Packers open OTAs, 1st-team defense rotates heavily

WESTFIELD, INDIANA - AUGUST 14: A Green Bay Packers helmet is seen during the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts Joint Practice at Grand Park on August 14, 2025 in Westfield, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Before practice started on Wednesday, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur essentially punted on every question he received about the status of running back Josh Jacobs, who turned himself in on Tuesday on five accusations, including felony strangulation and suffocation. Jacobs was released from Brown County jail on Wednesday, with the district attorney stating that the county is not going to press charges on Jacobs yet, but that there's reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate."

Matt LaFleur declines to answer questions regarding Josh Jacobs' legal situation but touches on state of #Packers' RB situation. pic.twitter.com/Czeo22Xm0Z

- Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) May 27, 2026

After touching on the Jacobs situation, though, the Packers opened up their first day of media-open organized team activities this year. The only players who weren't present were edge defender Micah Parsons, who is rehabbing his ACL tear from the 2025 season, and Jacobs.

Here's what Green Bay's beat saw at practice on Wednesday.

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Only Packers not present at Lambeau today are Micah Parsons (will be here soon, per MLF) and Josh Jacobs. Here are the players present but rehabbing:

D. Jackson
D. Martinez
K. Hadden
C. Oliver
D. Dabney
Z. Tom
I. McDuffie
J. Monk
J. Ford
D. Jennings
T. Kraft
D. Wyatt
J. Riley

- Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 27, 2026

The injuries to tight end Tucker Kraff, right tackle Zach Tom, defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and defensive lineman Jordon Riley and cornerback Kamal Hadden are presumably stemming from the 2025 season. All but Riley are expected to be ready to hit the field full force by the start of training camp.

Injuries to running back Damien Martinez, tight end Drake Dabney, guard Donovan Jennings, center Jacob Monk, defensive lineman Jonathan Ford, edge rusher Collin Oliver (who returned to practice in 2025), linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and cornerback Domani Jackson appear to be new, though.

Melton is doing Indy with the WRs https://t.co/z5dELm8gLS

- weston hodkiewicz (@WesHod) May 27, 2026

To no one's surprise, it looks like the Bo Melton cornerback experiment is done. Melton worked with the offense on Wednesday, despite being listed as a cornerback on the Packers' official depth chart. Melton never played a snap of defense during the 2025 regular season, despite working at cornerback for most of last summer. He did play 96 snaps of offense and 185 snaps of special teams, though.

Here's your starters in walkthrough:

Sorrell - Hargrave - Brooks - LVN
Coop - Zaire
Nixon - Bullard - Valentine
Williams - X

Love
Lloyd
Musgrave
Morgan - Banks - Rhyan - Benton - Kinnard

WRs were rotating aggressively but Golden, Savion, Reed, Watson, Moore were rotating in

- Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) May 27, 2026

There wasn't much of a surprise here, considering the injuries. Darian Kinnard being the next man up at right tackle with Zach Tom out was expected. The only big question was what was going to happen at cornerback opposite of Keisean Nixon and on the interior defensive line.

So far Brinson at nose.

McClellan and Hargrave playing 34 DE and nickel DT.

- Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) May 27, 2026

Now Stackhouse at the nose with Brinson & McClellan at end.

- Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) May 27, 2026

McClellan now getting some reps at NT in walkthroughs.

- Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) May 27, 2026

Brandon Cisse getting some reps with the 1's in walkthroughs.

- Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) May 27, 2026

The Packers heavily rotated players at both spots throughout practice today, as rookies Brandon Cisse (second-round pick cornerback) and Chris McClellan (third-round pick defensive lineman) even got looks with the first-team defense. Expect competition on the defensive line and secondary to continue up until at least the start of the regular season.

No kick rush, but Trey Smack's first publicly observed field goal attempts in a #Packers jersey:

26M good
28R good
30R good
31L good
32L good
33R good
35R wide right
34M good

- Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) May 27, 2026

Rookie kicker Trey Smack went seven of eight today. I'm sure we'll be keeping track of his kicks throughout the summer.

Your Packers punt returners during special teams period: Skyy Moore, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Will Sheppard, Jaden Nixon and Jakobie Keeney-James

- weston hodkiewicz (@WesHod) May 27, 2026

In the return game, we got our first list of punt return candidates. The only returning players from the 53-man roster among this group are Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden, but it's likely that Skyy Moore would contribute as a returner if he ends up making the Packers' final roster.

He does. But MarShawn Lloyd took no team reps today. https://t.co/vjKjZE0B0s

- Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) May 27, 2026

While he wasn't with the rehab group, MarShawn Lloyd didn't take snaps with the offense during team drills on Wednesday, giving opportunities to blocking back Chris Brooks and 2025 practice squadder Pierre Strong Jr. With Jacobs, Lloyd and Martinez out for team reps, the only backs the Packers had to work with were Brooks, Strong and undrafted rookie Jaden Nixon.