Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst declared over the offseason that the team needed to show more urgency to not just be good but to win the Super Bowl. He backed that up when he traded two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to acquire Micah Parsons. However, Gutekunst and the Packers have not gotten much immediate impact from their 2025 Draft class. In fact, few of the players selected in this draft have played significant roles through the first nine games of the season.

First round pick Matthew Golden has contributed the most thus far. He’s played eight of the first nine games and started four. The former Texas star has caught 23 passes for 262 yards thus far. However, despite the injuries the team suffered at wide receiver, Golden hasn’t established himself as an integral part of the offense. The Packers were without Jayden Reed and Christian Watson for large parts of the season. Yet, Golden did not step up and seize a large role in the offense. The Packers need more from Golden in the second half of the season.

Fellow wide receiver Savion Williams has contributed mostly on special teams. He is the team’s primary kick returner and has done an adequate job at that, averaging 25.5 yards per return. But Williams hasn’t earned the trust of the coaching staff yet on offense. Matt LaFleur has not allowed Williams to run the full gamut of pass patterns often and limits him to jet sweeps, end arounds, and other gadget plays. He has only nine catches for 45 yards and a touchdown while running eight times for 28 yards.

Second round pick Anthony Belton was selected to add size and physicality to the offensive line. The 6’6”, 336-pound NC State alum has missed three games due to injuries. He was pressed into the starting lineup for one game. Belton is considered a work in progress. He has size and strength but is very raw. He has struggled at times when inserted into the lineup, especially in pass protection.

It is interesting that Darian Kinnard was used as the extra offensive lineman last week against the Eagles, not Belton. Belton has played 24 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in the six games he’s played, but all but five of those offensive snaps came in two games.

Barryn Sorrell appeared in eight of the first nine games this season, but the addition of Parsons limited his role as an edge rusher. He’s only played 16 percent of the team’s defensive snaps with the rest of his game action coming on special teams.

Fifth round pick Collin Oliver and seventh round pick John Williams have spent the entire season on the PUP list due to injuries. The other seventh round pick, Micah Robinson, is no longer with the Packers. He made the initial roster but was waived and placed on the practice squad to make room for Parsons. The Titans claimed him off the practice squad and he is now on their active roster.

Sixth round pick Warren Brinson has been active for just three games. He has played 31 percent of snaps on defense in those games but has been inactive for most of the team’s games in the first half of the season.

It is true rookies have a learning curve. Most rookies to not make an immediate impact in the NFL. I am not disparaging any of the rookies on this team. But Gutekunst has a philosophy of drafting players who have outstanding athletic ability but who are also considered “projects” who need time to improve their technique before they are ready to assume larger roles in the NFL. Sometimes that works out eventually and sometimes it doesn’t.

However, if Gutekunst feels the team is in “win now” mode, which is most certainly is after the Parsons trade, then drafting at least a few players who he expects to contribute right away would be more consistent with that approach to team building. The Packers will need at least some of their rookies to play bigger roles in the second half of the season if they are to be true contenders.