The Green Bay Packers added three players to the 53-man roster to start the 2026 season: tight end Jonnu Smith, who was signed as a free agent, and running back Kaleb Johnson and tight end Mark Redman, who were each acquired via trade at final roster cutdowns.
What are the Packers getting in the trio of newcomers?
With help from Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst, here's a breakdown of what the Packers added in Smith, Johnson and Redman:
TE Jonnu Smith: Versatile receiving threat
Smith provides a veteran pass-catching threat who can line up at multiple positions within LaFleur's scheme. And the Packers still see an athletic player who can win matchups at age 31.
"Very explosive guy, I still think he's running pretty well," LaFleur said.
Smith has 345 career catches over eight NFL seasons. While
he turned 38 catches into only 222 yards last season in Pittsburgh, the Packers were drawn to his versatility at tight end, where he can operate as a move player -- a vital role in LaFleur's offense.
“Jonnu has been a really good player. He’s really versatile,” Gutekunst said. “He can kind of do everything you ask of a tight end. He can line up on the line of scrimmage. He can move. He can be one of the move guys in the backfield. Been a tremendous receiver in this league for a long time from the tight end position."
Smith played under LaFleur while in Tennessee in 2018. LaFleur called him "one of the bright spots" of the Titans offense that season.
RB Kaleb Johnson: Outside zone run fit
In Johnson, the Packers are getting a "young, talented" running back who is well-versed in the outside zone run game. While he'll need to prove an ability to contribute as a pass-blocker and pass-catcher, Johnson has natural running ability that fits well with what the Packers want to do within the scheme.
"Kaleb's a guy that we really liked coming out of Iowa," LaFleur said. "I've talked to (former Packers assistant) Tim Lester about him a little bit. Certainly I think he's really good at the outside zone stuff. We watched the limited reps he had a year ago in Pittsburgh. He's a young, talented player. We're excited to get him in here."
Gutekunst said Johnson, a third-round pick in 2025, has "huge upside."
"We liked him a lot (coming out of Iowa). He comes from a very strong program, had a lot of success there," Gutekunst said. "There's some similar scheme stuff coming out of college that he had done. A lot of outside zone running scheme stuff. Obvious, his first year in Pittsburgh didn't go the way he wanted. But he's a really talented guy, he's going to fit into our culture really well."
LaFleur said there's "carryover" for Johnson in terms of learning the scheme after playing under Arthur Smith (who worked under LaFleur in Tennessee) with the Steelers last season, which should accelerate his ability to digest the playbook before Week 1.
TE Mark Redman: Y tight end
Say hello to the Packers' new inline blocking tight end. Redman is in Green Bay to move people off the spot as a blocker.
“I’m an in-line tight end that’s going to block at the point of attack,” Redman said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “And that’s what I’m coming here to do. So just kind of embracing that role, just get dirty, and finish some blocks and stuff like that. I think I put it on tape in the preseason and that’s what I like to do. Hopefully that’s what they’ll use me for.”
The Packers lacked a traditional "Y" tight end behind Tucker Kraft entering the 2026 season. It's been the type of player the Packers have been looking for since the end of the 2026 draft. In Redman, the box is checked. While he might not provide a threat in the passing game, Redman brings a big frame (6-5, 258) who can move people in the run game and keep the quarterback upright from an inline position.
"Mark, he's a young player, just one of those guys. We've been looking for a 'Y' tight end, a guy who can play on the line of scrimmage and who can move people in the run and pass block and do those things," Gutekunst said. "They had a deep room in LA. He got to play a lot in the preseason and did a tremendous job. We felt fortunate to get him."
LaFleur said he talked to his brother, Mike, who was with Redman in Los Angeles last year.
"The thing I liked about him the most is his contact courage he displays. He's going to stick his face in there," LaFleur said. "He's more of a 'Y' body. He's a big man. We're excited to get him in here and see what he knows."
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: How will 3 newcomers to roster help Packers in 2026?
