With five games left in the regular season, the 2025 Green Bay Packers are no longer a mystery. We know who they are - a team with a young quarterback finding his rhythm, a defense that’s been hit with injuries, and a coaching staff trying to keep the ship steady down the stretch. But even with the core identity more or less locked in, there are still a few wildcards on this roster - players who could swing things in a big way, for better or worse, as the playoff race tightens.
Let’s take a closer look at six Packers who could still move the needle as the season reaches its most critical stretch.
1 & 2: Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden - The Speed Injection
The Packers’ offense has been humming along, but it’s been doing so without two of its fastest weapons. That might be about to change.
Jayden Reed hasn’t seen the field since Week 2, when he suffered a broken collarbone. The injury required surgery - and while they were in there, doctors also addressed a Jones fracture in his foot. That’s a lot of rehab for one player, but reports suggest Reed is finally trending toward a return.
Matthew Golden, meanwhile, has been battling shoulder and wrist issues since Week 10. He’s been a regular on the injury report - questionable every week for the last month - and while he did suit up against the Giants, he’s still limited in practice.
If both Reed and Golden make it back soon, they’ll bring a jolt of speed and shiftiness to the Packers’ receiving corps. But reintegrating them won’t be simple.
Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks have all stepped up in their absence. That’s a good problem to have - too many capable receivers - but it does present a challenge for head coach Matt LaFleur.
How do you balance reps and roles when everyone’s healthy?
The answer could determine just how explosive this offense becomes in the final five games.
3: MarShawn Lloyd - The Mystery Back
MarShawn Lloyd is one of the biggest unknowns on this Packers roster. Drafted in the third round in 2024, he’s played in just one game over nearly two seasons. That’s not ideal.
But the intrigue is still there. Lloyd’s athletic profile is off the charts, and his college tape showed a player who could be dynamic in both the run and pass game.
The issue? He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
After a preseason injury landed him on injured reserve, he’s finally back - and now the question becomes: where does he fit?
Josh Jacobs is the clear lead back. Emanuel Wilson has been a solid No. 2, and Chris Brooks brings value as a blocker and pass-catcher.
So where does Lloyd slot in? The Packers like his upside, but this late in the season, it’s tough to reshuffle the backfield rotation unless someone forces the issue.
If Lloyd can stay healthy and flash even a bit of the explosiveness he showed in college, he could become a true X-factor in December. But that’s a big “if.”
4 & 5: Warren Brinson and Karl Brooks - Filling the Void Up Front
The defensive line has taken some serious hits. Trading Kenny Clark for Micah Parsons may pay off in the long run, but it left a void up front. Then came the Devonte Wyatt injury - a shattered ankle that took out one of the unit’s most disruptive players.
Now, the Packers are thin - dangerously thin - on the defensive line. Enter Warren Brinson and Karl Brooks.
Brinson is the true wildcard here. A rookie with raw tools but limited NFL experience, he’s being asked to step into a much bigger role than anyone expected this early. There’s talent, no doubt, but he’s still learning the speed and complexity of the pro game.
Brooks, on the other hand, is a bit more of a known quantity. In two and a half seasons, he’s been a solid rotational piece, but he’s rarely played more than half the defensive snaps in a game.
That’s about to change. With Wyatt out, Brooks is going to be counted on to anchor the interior more than ever before.
How these two perform down the stretch could have a massive impact on whether the Packers can hold up defensively - especially against the run, where depth and physicality are critical.
6: Nate Hobbs - The Complicated Cornerback Call
Nate Hobbs is the outlier on this list - not because of his upside, but because of the uncertainty surrounding his role.
It’s been a rocky season for Hobbs. He started the year as a key piece in the secondary, but inconsistent play and missed tackles had the coaching staff looking elsewhere. Eventually, Carrington Valentine took over his spot - and outside of one ugly whiff against the Lions, Valentine has mostly held his own.
Now Hobbs is working his way back from injury. The question is: where does he fit?
The Packers gave him a fairly sizable free-agent deal this past offseason, so there’s likely still some belief in his potential. But Valentine has outplayed him, and this defense can’t afford to regress with so much on the line.
Do the Packers go back to Hobbs out of obligation? Or do they stick with the hot hand in Valentine? It’s a delicate balance between long-term investment and short-term performance - and it’s one of the tougher decisions this coaching staff will face in the coming weeks.
Final Thoughts
The Packers might be a known commodity as a team, but that doesn’t mean the story is fully written. These six players - some returning from injury, others stepping into bigger roles - could be the difference between a late-season surge or a stumble.
With the playoff picture still very much in flux, Green Bay will need every piece of its roster to contribute. And sometimes, it’s the wildcards who end up making the biggest plays when it matters most.