Even after back-to-back heartbreaking losses, the Green Bay Packers still have so much to play for. They cling to an outside shot at winning the NFC North, and one more win will, at the very least, guarantee a playoff berth.
Several players also face questions about their future with the team, including Rashan Gary. The Packers need their 2019 first-round pick to elevate his play following Micah Parsons' season-ending injury, both for the short-term and also to ensure he's part of Matt LaFleur's long-term plans.
It's the most wonderful time of year, sure, but for many Packers, it's also the most important time of the season. These players could have everything on the line.
Rashan Gary is one of several Packers potentially playing for their futures in Green Bay
Rashan Gary
What is going on with Rashan Gary?
He flew out of the gates this season, recording 7.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and seven tackles for loss in the Packers' opening seven games. Pro Football Focus had him at 26 pressures. The Michigan product looked on track to shatter his previous career bests in sacks and hits, becoming the perfect complement to Parsons.
Gary's pass-rush production has completely disappeared. Since Week 9, he has zero sacks, six quarterback hits, and zero tackles for loss. PFF has him at 25 pressures.
The Packers need him now more than ever. While Gary is still showing up in run defense, he just isn't making a consistent impact as a pass rusher, leaving the Packers with a tough decision.
Barring a strong finish to the season, Green Bay may need to trade or release the edge defender they selected 12th overall almost seven years ago.
Keisean Nixon
The Packers rolled the dice with Keisean Nixon, and it hasn't worked. Despite becoming a two-time All-Pro returner, Nixon publicly stated he no longer wanted return kicks at the conclusion of last season. Instead, he believed he could become the CB1.
Nixon surprisingly got his wish, but the experiment is failing.
While he showed some encouraging signs early in the season and has undoubtedly made some big plays, like his game-sealing interception against the Chicago Bears, the negatives far outweigh the positives.
Nixon allowed both touchdowns at Soldier Field last week, a blown coverage on the game-tying pass, and then he just got flat-out beaten by DJ Moore on the game-winner. Worse still, he has allowed a perfect passer rating to Bo Nix and Caleb Williams in the past two games, per Pro Football Focus.
It's just nowhere near good enough. The Packers no longer have a dominant pass rush to mask the problems in the secondary. Quarterbacks keep targeting Nixon, and it's working.
What's his best role moving forward? A backup corner? Back to returning kicks? With his cap hit soaring to $7.2 million in 2026, the Packers have a decision to make. They would save $5 million by moving on.
Brenton Cox Jr.
Brenton Cox Jr. has a big opportunity in front of him. The Packers need a pass-rusher to step up without Parsons. Cox has just returned from injured reserve, and he could be the player to make that impact.
The former undrafted free agent impressed in the second half of last season after the Packers traded Preston Smith, and he may need a similar run of performances this year to solidify his spot moving forward. Cox is a restricted free agent in the offseason, and he will face competition if he returns.
Along with Parsons' return from injury in 2026, Cox could face competition from Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, and Gary (depending on his future). Cox has limited time to show why the Packers should bring him back.
Nazir Stackhouse
There was some excitement when the Packers signed undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse moments after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, but so far, it hasn't translated into on-field production.
Stackhouse has only played 114 snaps on defense, and the Packers have made him a healthy scratch throughout December. The rookie has Green Bay's third-worst PFF defensive grade. The expectation was that Stackhouse wouldn't offer much as a pass-rusher but could play a rotational role as a two-down run-stopper, but his 44.1 PFF run defense grade is also one of the team's worst.
The Packers recently signed Jordon Riley to a two-year deal, and they will undoubtedly add even more competition in the offseason. Stackhouse may not make the 2026 roster, and it's not even guaranteed he'll play again this season.