Packers Move On From Rookie WR After Failed Physical: Report

The Green Bay Packers will have at least two rookie wide receivers joining their roster after the 2025 NFL draft, but a third one will no longer make the cut.

The Packers prioritized the wide receiver position in this year’s draft, using their first-round pick (No. 23 overall) on Texas standout Matthew Golden before circling back to the position again in the third round to select TCU’s Savion Williams at No. 86 overall.

Green Bay then picked up another rookie wide receiver in the first wave of undrafted rookie roster moves, agreeing to terms with former Penn State and Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming as part of the UDFA class. The Nittany Lions even announced the move on their official X account, congratulating Fleming on signing with the team.

Fleming, however, did not appear in the list of names when the Packers announced their first batch of UDFA signings — and we now know why he didn’t make the cut.

According to The News-Item’s Marc Malkoskie, Fleming failed his physical exam that served as a prerequisite to his signing with the Packers. He added that Green Bay had concerns “with the 24-year-old’s recent hip (recently re-torn) and back (bulging disk) injuries, per source, which led to them turning him away when he arrived on May 1.

Could Packers Revisit Signing Julian Fleming Later On?

Fleming — a two-time Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year — caught some unlucky breaks throughout his college career. Injuries kept him behind the sticks during his first two seasons at Ohio State (as did sharing a roster with future first-round picks Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeka Egbuka).

In 2022, Fleming finally broke through despite the logjam at the position and tallied career-highs in receptions (34), receiving yards (533) and touchdowns (six), but his production quieted during the 2023 campaign, prompting him to transfer to Penn State for an opportunity to live closer to his family and potentially improve his draft stock.

With the Nittany Lions, Fleming had the opportunity to play in 16 games as they ran as far as the College Football Playoff semifinals, but he finished with just 14 catches for 176 yards and a single touchdown — keeping his draft stock firmly in the “undrafted” range.

Clearly, something about Fleming’s talent intrigued the Packers. He is a willing blocker and has a good amount of accompanying physicality at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, after all. If his recovery goes well, the team could always check up on him again at a future date.

The problem is that the intrigue in Fleming was already small. The Packers reached out to him as one of their first undrafted rookie targets, but that would not have guaranteed him a place on their training camp roster. He may not have even gotten a fighting shot.

Perhaps they will consider giving him another look if the need arises, but their current receiving depth suggests it won’t be necessary unless a few injuries ravage them.

Packers Should Have Intense Camp Battles for WR Spots

The Packers may have opted not to move forward with Fleming, but they are hardly in need of additional receiving depth for their roster at this stage in the offseason.

The Packers have found reinforcements for their receiving corps in multiple ways since March’s start to free agency. In addition to drafting Golden and Williams, the team also signed former Kansas City Chiefs veteran Mecole Hardman Jr. to a one-year contract, giving them an experienced veteran to help mentor a group that’s relatively still young.

Now, the receiving picture looks much brighter with the three new additions joining Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton and Malik Heath. They also still have speedster Christian Watson, but he is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL that he sustained in the 2024 regular-season finale.

Even without Watson, though, the battles for roster spots in training camp should get intense. Golden, Williams and Reed are virtual locks to make the roster. Doubs is also likely safe; although, the Packers could trade him if they feel good about their rotation without him and feel they won’t re-sign him next spring when his contract expires.

Everyone else, however, will need to earn it regardless of contract and history.