The Green Bay Packers may lean on tight end Josh Whyle’s massive frame to anchor the blocking scheme and provide a reliable red-zone target in 2026.
We're officially 41 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 41, we have tight end Josh Whyle.
Ranking the Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 41, Josh Whyle
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Josh Whyle (81) catches a pass Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images.Tucker Kraft is the star tight end for the Green Bay Packers and as long as he stays healthy, he very well could be one of the best tight ends in the NFL in 2026. The Packers had high hopes for Luke Musgrave when they selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Oregon State, but he's not yet really figured things out at this level.
Musgrave flashes potential, but he also flashes a ton of inconsistency. He's also not the guy you want in-line as a blocker.
And that's what makes TE3 Josh Whyle so important for this team in 2026. He's not great at anything, but he is a big body at 6-foot-7, 248 pounds, and the Packers intend to use him a bunch as a blocker this season — whether that's as a tight end, a fullback, or an H-back.
With that said, he has flashed the ability to be an occasional threat as a pass-catcher, and at the very least, he's a reliable safety valve. In three NFL seasons, Whyle has caught 42 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns.
2025 Synopsis:
The Packers picked up Whyle in August of 2025 and placed him on the practice squad. He was called up when Kraft tore his ACL and ended up playing in nine games, including the playoffs. He did catch a touchdown, which is a fun highlight from the 2025 season.
Notable Quotables:
"He's shown a lot of good things. I've always really liked Josh's versatility in terms of being a moveable piece." -Matt LaFleur
Projected Role in 2026:
Whyle is going to get a ton of snaps in 2026 as a moveable chess piece for LaFleur and the offense. He'll primarily be a blocker who can move around in-line or behind the line of scrimmage, but don't count him out as a potential TE2 if he continues to ascend while Musgrave can't find his footing.
Previous Rankings:
