Just as the Green Bay Packers didn't go looking for much outside help during free agency, they went in the same direction when it came to filling out the vast majority of their initial practice squad leading into the upcoming 2025 regular season.
A day after Matt LaFleur finalized his initial 53-man roster, the Packers officially announced the signing of 13 players to the practice squad on Wednesday, all 13 of whom were with Green Bay during training camp.
While every team is allowed 16 players on the practice squad, those that participate in the NFL's International Pathway Program are allowed a 17th. And Green Bay will utilize that 17th slot with Irish kicker Mark McNamee, who replaced Australian kicker Alex Hale as the organization's IPP exemption when Hale was released after suffering an eye injury. McNamee was released on Tuesday, but was re-signed on Wednesday.
Full list of the Green Bay Packers practice squad for the 2025 NFL season
While the Packers only officially announced 13 players on Wednesday, multiple outlets have reported that they've also added a pair of players from outside the organization.
The first, and easily the more surprising of the two, is quarterback Clayton Tune, who spent the last two years with the Arizona Cardinals after they made him a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft. The Houston alum was cut by the Cards on Monday and will now serve as Green Bay's QB3 behind Jordan Love and Malik Willis, a job most thought would go to either Sean Clifford or undrafted rookie Taylor Elgersma.
The second external addition is undrafted rookie offensive tackle Dalton Cooper, who spent his summer with the Kansas City Chiefs but was waived during final cuts.
Once Tune and Cooper pass their respective physicals, they'll officially be added to the Packers' practice squad. As such, we'll include them on the list here, which currently shakes out as follows:
- Israel Abanikanda, RB
- Deslin Alexandre, DL
- Johnathan Baldwin, DB
- Brant Banks, OT
- Dalton Cooper. OT
- James Ester, DL
- Mecole Hardman, WR
- Jamon Johnson, LB
- Mark McNamee, K
- Arron Mosby, DL
- Isaiah Neyor, WR
- Will Sheppard, WR
- Jaylin Simpson, DB
- Clayton Tune, QB
- Kristian Welch, LB
The most notable name here, of course, is three-time Super Bowl champion Mecole Hardman, who now finds himself on a practice squad just 18 months after securing the game-winning catch in overtime in the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl 58 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. One would assume he won't be here all season, whether he's elevated by the Packers or is plucked by another team at some point.
Veteran linebacker Kristian Welch, who suited up in 14 regular-season games for the Packers in 2023, is one of the more notable names on the defensive side of the ball.