First-year players who may not even play a snap for the Packers

Every year, the Green Bay Packers add a handful of players who never play a snap for the team.

Remember when they signed Tarvarius Moore, Devin Funchess, or Blake Bortles? Just last year, two draft picks didn't even make the initial 53-man roster. It happens. There's only room for so many players, which occasionally means moving on from recent additions.

Which first-year Packers may struggle to play a snap for the team this season?

This doesn't necessarily mean only rookies and first-year NFL players, but offseason additions entering year one with the Packers.

These Packers may never play a snap for the team

Kalen King, CB

Seventh-round pick Kalen King made a good first impression during the offseason workout program, but he still has a mountain to climb once training camp begins. King impressed while playing snaps in the slot, but there's a lot of competition.

Keisean Nixon remains the starter as the Packers' nickel corner, and early draft picks Javon Bullard and Evan Williams could spend time there, as could Xavier McKinney. Opportunities could be limited for King.

He first needs to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, which also won't be easy with King likely limited to the slot. Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Carrington Valentine, and Corey Ballentine are the Packers' top outside corners, but if King doesn't have the versatility to play multiple spots, it could become challenging for Green Bay to make room on the 53.

Michael Pratt, QB

Considering he is a seventh-round rookie playing one of the hardest positions in all of sports, there isn't much more Michael Pratt could've done to impress during the Packers' offseason program. But that's the downside of playing quarterback. There's only one starting spot.

Not only that, the Packers have confidence in current backup Sean Clifford, whom they drafted a year ago. Clifford had a good 2023 training camp and impressed in the preseason, and he enters this season with a year of NFL experience under his belt. Pratt has to overcome that and continue to outperform Clifford at training camp.

The competition is very much alive, as it should be after Pratt's impressive start, but he still has so much to prove in the weeks ahead.

Greg Joseph, K

Greg Joseph isn't a first-year player in the NFL, but his first season with the Packers might not extend beyond training camp.

Joseph is the most experienced kicker on the roster but was outperformed by second-year Anders Carlson during the offseason program. Nobody took a significant advantage in the kicking competition, but Carlson displayed more consistency during minicamp. The Packers would love to keep their former draft pick around, but they know he has to win the job.

While Joseph has more experience and has made some big-time kicks in the NFL, there's plenty working against him.

For starters, Joseph's numbers beyond 40 yards last season were just as bad as Carlson's, with both going seven of 13. Plus, Joseph had the advantage of kicking indoors during every home game. The veteran has a poor record at Lambeau Field, missing four of his seven field goal attempts in Green Bay.

Joseph has it all to do to overtake Carlson on the depth chart before September.

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