Which Packers Players Are In Danger Of Getting Cut After the Draft?

Late Friday night, we got word that the Green Bay Packers were making some roster moves, releasing three players. They handed linebacker Jamon Johnson, cornerback Tyron Herring, and tight end McCallan Castles their walking papers as the team looks to clear some space for the incoming class of rookies they will draft next week.

While Green Bay’s roster still has 18 open spots, sitting at 72 players as of this writing, they are likely not done trimming some fat and making additional moves. They have eight picks in this year’s draft, and with some trading up or down, that number can easily be increased. The Packers will also need some space for post-draft undrafted free agents, because the last few classes have been well into the teens.

It got me thinking about who might be next on the chopping block at some positions the team is likely going to target in numbers.

Kamal Hadden

By all accounts, the Packers like Kamal Hadden. They have kept him around since the end of camp in 2024, and he’s been on and off the active roster since. They also re-signed him this offseason, even after suffering a devastating lower leg injury late last season. I think this is more of him being a victim of what could be a crowded room after the draft.

It wouldn’t be surprising to anyone to see the Packers use their first pick in this draft, No. 52, on a cornerback who can come in and play immediately. Several top draft experts are mocking them to do just that. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see them double back on the position for additional depth in later rounds.

Add in the signing of free agent Benjamin St-Juste and the still-experimenting Bo Melton, and that could be six players Hadden would have to jump to make the team. The team rostered only five corners for the entire 2025 regular season.

Then, of course, there is the injury. After breaking his tibia/fibula while making a tackle during the Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Hadden was quickly ruled out and placed on IR a few days later. He’s expected to recover before training camp. Still, with an injury like that, it’s hard to predict how quickly a player will return to full strength.

The fact that he was a borderline roster player before the injury, combined with the likelihood that the Packers will attack his position hard in the draft, leads me to believe he could be on the outs even before he gets a chance to prove he’s ready.

Jonathan Ford

The Packers brought back seventh-round draft pick Jonathan Ford out of necessity at the end of 2025 after injuries ravaged the team’s defensive line. The Packers signed the 6’5”, 338 lb. nose tackle from the Chicago Bears, and he saw the field immediately, logging 30 snaps over the final two games.

It took almost four full seasons and a trip to Chicago since Green Bay drafted him to make it onto the field in a game that mattered, but he finally did it. The team then signed the pending restricted free agent this offseason to add some depth at another position where it was badly needed. It was a low-risk move, and my guess is they wanted to ensure they had a big-bodied run stuffer on the roster in the event they completely strike out in the draft.

However, defensive line is at the top of Green Bay’s wish list in this year’s draft. If they don’t choose a cornerback at No. 52, then the D-line is the next logical choice. Add in another late-round pick or priority undrafted free agent, and Ford suddenly has a mountain to climb.

Devonte Wyatt is going to be back and penciled in as a starter if healthy. Javon Hargrave and Karl Brooks figure to see a lion’s share of the playing time. A rookie or two, plus former sixth-round pick Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse, and Ford is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. Maybe he’ll find his way back to Green Bay again someday, but for now, Ford is on the chopping block.

Donovan Jennings

The former high-priority undrafted free agent spent the entirety of the 2025 season on Green Bay’s active roster. So why would he find himself on this list? Despite being on the roster all year, he played a total of six offensive snaps.

Green Bay’s offensive line was flat-out bad at times last season, and Jennings still couldn’t find his way onto the field. Add in the fact that the Packers are slated to return their starting guards from last season, plus Jacob Monk, who can play either center or guard, and Jennings – who is only a guard – doesn’t have a clear spot on the roster.

Despite that, they extended an exclusive rights free-agent tender to him to ensure he remained in Green Bay. But just as with cornerback and the defensive line, offensive line depth is the subject of much discussion among fans and analysts this offseason.

Because their performance last year was subpar, we could see several linemen added via the draft to either push the starters or provide high-end depth. Jennings will have a much tougher path to the 53-man roster this time around. If the Packers find a few linemen they really like, he might not even make it to camp.