Will Sheppard's bid for Packers roster spot could be derailed by one harsh reality

One of the biggest remaining questions the Green Bay Packers currently have is whether they will find room for a seventh wide receiver.

Six roster spots are earmarked for Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Skyy Moore, Savion Williams, and Bo Melton. That leaves Will Sheppard, Isaiah Neyor, and J. Michael Sturdivant for the potential seventh slot.

You could make the case that Sheppard has the edge by virtue of performing well in the preseason. However, that may not be enough to help the sophomore wideout lock up a roster spot.

Why Will Sheppard faces an uphill battle to make the Packers' 53-man roster

Sheppard has caught seven passes on seven targets in two preseason games. He was particularly impressive against the Denver Broncos, hauling in six receptions for 43 yards and an outstanding touchdown catch.

But despite his preseason heroics, Sheppard may ultimately be left off the roster for one key reason: He doesn't offer much as a special teams contributor.

According to Pro Football Focus, in the Packers' two preseason games, he's logged a combined five snaps in that phase.

Sturdivant has played 15 special teams snaps and Neyor 13, which could give them an edge.

Sheppard's dearth of snaps on special teams is noteworthy because receivers at the bottom of the depth chart rarely get many targets. If they want to make the roster, they'd better contribute on special teams.

It's why Bo Melton is so valuable to the Packers. It may not be a fancy role, but special teams coordinator Cam Achord heaped praise on Melton, bringing up his name when discussing all the players who've gotten reps at gunner in Titletown this offseason. Last season, Melton played the Packers' seventh-most snaps on special teams.

Why keeping seven receivers might not be the Packers' best approach

There's been chatter that the Packers could carry seven receivers next season. The theory makes sense on paper when you take into account that they're stacked at the position and probably don't want to run the risk of losing Sheppard, Sturdivant, or Neyor on the waiver wire. Having said that, it's extremely rare for a team to keep seven wideouts on its initial 53-man roster.

The Packers have done it four times since 2016. The New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars did it in 2023 and 2024, respectively. But by allocating seven spots to the wide receiver corps, both of these clubs devoted one fewer spot to another position. The Packers would be doing the same.

This begs the question: Does Green Bay truly need to carry seven receivers next season? Make no mistake, Sheppard, Neyor, and Sturdivant are intriguing talents, but if they made the team, they would barely get any playing time. Heck, they could be made inactive at several points throughout the year.

So let's imagine that all three fail to make the team. One, or maybe two of them could be claimed on waivers, but likely not all three. That means the Packers will get to keep at least one of them on the practice squad.

The bottom line is that it would sting to lose Sheppard to another team in waivers, but that's a risk the Packers can afford to take because they're stacked at receiver. On top of that, there's a chance he'll go unclaimed. If that's the case, Green Bay would be able to keep him on the practice squad without using a roster spot on him.

Ultimately, a lack of special-teams snaps will hurt his chances of making the 53.

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