3 Packers veterans who could lose their jobs to rookies in 2023

The Green Bay Packers hope their rookie class can make an immediate impact in 2023. Some of that production may come with the loss of veteran production.

Green Bay has rid itself of a lot of NFL experience this offseason via trades and difficult free agent decisions. That’s part of the reality when you’re in the process of moving on from a Hall of Fame quarterback.

However, there may be more change on the horizon. Green Bay hopes their rookie class will be worthy of playing time over some current veterans. Here are three such vets who could be at risk of losing their jobs in 2023.

Thanks to the Green Bay Packers’ deep and talented rookie class, these three veterans could be in jeopardy of losing their jobs.

Josiah Deguara

Green Bay used a second and third-round pick on tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, respectively. The duo is a more accurate replacement for Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis, the former who signed with the Chicago Bears and the latter who remains on the free agent market.

In OTAs last week, Josiah Deguara started in a fullback role, while Musgrave was tight end 1. However, it’s clear Musgrave and Kraft will take snaps from Deguara in one way or another. The Packers have too many players deserving of offensive snaps–Musgrave, Kraft, Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, etc–to give an underperforming Deguara ton of PT.

TJ Slaton

Similar to tight end, defensive line is another position where Green Bay moved on from a couple of veterans in the offseason and is trying to replace them with younger players. In this instance, it’s second-year pro Devonte Wyatt and third-year player TJ Slaton on whom the Packers are relying more heavily upon.

However, the Packers also used a fourth-round pick on Colby Wooden out of Auburn and a sixth-rounder on Karl Brooks out of Bowling Green. Both players are versatile and should spend more time at defensive end than defensive tackle. Still, Slaton must stay hungry and earn the extensive role he wants this season.

Preston Smith

I’ll be honest, this may be a year too early, but it’s still worth monitoring. Preston Smith has been a nice free agent pickup for the Packers, but his time as a full-time starter is limited. After a lovely 2021 season, he had a mediocre 2022 campaign that saw PFF grade him as 53rd best outside linebacker among 119 qualified players. That makes three of the last four seasons where he’s been ranked at least that low.

First-round pick Lukas Van Ness might need a little longer to earn his stripes in the NFL. He’s a bit raw, never having started at Iowa. However, the physical traits are there. Considering his potential and Smith’s downfall, it’s only a matter of time until Van Ness passes him on the depth chart.