3 moves Packers must make to fill out roster after 2025 NFL Draft

Busyness for the Green Bay Packers didn’t end with the draft. They solidified their team by filling needs, and also have several interesting post-draft signings. However, here are three moves the Packers must make to fill out their roster after the 2025 NFL Draft.

Green Bay entered the draft searching for help at cornerback, wide receiver, and along the lines on both sides of the ball. They took care of the wide receiver position by grabbing Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in Round 3. That position looks tremendous for the 2025 season.

They got an offensive lineman in Round 2 with Anthony Belton, and a defensive tackle in Round 6 with a potential steal in Warren Brinson. But they didn’t get a cornerback until Round 7, and more work must be done.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst needs to address CB position

If the Packers could depend on Jaire Alexander, things might look a little better in the secondary. However, Alexander hasn’t consistently shown up on Sundays. He played four games in 2021, and only seven in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has promise, and 12 career interceptions, but he can’t stay on the field.

The Packers have three options with Alexander release, trade, or return, according to espn.com. A first-round pick in 2018, he has two years remaining a four-year, $84 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at the time.

“We’ll work through that as we go,” Gutekunst said. “But no updates there, and he is on our roster right now, and that’s how we’ll proceed. But we’ll figure that as we go along.

“I’m just saying nothing’s changed. No updates. We’ll proceed as we go for right now, and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Packers drafting of Micah Robinson in Round 7 didn’t move the needle very much. He received a grade of 5.68 from nfl.com, which puts him in the discomfort zone for making the roster.

“Fifth-year senior who spent one season at Tulane after transferring from Furman,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “He has NFL-caliber top-end speed but lacks the short-area shiftiness to match slot targets, which might be something he’s asked to do because he lacks ideal size. He was greatly improved in 2024 and is a tough run supporter when plays flow his way.”

Also in the mix are current projected starter Keisean Nixon, Isaiah Dunn, Carrington Valentine, and others.

The interior defensive line needs work

Currently, Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt are slotted to start at tackle in the 4-3 alignment. Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks, and James Ester are backups. But is that a good enough group for a team with Super Bowl aspirations?

Gutekunst is hoping Brinson solves some of the issues. He’s 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds with athletic ability and can do some things better than Tedarrell Slaton — now with the Bengals — did last year, according to packerswire.com.

“(Brinson has) a little bit more pass rush naturally,” Gutekunst said.

However, Gutekunst said he’s not worried about any position on the Packers’ roster, according to packers.com.

“If we had to go play next week, I feel really good about our roster,” Gutekunst said before the draft. “I feel like we could win and go compete. Really across the board. Hopefully, as this draft unfolds, we’re able to just sit back and select the best player that falls to us. I think that’s (a position) we prepare ourselves to be in.”

One thing from a contract standpoint is what the Packers will do with Wyatt in terms of his fifth-year option.

“We won’t deal with that until after the draft, but whatever mechanism we use, we’d like to keep those guys (Wyatt and LB Quay Walker) around for ’26 and beyond,” he said. “So whether that’s through doing the fifth-year option on these guys or extending them one way or the other, we’re planning to do that. We’d like to do that.”

Packers must consider an addition in the RB room

With Josh Jacobs at the forefront, the Packers are solid. However, he’s 27 years old with over 1,800 career touches. And 337 of those came last year.

If Jacobs didn’t hold up for another big season of touches, what would the Packers have? Jacobs only managed 270 touches in 2023 after hitting 393 in 2022.

Emanuel Wilson is the current No. 2 with MarShawn Lloyd in the mix. But Lloyd played just one game as a rookie in 2024 because of injuries. However, Lloyd said he’s positive about the 2025 campaign, according to Sports Illustrated.

“I’m excited for what’s to come,” Lloyd said. “The year didn’t pan out how I wanted to. Even though I wasn’t playing, I still wanted our team to make it to the Super Bowl. It’s a learning experience. I’m super-excited. I know how to take myself throughout the season, what I need to do to get to where I need to get to.”