Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and his staff have a lot of tough decisions to make before the 2025 regular season begins. Cutting their roster down to 53 players will be a real challenge. A fair number of veterans and young players will be sweating out their immediate futures before Week 1 rolls around.
Packers fans should understand that most of the decisions will take place on the outer fringes of the roster. It's not as if Green Bay is still pondering who their star players will be. The likes of Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney are entrenched on the top line of the team's depth chart.
That does not mean the decisions Gutekunst makes in the coming weeks can't have a massive impact on the franchise's hopes of making a deep postseason run. Quite a few backups will be called into action when injuries beset starters throughout the gauntlet of a 17-game slate. Choosing the right reserve capable of helping fill that void over a multiple game stretch can be the difference between Super Bowl glory and missing out on the postseason altogether.
The following three players still have time to make a late push to secure their status on the Week 1 roster but their chances of making that sort of move are declining by the day. Fans in Green Bay should make sure they don't get too attached to players on this list.
Packers goner No. 1: Mecole Hardman
When Mecole Hardman signed a modest deal in free agency it looked as if he could add valuable depth to the Packers' wide receiver room. Then Gutekunst and his staff spent a first-round pick on Matthew Golden and a Round 3 pick on Savion Williams. Suddenly, the team has a much longer list of pass catching options.
That crowding put real pressure on Hardman to show out in the preseason. In particular, the coaching staff would have liked to see him stand out on special teams. Muffing a punt in the team's ugly loss to the Jets did not help his case of making the 53-man roster.
It's worth noting that Hardman did play much better against the Colts but he still looks set to be a victim of a numbers crunch in Green Bay. Don't be surprised if the Packers find a trade partner interested in giving them some minor draft compensation in exchange for the big-name wideout before the regular season begins.
Packers goner No. 2: Kamal Hadden
Everyone associated with the Packers is pleased with Bo Melton's impressive switch from wide receiver to cornerback. Kamal Hadden is probably the player with the most to lose at the hands of Melton's versatility.
He currently occupies the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Nate Hobbs and Carrington Valentine. That likely means he will battle seventh-round draft pick Micah Robinson to make the 53-man roster.
Hadden might be the better player right now, but the front office likes Robinson's long-term potential. When in doubt, it's wise to bet on recent draft picks to make the team over veterans who don't have equity with the team. Hadden has a chance to turn this around but he needs a strong finish to the preseason to win the battle.
Packers goner No. 3: Nazir Whitehead
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has a jumble on his hands when it comes to his backup options at defensive tackle. It seems likely that Nazir Whitehead and Colby Wooden will battle it out for the last reserve spot on the defensive interior.
Same rules apply to this battle as the one between Hadden and Robinson. Whitehead is an undrafted free agent while Wooden was a Round 4 pick back in 2023. Whitehead's arguably had the superior preseason to date but it's not an appreciable advantage.
It's also possible that neither of these players makes the 53-man roster if Green Bay likes another defensive tackle who gets cut by another team. Whitehead should not be comfortable with his status with the Packers.
Packers goner No. 4: Jacob Monk
It's hard to imagine an offensive lineman having a worse start to the preseason than Jacob Monk. He committed three holding penalties in his preseason opener against the Jets. No one behind him on the roster covered themselves in glory against New York, but that should not be enough for Monk to feel comfortable with his place on the roster.
This is another spot where Gutekunst will likely scour the waiver wire as the preseason rolls along. Guard is spot where Green Bay can find depth on the open market. Jordan Morgan's presumed move to left tackle also creates more room. Monk will get another opportunity or two to seize a backup spot but it will be hard for him to wash the taste of his penalty-ridden start out of mouths of Gutekunst and his staff. Look for him to land on the practice squad after Green Bay finds a veteran with a higher floor.