Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced before Thursday’s practice that the team would be working out a group of long snappers today, as their only rostered long snapper, Matt Orzech, is dealing with a short-term calf injury. With Orzech out, the emergency long snapper has been center Sean Rhyan, though it seems like the team wants to get someone in with some real experience at the position sooner rather than later.
So when the NFL’s transaction wire came out today, it wasn’t a shock to see
three long snappers trying out with Green Bay. What was a surprise, though, was that the team also brought in seven pass-catchers, including three tight ends. As a reminder, the Packers just signed a tight end on Tuesday.
Let’s get into these players and what it could mean for Green Bay.
Wide Receivers
Currently, the only injured receiver on the Packers’ roster is Brendan Rice, who is out with a hamstring issue. A lot of the camp bloat (the players who don’t make the 53-man roster or 17-man practice squad) on the offseason 91-man roster is at the receiver position, just because there are so many throws happening on the field and someone has to be out there to run and catch the ball. I wouldn’t make too much of Green Bay potentially continuing to add to the room.
Elijhah Badger
Badger signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a UDFA last year and did not sign with an NFL practice squad once he was waived at the roster cutdown. Eventually, he signed with the UFL, where he finished second in the league in receiving yards with the Orlando Storm. On Tuesday, Badger also worked out for the Miami Dolphins.
Elijah Cooks
Cooks, a former college teammate of Romeo Doubs at Nevada, was waived by the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, which was his third stop in the NFL. He has played in 11 total NFL regular-season games (all with the 2023-2024 Jacksonville Jaguars), which resulted in three receptions for 38 yards. In total, he’s played 118 offensive snaps and 46 special teams snaps.
Titus Mokiao-Atimalala
Mokiao-Atimalala was not a particularly productive receiver in college, recording just 82 receptions for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns over his five-year career that started at UCF and ended at UCLA. He does have some return experience, though, as he returned 14 kicks and 13 punts in college. Mokiao-Atimalala is a rookie UDFA, and this appears to be his first NFL tryout.
Kaden Prather
Prather was a rookie seventh-round pick last year and was waived from the Buffalo Bills with an injury settlement in late August. Prather finished 35th in the UFL in receiving yards once he signed with the Louisville Kings, recording nine receptions for 148 yards over nine games. He was sixth on the Kings in receiving.
Tight Ends
With Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave dealing with injuries, the healthy tight ends currently on the Packers’ roster are:
- Josh Whyle
- Drake Dabney
- Luke Lachey
- Messiah Swinson
- R.J. Maryland
- Thomas Yassmin (international exemption)
Do I need to say more? It makes sense that the team is trying to churn the unit if they can find anyone better at the position. This is the second batch of tight ends the Packers have worked out, as they brought in three (including Yassmin) on Monday.
McCallan Castles
Old friend! Castles was released by the Packers pre-draft after he signed with the team’s practice squad last November following a series of injuries at the position. He has yet to play in an NFL regular-season game going into the third year of his pro career, but Green Bay might want some short-term familiarity with their system right now.
released by Packers pre-draft after signing with the Packers’ practice squad last November
Brandon Frazier
Frazier is a rookie UDFA who got four days of work with the Atlanta Falcons in May before being waived. At the college level, he played six years at Auburn and brought in 25 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
Briley Moore
Moore’s last stint in the NFL came back in 2022, and he has been bouncing around spring league teams since. This past spring, he was on the DC Defenders, where he made 13 receptions for 167 yards and four touchdowns. The UFL doesn’t really feed tight ends much, considering the All-UFL tight end Tyler Neville posted 13 receptions for 125 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
Long Snapper
The Packers don’t have a long snapper in practice. That’s why they’re looking for a body. This one is simple.
Cal Adomitis
Adomitis, a former college All-American at Pittsburgh, actually has played 58 NFL games over the last four seasons. He’s been the starting long snapper for both the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles in the past. Most recently, he got a shot with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers before being released on June 11th.
John Ferlmann
Ferlmann was a four-year starter in college (one at Arizona State and three at Ohio State) and was named a second-team All-Big Ten Conference player in 2025. The rookie UDFA received rookie minicamp looks with the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs but has not been signed to an NFL roster yet.
Brent Matiscik
Brother of Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik, who has made the Pro Bowl the last three years and has been named first-team All-Pro twice (2023, 2025) and second-team All-Pro once (2024), Brent originally signed with the Cleveland Browns as a rookie UDFA in 2025 before being waived. Following his release, he worked out with the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals (at the time coached by Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon) in 2025.
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So far, the Packers have yet to announce a signing from this crop of players. Their roster is currently full, so any addition would need to come with a corresponding roster move.
