Packers add CB Elijah Culp to practice squad, release G Josh Gesky

The Green Bay Packers made a pair of practice-squad transactions on Tuesday, signing cornerback Elijah Culp to the team’s practice squad and releasing guard Josh Gesky from the practice squad, General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced. The move reflects the Packers’ ongoing in-season approach to roster management, using the practice squad to shuffle roles and align depth as needs change.

Culp, listed as a cornerback, joins a defensive group that frequently turns over personnel week to week at the practice-squad level. For players in that role, the practice squad is often where coaches evaluate day-to-day execution of coverage responsibilities, communication, and the ability to adapt to game-plan details that vary by opponent.

Gesky, an interior offensive lineman identified as a guard, was released from the practice squad to make room on the unit. Interior line depth can be especially fluid during the season because teams routinely adjust who gets reps in pass protection and run blocking schemes, and because practice squad availability allows a team to respond quickly when a particular skill set or matchup emphasis is needed.

Roster moves of this type are common in the NFL’s middle stages, when teams balance two tasks at once: preparing for the next opponent while keeping a pipeline of players ready to contribute if called up. Practice-squad signings give coaches additional flexibility to look at specific traits, such as footwork patterns on the perimeter of the pocket for linemen or quickness and recognition for defensive backs.

For Green Bay, the transaction also underscores how front office decisions are often about creating the right opportunities across both sides of the ball. Adding Culp provides another defensive back option for practice-week work, while releasing Gesky reduces the unit by one guard, presumably in favor of other personnel considerations.

What to watch next is whether the Packers make additional adjustments around this move, including whether Culp remains on the practice squad for an extended evaluation period or sees an elevation opportunity later in the season. The Packers’ next practice-week plan will also be a useful indicator of how the coaching staff intends to use the new cornerback during positional work.

From a broader standpoint, practice-squad transactions like this are part of how NFL teams manage continuity and change without altering the active roster. Even when the headline looks modest, these changes can shape who is best positioned to step into a role quickly if injuries, game-day strategy, or performance needs arise.