The Green Bay Packers announced Friday that the team has re-signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to the team’s practice squad. The Packers released Havrisik earlier this week to make room to add receiver Will Sheppard to the 53-man roster before the Detroit Lions game on Thanksgiving Day. Sheppard never played an offensive or special teams snap in the game, but was available for emergency work with Jayden Reed still on injured reserve and Matthew Golden and Savion Williams missing the game with their own injuries.
At some point, Reed will be called up to the 53-man roster, a roster spot that will likely be created by placing defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Wyatt missed Thursday and the most recent update. He says he has a broken ankle, although the team is also looking at possible ligament damage. When Reed returns, with Golden and Williams likely healthy after this “mini-break” ahead of the Packers’ next matchup against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 7, it appears Sheppard will no longer be needed. That should free up another spot on the 53-man roster.
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That’s one reason it’s interesting that the Packers placed Havrisik on the practice squad, instead of the 53-man roster. If they wanted, Green Bay could have added Havrisik back to the active roster and simply sent Sheppard back to the practice squad, assuming Sheppard would have cleared waivers.
The Packers did not need to make a corresponding roster move to sign Havrisik, as Sheppard’s promotion opened up a roster spot on the practice squad. However, if Green Bay places Sheppard on the practice squad in the future, they will need to make room on the practice squad, even if it means promoting another player to the 53-man roster. For what it’s worth, the Packers called linebacker Jamon Johnson and cornerback/safety Jaylin Simpson to the game-day roster last week against the Lions, but both were mentioned due to short-term injuries at the position.
Like Sheppard, Simpson did not participate in the game at all. Meanwhile, Johnson played some special teams reps as Isaiah McDuffie, who is normally the team’s third linebacker and a big contributor to special teams, was limited in the kicking game. McDuffie’s reps were low on special teams against the Lions because he was Mike’s starting linebacker in place of the injured Quay Walker.
Havrisik has made all four of his field goal attempts in 2025, including a franchise-record 61-yarder against the Arizona Cardinals, but his latest performance included him missing two PATs against the New York Giants. It seems clear that the Packers are moving forward with Brandon McManus, who has been shaky this year after overcoming a quad injury. Last season, McManus was nearly perfect, leading to him receiving a three-year contract this offseason.