is entering his fourth season in Green Bay.
Once he recovered from a calf injury, the team waived Cal Adomitis and brought Orzech back, which made sense on paper. But while Orzech was out, rookie kicker Trey Smack put together a strong preseason.
After a rough start to camp, he rebounded with a perfect preseason and even showed 60-plus-yard range on field goals, though he has still had some misses in practice. Because kicking operations depend so much on rhythm and chemistry, there was a real case for keeping Adomitis if it meant preserving what was working with Smack.
The Packers chose Orzech, but if Smack has a bad stretch of practice before Week 1 in Minnesota, Green Bay could move quickly to get Adomitis back.
Tight end Josh Whyle rounds out the list. His place became more precarious after the Packers traded for Los Angeles Rams tight end Mark Redman, a move that brought in the blocking presence the roster seemed to need while also adding some sneaky athleticism.
The room now includes Tucker Kraft, Jonnu Smith, Redman and Whyle, but there’s a chance Green Bay decides it only needs three tight ends on the active roster. Whyle does have three seasons of experience, which gives him an edge over Redman’s one year on the Rams’ practice squad.
Still, the Packers may favor Redman because of fit, especially after sending a 2028 seventh-round pick in the trade. If they choose to use a roster spot elsewhere, such as at edge rusher, Whyle could be the one squeezed out.
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Two Packers Drew NFL Discipline After The Vikings Game
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Van Ness was fined for a hit to the head or neck area of a quarterback, while Williams was penalized for unnecessary roughness on a defenseless player. The dollars from those fines will be funneled to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation, which use the money to support athlete health and wellness programs. [Read more 🡒]