GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers announced their initial 53-man roster, trimming from 91 to 53 players on Aug. 26.
Many of the players cut could find their way back to Green Bay as members of the practice squad. Teams can re-sign 16 players to the practice squad starting at 11 a.m. Aug. 27.
Besides the 53 players who made the initial roster, the Packers also placed running back MarShawn Lloyd and offensive lineman Jacob Monk on the injured reserve/designated to return list; placed safety Omar Brown on the injured reserve list; and announced that wide receiver Christian Watson, defensive end Collin Oliver and offensive lineman John Williams will remain on the physically-unable-to-perform list.
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Packers release linebacker Kristian Welch
The Packers released Kristian Welch, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker. Welch played 14 games mainly as a special-teams player for the Packers in 2023. He spent 2024 with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
Packers release cornerback Tyron Herring
The Packers released Tyron Herring, a 6-foot-1, 201-pound rookie cornerback out of Delaware, according to Easton Butler. The Packers signed Herring as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release defensive end Arron Mosby
The Packers released Arron Mosby, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end. Mosby appeared in 16 regular-season games with Green Bay last season, compiling 12 tackles and a half-sack. He was on the Packers 2023 practice squad after appearing in three games for the Carolina Panthers his rookie season in 2022.
Packers release kicker Mark McNamee
The Packers released Mark McNamee, a 6-foot-4, 208-pound rookie kicker. The Packers signed McNamee, an Irishman, as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. He is eligible to be added to the practice squad as a 17th player under the program.
Packers release cornerback Johnathan Baldwin
Tom Silverstein reports that the Packers released Johnathan Baldwin, a 6-foot, 190-pound rookie cornerback out of UNLV. The Packers signed Baldwin as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release running back Tyrion Davis-Price
The Packers released Tyrion Davis-Price, a three-year NFL veteran who the Packers signed this month, according to Easton Butler. The 6-foot, 211-pound running back was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round in 2022 and played two seasons there before playing with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
Packers release wide receiver Will Sheppard
The Packers released Will Sheppard, a 6-foot-3, 196-pound rookie wide receiver out of Colorado, according to SI.com. The Packers signed Sheppard in July.
Packers release linebacker Jared Bartlett
The Packers released Jared Bartlett, a 6-foot-2, 238-pound rookie linebacker out of Cincinnati, according to SI.com. The Packers signed him in July after he was released by the New York Jets, who had signed him as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release cornerback Kalen King
The Packers released Kalen King, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound second-year cornerback, Ryan Wood confirmed. King was a seventh-round draft pick of the Packers in 2024 and spent the entire season on the practice squad. He was re-signed in January.
Packers release cornerback Corey Ballentine
The Packers released Corey Ballentine, a 5-foot-11, 196-pound veteran cornerback, Tom Silverstein confirmed.
Ballentine played a big role for the Packers in 2023 when he started six games and played 431 snaps on defense. Last year, however, he played mostly on special teams, taking part in 51% of those snaps, but just 8% (76) of the defensive snaps.
The Packers passed on re-signing Ballentine when he became an unrestricted free agent in March. He was released Aug. 1 by the Indianapolis Colts, signed with the Packers on Aug. 4.
Packers release tight end Messiah Swinson
Ryan Wood reports the Packers released Messiah Swinson, a 6-foot-7, 259-pound tight end who spent most of last season on the Packers practice squad after originally signing as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State. The Packers resigned him in January.
Packers release offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort
Ryan Wood reports the Packers released Kadeem Telfort, a 6-foot-7, 322-pound offensive lineman. Telfort appeared in 16 regular-season games last season, mainly on special teams. During the NFC wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Telfort played 39 snaps at left guard in place of an injured Elgton Jenkins.
Telfort was signed by Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2023 out of UAB.
Packers release quarterback Sean Clifford
Tom Silverstein reports the Packers released Sean Clifford, a third-year quarterback who Green Bay drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Penn State. Clifford spent the 2024 season on the Packers practice squad, twice being elevated during the regular season and again for the NFC wild-card game against Philadelphia.
Clifford was on the Packers active roster his entire rookie season, playing in two games.
Packers release linebacker Jamon Johnson
The Packers released Jamon Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 236-pound rookie linebacker out of Kentucky, Ryan Wood confirmed. The Packers signed Johnson as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release defensive end Deslin Alexandre
Ryan Wood reports the Packers released Deslin Alexandre, a 6-foot-3, 264-pound defensive end who spent all of 2024 on the Packers practice squad and was re-signed in January. Alexandre was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets in 2023.
Packers release wide receiver Isaiah Neyor
The Packers released Isaiah Neyor, a 6-foot-4, 218-pound wide receiver out of Nebraska, according to ESPN. The Packers signed Neyor this month after he was originally signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release guard Tyler Cooper
The Packers released guard Tyler Cooper, a 6-foot-5, 302-pound guard out of the University of Minnesota, Tom Silverstein confirmed. Cooper was signed as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release running back Amar Johnson
The Packers released Amar Johnson, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound rookie running back out of South Dakota State, according to SI.com. Johnson was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent this spring. Johson rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns this preseason.
Packers release safety Jaylin Simpson
Ryan Wood reports that the Packers released Jaylin Simpson, a 6-foot, 180-pound safety. The Packers signed Simpson this month. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2024 draft.
Packers release wide receiver Julian Hicks
The Packers released Julian Hicks, a 6-foot-2, 201-pound wide receiver, Ryan Wood confirmed. Hicks spent the 2024 season on the Packers practice squad and was re-signed in January.
Packers release guard/center Lecitus Smith
The Packers released Lecitus Smith, a 6-foot-3, 314-pound veteran guard/center, Ryan Wood confirmed. Smith spent the first six weeks of last season on the Packers practice squad before playing with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was re-signed by Green Bay this month.
Packers release wide receiver Mecole Hardman
The Packers released Mecole Hardman, a 5-foot-10, 187-pound veteran wide receiver, Ryan Wood confirmed. Hardman signed with the Packers as a free agent this offseason after spending seven seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Packers release running back Israel Abanikanda
The Packers released Isreal Abanikanda, according to SI.com. The 5-foot-10, 217-pound running back was picked up off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers in July. Abanikanda was a fifth-round draft pick by the New York Jets in 2023.
Packers release tackle Brant Banks
Ryan Wood reports that the Packers will release Brant Banks, a 6-foot-7, 306-pound tackle. The Packers signed Banks as an undrafted free agent out of Rice this spring.
Packers release defensive lineman James Ester
Dominique Yates reports that the Packers have released James Ester. The 6-foot-3, 289-pound defensive lineman out of Northern Illinois spent the entire 2024 season on the Packers practice squad and was re-signed in January.
Packers release defensive lineman Devonte O’Malley
Dominique Yates reports that the Packers have released Devonte O’Malley. O’Malley is a 6-foot-3, 284-pound defensive lineman out of Northern Illinois who the Packers signed this month.
Packers release quarterback Taylor Elgersma
Tom Silverstein reports that the Packers released quarterback Taylor Elgersma, a native of London, Ontario, who had a tryout with the Packers during rookie orientation in May.
In the preseason, Elgersma completed 16 of 23 passes for 166 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
The 6-foot-5, 227-pound Elgersma started the last three seasons at Wilfred Laurier University, a Canadian college in Ontario. He completed 293 of 397 passes (73.8%) for 4,252 yards, 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a senior. He added 245 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 49 carries.
Report: Packers to release linebacker Isaiah Simmons
The Packers are expected to release linebacker Isaiah Simmons, according to a CBSSports report. Simmons signed as a free agent with the Packers in April. The 6-foot-4, 238-pounder was the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, where he played three seasons. He spent the past two seasons as a backup with the New York Giants.
Packers release tight end Johnny Lumpkin
Johnny Lumpkin, a 6-foot-5, 264-pound tight end out of Louisiana, was released, Dominique Yates confirmed. Lumpkin spent two weeks on the Packers practice squad in 2024. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2023 before spending parts of his rookie season on the practice squads of the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.
Packers release guard J.J Lippe
J.J. Lippe was released, Dominique Yates confirmed. The 6-foot-5, 302-pound guard out of Northern Illinois was signed as an undrafted free agent this spring.
Packers release wide receiver Cornelius Johnson
Ryan Wood reports that the Packers released Cornelius Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 212-pound wide receiver out of the University of Michigan who was signed to the practice squad last September and was re-signed in the offseason.
Packers release offensive lineman Trey Hill
Ryan Wood reports that the Packers started the day by cutting Trey Hill, a center/guard who signed in January.
A fourth-year center from Georgia, the 6-foot-4, 319-pound Hill was a 2021 sixth-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in 25 games with three starts in the regular season and seven postseason games.
Packers start the roster shuffle with a trade
The Packers traded a 2027 sixth-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for offensive lineman Darian Kinnard.
In a subsequent move, the Packers released wide receiver Kawaan Baker.
As Pete Dougherty wrote, this could signal that the Packers are not happy with their offensive line depth.
Here’s how Ryan Wood sees the Packers roster shaping up
PackersNews reporter Ryan Wood made his initial roster projection after the final preseason game and envisions the Packers keeping 23 players on offense, 27 on defense and three specialists.
Here is the full story.
Packers roster cuts live chat with Tom Silverstein
Have thoughts on the roster cuts the Packers make today? Join Tom Silverstein for a live chat as he discusses all the day’s transactions and opens up the conversation to Packers fans.
Competition for Packers starting left tackle spot is heating up
Tom Silverstein wrote about Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan batting it out for the starting left tackle position.
Walker is the incumbent but Morgan showed he could man the position while filling in for an injured Walker this month.
Read more here.
When is the NFL roster cutdown deadline?
Like every other NFL team, the Green Bay Packers must have their roster down to 53 players by 3 p.m. (Central time) on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Green Bay Packers schedule 2025
Here is Green Bay’s schedule for the upcoming season:
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Green Bay Packers roster cuts tracker recap: Who’s in, who’s out as NFL teams trim to 53
Reporting by Tom Silverstein, Dominique Yates and Ryan Wood, Packers News / Packers News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
