8 veteran players most affected by Packers 2026 draft class

CB Carrington Valentine

Valentine is entering a contract year and coming off a disappointing end to 2025, and now he'll have a free agent signing (Benjamin St-Juste) and a second-round pick (Brandon Cisse) breathing down his neck during training camp. The Packers also took another corner in the sixth round (Domani Jackson). The writing appears to be on the wall for Valentine, who has been benched multiple times over the last two seasons. He's too inconsistent and too much of a liability against the run. Can he hold off Cisse during training camp? Possibly, but the guess here is Cisse eventually leaps Valentine's on the depth chart during the regular season and makes the decision on Valentine's future in Green Bay an easy one come the offseason.

C/G Sean Rhyan

While taking Jager Burton in the fifth round will push Jacob Monk squarely onto the roster bubble, Rhyan can't get too comfy in his newly appointed role as the Packers starting center. Burton has experience at guard, but his best position is center, and by a comfortable margin. He looks capable of emerging as a starting caliber player at center fairly early in his NFL career. The pressure is back on Rhyan, who started the final eight games at center last season before signing a three-year deal to return to Green Bay. He's still green as a center, and his contract -- while worth $33 million -- is really a one-year deal with team options. If Rhyan struggles and Burton emerges, another switch at center is possible, either midseason or come 2027.

RB MarShawn Lloyd

"Affected" doesn't always have to mean negatively. The Packers did not draft a running back, despite multiple opportunities to take Mike Washington Jr. in the middle rounds, potentially signaling some faith in Lloyd after two injury-plagued seasons. Assuming he's healthy for even one day, Lloyd will go into training camp as the favorite to be the No. 2/3 back behind Josh Jacobs. A reversal in injury fortunes could turn Lloyd into a truly valuable player for the 2026 Packers, given his combination of explosiveness and versatility. If Lloyd is felled by an injury again, the Packers may need to go shopping for a running back in August.

OLB Brenton Cox Jr.

While the Packers lost Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare this offseason, the last two draft classes have brought Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver and 2026 fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton, providing a necessary influx of young, cheap, contract-controlled talent to edge rusher. The Packers loved DDS, and nearly traded up into the third round to get him. Cox has flashed over his three seasons in Green Bay, but he's a zero on special teams, limiting his roster versatility. While Micah Parsons will likely miss time to start 2026, Cox can't be considered a roster lock.

DL Nazir Stackhouse

The Packers believe third-round pick Chris McClellan can play multiple positions along the defensive front, including nose tackle in the base 3-4. The problem with Stackhouse is his one-dimensional skill set, and with McClellan in the mix, the Packers are now five deep in more versatile players along the defensive line. Stackhouse will need to have a big summer as a two-gapping, block-eating, run-stopping nose tackle to stick. The same can be said for Jonathan Ford.

WR Bo Melton

The path to the roster might have gotten tricky for Melton had the Packers drafted a wide receiver. They didn't, however, and with depth sacrificed at receiver and built up at cornerback, Melton can likely move back to receiver and resume his role as a rotational player on offense and full-time special teamer. He is loved in Green Bay for his versatility, and he's become a valuable player for the third phase. The same goes for Skyy Moore, who looks like an even better bet to make the team and serve as a gadget weapon/returner.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 8 veteran players most affected by Packers 2026 draft class