6 Packers on Thin Ice Heading Into the NFL Draft

After going 9-8, following a 3-6 start, the Green Bay Packers are feeling good about themselves in 2024. They made it into the second round of the playoffs last year and even took the San Francisco 49ers down to the wire. The eventual NFC Champions needed a 10-0 fourth quarter to pull off their 24-21 win over Green Bay.

Full of young talent, the front office and coaching staff deserve credit for drafting and developing talent. They're about to get back to work again as the 2024 NFL Draft approaches and for these six players, they'll be paying attention to who gets added to the roster as they're already standing on thin ice.

6. Royce Newman, Offensive Line

A fourth-round pick out of Mississippi in 2021, Royce Newman started all 16 games at right guard as a rookie. Since then, he's made just eight starts including two last year.

When he was on the field, Newman struggled — especially when it came to run blocking. He was never an elite player but there was a noticeable drop-off for him from the season prior.

Now, heading into his fourth season in the league, Newman is set to account for $3.2 million against the cap. With nearly $22 million available, there's no reason for Green Bay to be too concerned about salaries but they also don't want to overpay someone. It would also be easy to move on from Newman since they would save $3.1 million of his salary if he were released.

The Packers need depth on the offensive line, which might be the only reason he's still on the team. But if they land anyone in the draft (or undrafted free agency) who they believe can take his spot, Newman will be gone.