Sports

Ranking every player on Packers roster, part 14: The best can get better

Green Bay Packers On SI · Jul 22, 2026 11:46 · 7 min read

Ranking Every Player on Packers Roster, Part 14: The Best Can Get Better — Green Bay Packers punter Daniel Whelan (19) reacts after a fumble recovery on a muffed punt by the Minnesota Vikings. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In an annual tradition, we ranked every player on the Packers’ roster based on importance. After starting with the Top 25, our series concludes with four defensive players and punter Daniel Whelan.

Our annual 91-to-1 ranking of every player on the Green Bay Packers’ roster has reached its conclusion. After starting with the top 25, which was bookended by the quarterbacks, our final segment features punter Daniel Whelan and four defensive players who will have key roles this season.

As a reminder, our rankings are not necessarily the best players on the team. They are the most important players, as judged by talent, the importance of the position, the depth of the position and salary.

More than anything, we hope you learned something about every player. The entire series is linked at the end.

No. 30: P Daniel Whelan

Whelan led the NFL in punting last season. Yes, a punter from Green Bay, who has to deal with late-season cold and wind, outkicked every punter in the NFL. His 51.7-yard average won the title by more than a yard.

“I’m curious if he’s one of the first Packer punters to do it. He’s got to be,” long snapper Matt Orzech said.

He was, at least dating to 1939. His average obliterated the old team record of 46.5 yards, previously held by Corey Bojorquez in 2021. It ranks third in NFL history.

“Nothing, really,” he said when asked what that meant. “I just like winning but, obviously, it’s good to have some recognition behind it, as well, but the main goal’s to win a Super Bowl. If the punt team’s doing well, you’re probably going to win the game.”

He finished fourth in net average, as well; he trailed Baltimore’s Jordan Stout and two punters who kick indoors. His net of 43.9 yards clobbered the old Packers record of 41.6 set by Justin Vogel in 2017.

“Love that. That’s good for the punt team. It’s all them,” he said.

He is a huge weapon when it comes to flipping the field.

“Obviously, had a tremendous year last year,” new special teams coordinator Cam Achord said. “I tell the guys, we’re either getting better or we’re getting worse. You’re never really going to stay the same.”

There is room to improve. He had 18 punts that pinned the opponent inside the 20 compared to eight touchbacks. It was one of the worst ratios in the league. Of 30 qualifying punters, only two had fewer inside-the-20s and only three had more touchbacks. That’s just giving away field position.

Whelan got a contract extension before Week 1 last season to lock him up through 2027. He’s perhaps a bargain already.

Green Bay Packers punter Daniel Whelan kicks the ball against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No. 29: CB Benjamin St-Juste

After missing badly on Nate Hobbs in free agency last offseason, an ill-fated four-year, $48 million contract, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst tried again this offseason by Benjamin St-Juste. The two-year, $10 million contract could wind up being a bargain if he wins the starting job and consistently plays like he did with the Chargers last year.

A third-round pick by Washington in 2021, the 6-foot-3 cornerback started 42 games from 2022 through 2024. PFF charged him with catch rates of 53.8 percent in 2022 but 68.0 percent in 2023 and 63.6 percent in 2024. Last offseason, he settled for a one-year deal with the Chargers. He started only a couple games but was excellent when on the field.

Last year, 97 cornerbacks played at least 245 coverage snaps; Hobbs played 245 and St-Juste played 246. St-Juste was ninth in completion percentage allowed and sixth in passer rating allowed. Hobbs was 73rd in completion percentage and 89th in passer rating.

Returning starters Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are back, and the team added Brandon Cisse in the second round, so a starting job won’t be handed to him. But if he plays how he played last season, he will be a huge asset.

The first step will be getting on the field after missing the offseason practices.

“I think that’s a wait-and-see approach,” coach Matt LaFleur said during minicamp. “I am excited about the player, though. We’ve gone against him when he was in Washington; certainly, what he put on tape last year with the Chargers was impressive. He’s a really intelligent guy, so I’m excited about him. Obviously, you can’t coach that size and length that he possesses, so he’ll definitely be in the mix.”

No. 28: DT Chris McClellan

The Packers needed a nose tackle for Jonathan Gannon’s 3-4 scheme and grabbed McClellan to fill the opening in the third round. It wasn’t long before he was taking first-team reps during the offseason practices.

“It’s just good to get that feeling, like knowing that you’re doing something right,” he said during OTAs. “But, we still got a long way to go to the season here. So, whatever group I’m with, ones, twos, threes, it really don’t matter. I just come, get my reps, get my work, work my techniques and try to get better every day.”

With six sacks as a senior at Missouri, McClellan isn’t just an old-school nose tackle who is on the field to muddy up the middle through sheer girth. If the Packers wanted a player like that, they could have selected Domonique Orange, who went to the Vikings a handful of picks later.

Instead, McClellan should be the primary nose tackle in the base 3-4 defense but also develop into an impact player at defensive tackle in four-man fronts.

“I called him a sexy fat man because he’s more than a two-gapper,” Senior Bowl executive director Drew Fabianich told Packers On SI. “He's strong, he can two-gap, but he’s got a little pass rush about him. He’s a pretty damn good athlete for his size.

“That’s what I really like about certain nose tackles that are more than just what we call need-two guys, and they just eat up two blocks and that’s really all they are. When they’re more than that, that’s what makes them more valuable. If they got pass-rush ability, it’s a plus-plus. And again, good athlete for his size. Was motivated all week, competed really well. He had kind of a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. And I called him ‘Sexy Fat Man’ because he can pass rush.”

No. 27: Edge Barryn Sorrell

Green Bay Packers defensive end Barryn Sorrell (99) recovers a fumble by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Without Micah Parsons, somebody has to be the other starting edge defender opposite Lukas Van Ness. That someone probably will be Sorrell.

A fourth-round pick last year, Sorrell wasn’t asked to do much as a rookie behind Parsons, Van Ness, Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare. In the first 16 games, Sorrell played in 13 and averaged about 10 snaps. In Week 18 against Minnesota, he made his first career start. He played in 52 snaps and recorded eight tackles, including his first full sack.

“I saw a guy that every time you called on his name, he took advantage of the opportunity,” position coach DeMarcus Covington said. “That’s all you can ask for all our guys. When your number is called, be ready – know what to do, know how to do it and do it. That’s what we ask those three things, so every time we gave him more opportunity, he took advantage of that.”

The final stats weren’t impressive – 1.5 sacks and 15 tackles – but they did impress Parsons. Parsons, Sorrell and Collin Oliver worked out together from the end of the season to the start of the offseason program.

“Obviously, he told me he sees potential in me and wants to help me reach that next step,” Sorrell said.

The Packers will need him to take several steps. Parsons is going to miss most of the first half of the season. Nobody should expect Sorrell to go on a quarterback-sacking binge, but he’s got to be an impact player.

“I’m always going to have my own internal motivation,” he said. “I really want to reach the best that Barryn Sorrell can be. That’s regardless of what situation is around me. That just starts with me. Obviously, looking forward to the opportunity that’s in front of me. Really looking forward to maximizing it. I can’t wait for an opportunity like this. That definitely added motivation, as well, knowing I’m going to have the opportunity this year to play a lot.”

No. 26: CB Carrington Valentine

The Packers signed Hobbs in free agency, but his injuries and performance led to that plan being scrapped. Valentine started 10 consecutive games, a streak that ended in Week 18 with the arrival of Trevon Diggs. He had zero interceptions and four passes defensed; Sports Info Solutions charged Valentine with three dropped interceptions.

The Packers signed St-Juste and drafted Cisse and Domani Jackson to stiffen the competition. But it was Valentine who took the overwhelming majority of the first-team reps throughout the offseason and he probably will be running with the starters for the start of training camp.

Of the aforementioned 97 cornerbacks who played 245 coverage snaps last year, Valentine was a solid 25th in completion percentage allowed and 19th in coverage snaps per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. However, he was 82nd in passer rating allowed because he gave up five touchdowns.

Tackling will be a big part of the competition. St-Juste had the second-best missed-tackle percentage among corners last year. Valentine had the sixth-highest.

However, Valentine is the starter until the coaches decide otherwise. Until there’s a change, Valentine will be one of the team’s most important players.