The Green Bay Packers have made a roster move that affects their wide receiver depth heading into the heart of the offseason. On Thursday, the team announced it has waived/injured rookie wide receiver Jadon Janke. This move indicates that Janke has sustained an injury that will prevent him from participating in upcoming offseason activities, and potentially the start of training camp.
Janke, an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State, signed with the Packers following the 2024 NFL Draft. He and his twin brother, Jaxon Janke, were standout performers at SDSU, playing major roles in the Jackrabbits’ national championship run in the FCS. Jadon was known for his crisp route running, strong hands, and ability to make plays in traffic. Over his college career, he tallied over 2,500 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, showcasing both reliability and explosive playmaking.
His signing with the Packers was seen as a low-risk, high-upside move—something Green Bay has done often with undrafted players in recent years. With the team known for developing young receivers, Janke had a legitimate chance to earn a spot on the 90-man roster throughout training camp, especially with the Packers looking to add depth behind their core group of young pass catchers like Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Jayden Reed.
By designating Janke as waived/injured, the Packers are essentially releasing him with an injury designation. If he clears waivers unclaimed by another NFL team, he will revert to Green Bay’s injured reserve list. From there, the team may decide to reach an injury settlement or keep him on injured reserve, depending on the nature and severity of the injury.
It’s an unfortunate development for a player who had drawn some early praise during rookie minicamp and OTAs for his work ethic and smooth transition from the college level. The Packers have not disclosed the specific injury, but the move suggests it could be serious enough to hinder his ability to compete for a roster spot this summer.
Green Bay’s wide receiver room remains relatively young and competitive. While Janke’s departure from the active roster opens a spot, it also underscores how fleeting opportunities can be for undrafted rookies in the NFL. Unless he is claimed, Janke’s best hope will be to recover and get another shot later this year—either with the Packers or another team willing to bet on his potential.
For now, his NFL journey is temporarily on pause, but the story isn’t over yet.
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