The Green Bay Packers made just one roster move Saturday, but man, it speaks volumes about what we’re going to see Sunday against the New England Patriots. They brought up practice squad tight end Drake Dabney to the game-day roster. This single move, along with who’s officially out, really sets the stage for a much thinner squad than you’d expect.
Injuries Hit Hard, Reshaping the Offense
Look, four guys are already ruled out with injuries, slashing the Packers’ 53-man active roster down to 49. We’re talking about tight end Josh Whyle, who’s got a concussion from the Carolina Panthers game, plus offensive linemen Travis Glover (knee) and Sean Rhyan (ankle), and linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin). Whyle’s absence really stings, especially since they already scratched Jonnu Smith last game and only carried three tight ends. Glover, Rhyan, and Franklin didn’t even play last week. This is a big blow, forcing some serious shuffling up front and on the defensive side of the ball.
Expected Scratches Bring the Roster Even Lower
On top of the injuries, the Packers’ usual game-day philosophy tells us a few more guys are likely sitting this one out. They’ve shown zero interest in carrying four running backs, and a ninth offensive lineman seems out of the cards, even with 11 guys on the active roster. Factor in those typical healthy scratches, and we’re looking at Green Bay’s active roster dropping to a lean 47 players. Dabney’s call-up means he’s probably stepping into Whyle’s special teams snaps, which is smart since Whyle was a key special teams contributor outside of the receivers. That gets us to a 48-man game-day roster, which is pretty tight and leaves little room for error.
Who’s Questionable and What the Roster Might Look Like
Now, for the nail-biters. Running back MarShawn Lloyd (knee), cornerback Keisean Nixon (groin), and running back Chris Brooks (ankle) are all questionable. Brooks isn’t even on the active roster yet; he’s still in his practice window after coming off injured reserve. If he was gonna play, we would’ve seen him activated by now, so don’t count on him. Nixon, though, feels like a near-lock. The team really doesn’t have a solid replacement for him, and if he were out, you’d think they’d have brought up a second practice squad guy Saturday. Lloyd is the big question mark. If he can’t go, then Kaleb Johnson, their fourth running back who’s been a healthy scratch since Josh Jacobs came back, gets the nod.
Here’s the likely game-day squad, with the main unknowns being which offensive lineman gets healthy-scratched and if Lloyd is a go:
- QB: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor
- RB: Josh Jacobs, Pierre Strong Jr., and then either MarShawn Lloyd or Kaleb Johnson
- WR: Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, J. Michael Sturdivant, Coleman Owen
- TE: Tucker Kraft, Mark Redman, Jonnu Smith, Drake Dabney
- OL: 8 players active, with Sean Rhyan and Travis Glover definitely scratched. Expect Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, John Williams, Laken Tomlinson, Anthony Belton, Kevin Zeitler, Mekhi Becton Sr., and Jager Burton to be active, and Donnovan Jennings as a healthy scratch.
This roster is locked in for a battle against the Patriots, with some key players missing and others playing through bumps. It’s going to be interesting to see how this shakes out on the field!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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