The Green Bay Packers added a deep pool of talent over the weekend, but their job wasn’t done when the NFL Draft concluded. The race to sign undrafted free agents (UDFA) was on throughout the NFL, and when the smoke cleared, the Packers were able to get a potential gem in Illinois offensive lineman Josh Gesky.
Gesky was part of the Packers’ UDFA class that was signed on Saturday evening, which also included promising prospects Florida wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Jones, and UCF edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly. But with the landscape of the roster, Gesky might have the best chance to stick around and give Green Bay some much-needed depth in the trenches.
Packers UDFA Josh Gesky Could Be Dark Horse to Make Final Roster
The Packers’ offensive line has undergone some big changes for the second straight offseason. Rasheed Walker departed in free agency to sign with the Carolina Panthers, and Elgton Jenkins was cut after a failed experiment at center and signed with the Cleveland Browns.
Green Bay had planned well for these losses with first-round pick Jordan Morgan expected to replace Walker at left tackle and Sean Rhyan replacing Jenkins at center after signing a three-year, $33 million contract extension before he was set to be a free agent. But those moves take another layer of insurance in case injuries or poor performance arise.
The Packers did make an addition to the offensive line by selecting Kentucky guard Jager Burton in the fifth round of the draft. But with Donovan Jennings, Karsen Barnhart, and fellow UDFA Dylan Barrett the only other guards on the roster, Gesky may have the biggest opportunity of all.
Gesky had an outside chance of being drafted, earning a seventh-round to UDFA grade from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. His play was worthy of a selection, posting a 72.4 overall grade and allowing 12 pressures and one sack in 428 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Brugler also noted his hard work to get to this point, enrolling at Illinois at 260 pounds, getting to 330 pounds in 2025, and getting down to 310 pounds at his Pro Day while managing Type I diabetes. His background as a potential Ivy League recruit also shows he has the mental aptitude to play along the offensive line, and figuring out his technique may be the final piece to the puzzle.
“Gesky can do a better job with his flexibility to create leverage, but his natural strength and torque allow him to cover up in the run game or anchor in pass pro,” Brugler wrote in his draft guide, The Beast. “His pro-day workout created a buzz among scouts.”
If Gesky can perform well during the offseason program and training camp, he could solidify his roster spot with a strong preseason. The Packers could look for a veteran once the NFL’s compensatory formula is no longer factored into signing free agents later this week, but that player is unlikely to be a lock to make the roster, keeping Gesky still in play.
Whatever the role, Gesky could fill it and it makes him a candidate to make the Packers’ roster this fall.
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