Smart Packers roster decision brings a promising player into focus right before the playoff debut vs. Bears
Green Bay elevated Isaiah Neyor from the practice squad for gameday.
Over the past few weeks, rookie third-rounder Savion Williams and Bo Melton were both placed on injured reserve, stressing the depth at wide receiver. To make things worse, Dontayvion Wicks was ruled out from the Chicago Bears game because of a concussion.
So, ahead of the playoff debut against the Bears on Saturday night, the Green Bay Packers elevated rookie Isaiah Neyor from the practice squad for gameday.
Neyor will give the team depth at receiver behind Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Jakobie Keeney-James.
Who Isaiah Neyor is
Isaiah Neyor is 6-4, 218 pounds. He had a 4’4 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, combining an almost perfect (9.99) Relative Athletic Score. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler evaluated him as a sixth-round prospect, and NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein has a 6th/7th-round grade for him.
Neyor went undrafted, though, and the San Francisco 49ers signed him after the draft as a developmental project. The Niners even gave him $259,000 in guaranteed money, including a $25,000 signing bonus. Neyor is a solid blocker, which is particularly important in Matt LaFleur’s offensive system. Although his speed does not always show up on tape, it’s a promising combination of skills.
Neyor spent training camp on the 90-man roster and the entire regular season on the Packers’ practice squad, but this is his first elevation. There isn’t a limit for playoff elevations for a single player, so Neyor could theoretically be elevated for every postseason game.
NFL practice squad rules
The NFL increased the practice squad size during COVID-19 and kept some of the adjusted rules. Of the 16 players, 10 must have up to two accrued seasons, while the other six have no restrictions. There’s also an extra spot for a player with an International Pathway Program exemption, which Green Bay is using for English defensive tackle Dante Barnett.
Throughout the season, teams can elevate practice squad players for gameday. Each player can be elevated three times for the same team without being a member of the active 53-man roster. After the game, the player reverts to the PS. For the playoffs, the team can still make up to two elevations per game, but there’s not a limit of games a player can be elevated.
Packers’ practice squad elevations in the 2025 regular season
- Arron Mosby — 3
- Pierre Strong Jr. — 3
- Jamon Dumas-Johnson — 3
- Micah Robinson — 2
- Drake Dabney — 2
- Jaylin Simpson — 1
- Kristian Welch — 1
- Brant Banks — 1
- Lecitus Smith — 1
- Clayton Tune — 1
Packers’ practice squad
T Brant Banks
G Karsen Barnhart
T Dalton Cooper
TE Drake Dabney
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson
DT James Ester
K Lucas Havrisik
CB Tyron Herring
WR Julian Hicks
WR Kisean Johnson
RB Damien Martinez
WR Isaiah Neyor
S Mark Perry
WR Will Sheppard
RB Pierre Strong Jr.
TE Messiah Swinson
DT Dante Barnett (IPP)
TE McCallan Castles (injury list)
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