The Green Bay Packers worked out multiple receivers today and re-signed receiver Kisean Johnson after a tryout, following short-term injuries to receivers Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed. When the Packers announced their transactions after practice Sunday, which Johnson participated in, it was news that Green Bay waived two players, not one, while adding Johnson, giving the team an open roster spot on the 91-man roster. The players waived were cornerback Marlon Jones and safety Johnathan Baldwin,
who both were given injury designations. They will revert to the Packers’ injured reserve if they pass through waivers unclaimed. From there, Green Bay can decide whether to end their seasons by keeping them on the injured reserve or pay them out an injury settlement, which would make them free agents while they are rehabbing their injuries.
As I mentioned in The Feed when the news dropped that the Packers had an extra roster spot to fill, this seemed like a move that a team would make before they claimed someone on waivers themselves. It turns out that I was on the right path, as Green Bay was awarded another receiver, Chris Hilton Jr., off waivers today. He should make his Packers debut in Monday’s practice, which is open to the public.
Hilton played five years at LSU before going undrafted in the 2026 class, despite participating in four different all-star games (Hula Bowl, American Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl) and receiving a combine invite. At the combine this year, he measured in at 6’0”-flat and 188 pounds and recorded a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.
The former high school All-American had 41 receptions for 780 yards and six touchdowns in his SEC career, but only registered 10 receptions for 122 yards as a redshirt senior, as the Tigers struggled in the passing game after quarterback Garrett Nussmeier injured his abs, which severely limited his play. Nussmeier, who had some first-round hype coming into the 2025 season, wound up going undrafted and signing with the Kansas City Chiefs this spring.
Hilton began his NFL career with the Washington Commanders, but he was let go yesterday, a day after the team signed receiver Stefon Diggs to a one-year, $12 million contract.
When Hilton signed with Washington, he received $15,000 in guarantees, which was equal to or more than 6 of the Packers’ 11 initial UDFA signings this year:
- QB Kyron Drones
- RB Jaden Nixon
- TE RJ Maryland (waived with an injury designation)
- OL Dylan Barrett
- CB Marlon Jones (waived with an injury designation)
- S Murvin Kenion II
Hilton was The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s 50th-ranked receiver in the 2026 draft class and received a free agent grade from the draft analyst. Here’s his blurb on Hilton:
Christopher “Chris” Hilton Jr. grew up north of Baton Rouge, La., with his parents (Chris Sr. and Cindy), who were both track athletes at Southern University. Hilton was a standout football and track star at Zachary High, where he won several state titles in sprints and jumps (personal best of 10.85 seconds in the 100-meter dash).
A four-star recruit, he was the top-ranked receiver in LSU’s 2021 class (ahead of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.). Multiple injuries sidetracked his early career, however, as he struggled to find a consistent role beyond being a deep threat.
Hilton looks like a sprinter with his slender, lean-muscled frame and uses his speed to stretch the field. A limited snap count hindered his ability to develop as a route runner, and he was also up and down with his hands — his success rate nosedived when defenders crowded his air space. He has limited return experience but played more on special teams in 2025.
For what it’s worth, the injuries he suffered in his career were:
- 2021 (redshirt season after playing four games): torn meniscus
- 2022: missed 10 games with shoulder surgery and a torn meniscus in his other knee
- 2023: healthy
- 2024: missed 7 games with a hairline fracture
- 2025: healthy
In total, he started seven games for the Tigers over five years. His only return experience was as a kick returner during his true freshman and redshirt freshman seasons, when he returned two attempts for a total of 26 yards.
The Packers also reported worked out Devin Voisin, a UDFA who was second-team All-Sun Belt with South Alabama last year, so it’s clear that the team was trying to add bodies to the receiver position this week. Voisin has yet to sign with an NFL team, despite being on the Senior Bowl roster this offseason. He was invited to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie minicamp and has also worked out with the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos in the last two weeks.
