Packers may have found a forgotten threat in wide receiver competition ahead of training camp
Isaiah Neyor spent last season on the practice squad, but he played a few snaps in the postseason.
The Green Bay Packers have a wide receiver battle brewing beyond their established starters, and 25-year-old Isaiah Neyor deserves attention as a legitimate contender for the final roster spot. The 6-4, 218-pound receiver spent his entire 2025 rookie season on the Packers’ practice squad after going undrafted out of Nebraska. Green Bay trusted Neyor enough to elevate him for the wild card round against the Chicago Bears, where he played three offensive snaps. That postseason experience, combined with his rare athletic profile, makes him a name worth watching as training camp approaches.
“I’d say it’s night and day for him,” head coach Matt LaFleur said of Neyor in Year 2. “He’s really shown a lot of flashes of excellence. He’s another big, long guy that can run. You can never have enough of those guys, especially at that position. So I’m excited about what’s to come for him in training camp.”
The athletic profile
Neyor’s physical tools stand out immediately. At last year’s NFL Scouting Combine, he ran a 4.40 40-yard dash and posted a near-perfect 9.99 relative athletic score. Draft analysts like The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein had him graded as a sixth- or seventh-round prospect before he went undrafted in 2025. The San Francisco 49ers valued him enough to offer a $259,000 guaranteed salary with a $25,000 signing bonus as an undrafted free agent. San Francisco eventually waived him, and the Packers scooped him up on a more favorable contract without guarantees.
The fit in coach Matt LaFleur’s offense is obvious. LaFleur has consistently favored big-bodied receivers who can win at the catch point, and Neyor checks that box at 6-4. His college production reinforces the upside. In his final season at Wyoming before transferring to Texas, Neyor had 44 catches for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. His lone season at Nebraska produced 34 catches for 455 yards and five touchdowns.
The roster math
The Packers have five virtual locks at wide receiver: Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Skyy Moore, and Savion Williams. The competition centers on the sixth spot, if Green Bay keeps six receivers on the 53-man roster.
Bo Melton is the first name that comes to mind because of his special teams versatility and experience in the system. Undrafted rookie J. Michael Sturdivant also deserves consideration. But Neyor belongs in that conversation because of his offensive upside, particularly as a red zone weapon. The Packers lost Romeo Doubs in free agency and need production in that area. Neyor’s size and scoring history, with 12 touchdowns in a single college season, suggest he could fill a portion of that role, even in a limited capacity.
Pack-a-Day podcast analyst Andy Herman noted that Neyor has made several plays throughout the offseason program. That aligns with what the Packers saw last season when they kept him around all year and then trusted him in a playoff game.
The contract advantage
Neyor’s financial situation works entirely in Green Bay’s favor. He carries an $885,000 base salary and cap hit for the 2026 season. After this year, he becomes an exclusive rights free agent, meaning the Packers can retain him at minimal cost. If he makes the 53-man roster and accrues three seasons, he would become a restricted free agent, but the Packers would still hold significant leverage over his contract.
Even if Neyor doesn’t crack the initial 53-man roster, the practice squad remains a viable path. Since the NFL adjusted its rules following the COVID-19 pandemic, teams can elevate up to two practice squad players per game for gameday. Neyor already navigated that system successfully during the 2025 playoffs.
Neyor represents the type of surplus value that general manager Brian Gutekunst’s front office routinely targets. The question is whether he can translate offseason flashes into consistent training camp and preseason performance against NFL-caliber competition.