The Green Bay Packers just wrapped up three days of full-speed minicamp, and for the first time in years, the offense and defense went live in full cadence. Head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear this was the last team-wide mandatory session before rookies take the field alone next week. That finality means one thing for players on the fringe: time is running out.
The Packers entered the offseason with 90 roster spots to fill and a front office that clearly prioritized depth over sentiment. They drafted cornerback Brandon Cisse in the second round, added defensive tackle Chris McClellan in the third, and snagged Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth. Free agency brought in veteran corner Benjamin St-Juste and Tyrod Taylor as a reliable No. 2 quarterback behind Jordan Love. But for every player who walks into Lambeau with a secure role, another is staring at the door.
Third-year corner Kamal Hadden is among the most vulnerable right now. Drafted in the sixth round in 2024, he spent his rookie season on the practice squad before earning a call-up in 2025. He appeared in 10 regular-season games but logged tackles in only two of them, mostly serving as a depth piece. In Week 10 against the Ravens, Hadden suffered a season-ending ankle injury that required five months of recovery. He has not practiced during this minicamp, and the team has not confirmed when he’ll be cleared for full contact.
The cornerback room has become a logjam. Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are battling to keep starting jobs, but rookie Brandon Cisse has turned heads in every drill. Benjamin St-Juste arrived from the Chargers with starting experience, and the Packers doubled down by drafting Alabama’s Domani Jackson. Hadden will return to a secondary that’s deeper, faster, and more competitive than the one he left. Even if he recovers fully, the team will need to see him prove he belongs — and the clock is ticking.
At quarterback, the situation is equally tense. After Malik Willis signed a three-year, $65.7 million deal to become Miami’s starter, Green Bay needed to rebuild its backup depth. They signed Virginia Tech product Kyron Drones as an undrafted free agent, added veteran Tyrod Taylor, and brought in Kyle McCord after one season on the Eagles’ practice squad.
The Packers typically carry three quarterbacks on the active roster. Taylor locks up the primary backup spot thanks to his experience and locker-room presence. That leaves McCord and Drones fighting for the final slot. On paper, McCord is the more polished passer and provides a traditional backup style similar to Love. But Drones offers something different — raw athleticism, positional flexibility, and the ability to operate out of the Wildcat formation. Offensive coaches have already been scheming ways to get him involved in non-traditional packages. If the team wants a versatile weapon over a conventional clipboard holder, McCord could be the odd man out.
Both players face long odds, but Hadden’s injury history and the sudden depth at corner make his path back especially steep. For McCord, it’s a matter of whether the Packers value a traditional passer more than a gadget weapon. With roster cuts looming, Green Bay’s front office will have to decide whether loyalty to a draft pick outweighs the hunger of a new crop of talent.
Leave a Comment