GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers wrapped up the preseason with an honest-to-goodness thriller against the Arizona Cardinals on Friday night. Kyle McCord’s fourth touchdown pass of the night rallied Green Bay to a 42-38 victory.
The Packers trailed 38-27 with 4:55 remaining but McCord threw a pair of touchdowns to Kisean Johnson. McCord finished 22-of-35 for 226 yards and a passer rating of 119.5.
After the thrill of victory comes the agonizingly hard work for general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Gutekunst has assembled a 92-man roster, if you include new tight end Jonnu Smith, who has not officially signed. By 5 p.m. Sunday, he will have to slash that to 53 players. Injuries will take care of a handful of the transactions, but almost three-dozen players will be given crushing news that their best wasn’t good enough.
Here’s our final 53-man projection.
Quarterbacks (2)
Today’s roster: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor, Kyle McCord.
Week 1 projection: Love, Taylor.
What changed?: Nothing.
Drama on Sunday?: The only slight drama will come on Monday. Will any team put in a waiver claim on McCord? Probably not, but quarterbacks are a different animal and there are only so many competent ones. McCord got hot against the Cardinals, highlighted by the back-to-back completions to J. Michael Sturdivant in the second quarter. He finished the night with the four touchdowns.
Running Backs (3)
Today’s roster: Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Pierre Strong, Jaden Nixon, Damien Martinez.
Week 1 projection: Jacobs, Lloyd, Brooks.
What changed?: Nothing.
Drama on Sunday?:With Jacobs’ uncertain status, one of the more intriguing decisions will be on Strong. If the Packers keep Strong, it’s a strong indication (pardon the pun) that they fear punishment could be on the way for Jacobs before the season-opening game at the Vikings.
If the Packers release Strong, it isn’t necessarily a sign they believe Jacobs will be in the clear from a league perspective. As Gutekunst said this week: “The one thing, particularly at that position, is elevating a guy from the practice squad – I don’t want to say it’s easy to do but it’s something we’ve done in the past and not something we’d shy away from.”
Nether of the top three played.
Receivers (7)
Today’s roster: Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, Skyy Moore, Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor, J. Michael Sturdivant, Kisean Johnson, Kaden Prather, Chris Hilton.
Week 1 projection: Watson, Golden, Reed, Williams, Moore, Melton, Sturdivant.
What changed?: Sturdivant in.
Drama on Sunday?: Any drama might hinge on the injury report. Williams had two of his best days of practice before he suffered an ankle injury early in the game at Denver. He didn’t practice this week and did not play against the Cardinals. If Williams winds up going on injured reserve, there will be room on the roster for one of young receivers.
Or, maybe they’ll keep seven, regardless.
Sturdivant, with an elite combination of size and speed, has a chance to keep Green Bay’s undrafted streak alive at 22 years. He had a big first half against the Cardinals, including a 29-yard touchdown. With a pair of receptions to end the third quarter, he was up to six receptions for 112 yards.
Neyor, another elite size-speed player, led the team in receiving at Pittsburgh. He dropped what should have been a 65-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter vs. Arizona, though.
Sheppard, who has the size but lacks the speed, had a 12-yard touchdown catch and an 81-yard touchdown on a punt return.
Usually, the fear of losing a player on waivers is overblown. But Sturdivant was really good. Combining production and talent, he has earned a spot on the roster.
Watson, Reed, Golden, Moore and Williams did not play.
Tight Ends (4)
Today’s roster: Tucker Kraft, Jonnu Smith, Josh Whyle, Luke Musgrave (PUP), Drake Dabney, Messiah Swinson, McCallan Castles, Thomas Yassmin (international).
Week 1 projection: Kraft, Smith, Whyle, TBA.
PUP: Musgrave (neck).
What changed?: Smith in, Dabney out.
Drama on Sunday?: The Packers presumably will announce the signing of Smith, a Pro Bowler in 2024, when they announce the rest of their roster moves on Sunday.
Kraft, Smith and Whyle are the obvious top three. Will the Packers keep Dabney as a fourth? Will they find a physical blocker on waivers? Or will they go with only three? The guess is it’ll be four to take some of the stress of Kraft. Dabney got McCord clobbered on the first pass of the game, so that’s not going to help his chances.
In case there was any doubt about his status, Whyle was held out of the game.
Offensive Line (9)
Today’s roster: LT Jordan Morgan, LG Aaron Banks, C Sean Rhyan, RG Jacob Monk, RT Zach Bako-Bewele, T/G Anthony Belton, T/G Darian Kinnard, C/G Jager Burton, T/G/C John Williams, T/G Travis Glover, G/C Donovan Jennings, G Dillon Wade, G Josh Gesky, G/C Dylan Barrett, T Brant Banks, T Dalton Cooper.
Week 1 projection: Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Monk, Bako-Bewele, Belton, Burton, Jennings, Williams.
What changed?: Jennings in, Kinnard out.
Drama on Sunday?: Anything goes on the offensive line. Really, it’s all about putting together the puzzle with the right pieces to fill in here and there as needed.
We had Kinnard, who received a $1 million signing bonus, making it in all of our projections. He did not start on Friday but did enter in the second quarter. To be a backup on an offensive line filled with backups? That doesn’t seem liked a good sign. Aligned at right tackle, he gave up a sack midway through the third quarter. But he played well last year and could fill the dirty-work role at tight end.
Williams had a really good block on a third-down run by Jaden Nixon in the first quarter and another on an explosive run by Damien Martinez later.
Based on this projection, Belton could be the true swing tackle, or it could be Belton at right tackle and Williams at left tackle. Burton could be the backup at left guard and center and Jennings could be a backup at both guard spots.
Edge (5)
Today’s roster: Micah Parsons (PUP), Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Brenton Cox, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Collin Oliver, Arron Mosby, Nyjalik Kelly, Arden Walker.
Week 1 projection: Van Ness, Sorrell, Cox, Dennis-Sutton, Kelly.
PUP: Parsons.
What changed?: Oliver out, Kelly in.
Drama on Sunday?: The first four players are locks; Cox is so entrenched on the roster that he was held out of the game. Who will be the fifth? Oliver was a fifth-round pick last year who missed most of his rookie season due to hamstring issues and is out with a calf injury sustained at Denver. He said this week that he’ll be ready to roll for Week 1.
However, Oliver hasn’t exactly dominated training camp. An undersized pass rusher, he’s gotten to the quarterback on occasion. If he plays 12 or 15 snaps a game, can he make one or two impact plays? With his injury history, it might be wise to take the cautious route to start the season.
Kelly, the highest-paid undrafted free agent in franchise history, might be the best bet to keep its undrafted streak alive. With long arms, he’s shown a knack for getting to the quarterback. According to PFF, Kelly in the first two games had four pressures in 35 pass-rushing snaps while Oliver had only one in 27. He intercepted a pass in the second quarter, had a sack in the third quarter and added a tackle for loss and quarterback hit in the fourth.
Don’t sleep on Mosby, a core player on special teams, getting the last spot. With Cam Achord building the special teams, Gutekunst might want to give him as many core players as possible. He had an interception after the 2-minute warning to give the Packers a chance to complete the comeback and a big presure during the final seconds.
Defensive Tackles (6)
Today’s roster: Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave, Karl Brooks, Jonathan Ford, Chris McClellan, Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, Anthony Campbell, Jaden Crumedy, Jordon Riley (PUP).
Week 1 projection: Wyatt, Hargrave, Ford, Brooks, McClellan, Campbell.
Injured reserve: Brinson.
PUP: Riley (Achilles).
What changed?: Brooks is no longer traded and Brinson goes to injured reserve.
Drama on Sunday?: There will be all sorts of drama at this position because of how this group has overperformed.
The big wild card – and the biggest unknown from an outside perspective – is the health of Brinson, who perhaps had taken the biggest Year 2 jump of any player on the roster. He suffered a calf injury before the Denver game, didn’t practice this week and didn’t play against Arizona.
If Brinson winds up on injured reserve, it will open up a spot for Campbell or Crumedy. Campbell has made a bunch of impact plays and was on the field with the No. 1 defense for the 2-minute drill at Wednesday’s practice. He had a sack in the game. Crumedy has just quietly gone about his business. He had a pressure that resulted in an interception and batted down a pass.
Ford, who looked like he’d be a lock given his place on the depth chart and performance in the first two games, was still on the field late in the third quarter. He was knocked out of the hole and shaken up on the Cardinals’ go-ahead touchdown run, but was on his feet on the sideline for the final minutes.
Linebackers (5)
Today’s roster: Edgerrin Cooper, Zaire Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie, Ty’Ron Hopper, Nick Niemann, Kristian Welch, TJ Quinn.
Week 1 projection: Cooper, Franklin, McDuffie, Hopper, Niemann.
What changed?: Nothing.
Drama on Sunday?: None. This position group seems as settled today as it did at the start of OTAs. Welch, who fell short after strong camps in 2024 and 2025, and Quinn, a promising undrafted free agent who forced a fumble on the opening punt, are quality players but the top five are just too strong.
Cornerbacks (5)
Today’s roster: Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon, Benjamin St-Juste, Carrington Valentine, Kamal Hadden, Jaylin Simpson, Domani Jackson, Shemar Bartholomew, MJ Devonshire.
Week 1 projection: Cisse, Nixon, St-Juste, Valentine, Hadden.
What changed?: Valentine in, Jackson out.
Drama on Sunday?: Is there room on the roster for Jackson? A sixth-round pick this year, he missed the offseason practices and the start of camp following core-muscle surgery. He was a touted prospect at this time a year ago, which could put him on the right side off the bubble.
However, during the first quarter alone, he gave up four catches and missed a tackle. Then, on the first play of the second quarter, he gave up a 41-yard touchdown. It is worth noting that Gutekunst hasn’t cut a sixth-round pick since offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen in 2021.
Cisse, Nixon, St-Juste and Valentine didn’t play on Friday, which is a sign they are safe on the roster.
Safeties (4)
Today’s roster: Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo, Mark Perry, Murvin Kenion III, Trey Dean III, Tra Fluellen.
Week 1 projection: McKinney, Williams, Bullard, Oladapo.
What changed?: Perry out.
Drama on Sunday?: The Packers can keep four safeties – which would free up a spot for another defensive lineman or cornerback – or they can keep either Perry or Kenion as the fifth.
Perry, who went undrafted in 2024 and has never been on a 53-man roster, had an interception at Denver. Kenion, who went undrafted this year and thrived at Nevada under the coaching of former Packers player Joey Thomas, had an interception at the joint practice but missed a tackle on Evan Hull’s long touchdown run.
Ultimately, the Packers can get either player on the practice squad, so that’s the decision. As Matt LaFleur would quickly tell you, it’s not a 53-man roster. It’s a 70-man roster.
Specialists (3)
Today’s roster: K Trey Smack, P Daniel Whelan, LS Matt Orzech, LS Cal Adomitis.
Week 1 projection: Smack, Whelan, Orzech.
What changed?: Nothing.
Drama on Sunday?: Long snapper drama? No, long snapper drama! The coaches have signaled their support for the incumbent snapper, Orzech, even though he’s spent all of training camp on PUP and Smack has gotten in gear with Adomitis. From the coaches’ perspective, it’s up to Whelan to get the ball down, regardless of who’s snapping.
With three extra points and two field goals on Friday, Smack made every kick in the preseason.
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