The Green Bay Packers entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a bevy of picks and used them to great effect. The team took Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan in Round 1 to fill in vacancies on the offensive line and Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to take over for De’Vondre Campbell.
It was a strong draft overall for the Packers, who continued to add talented rookies with the signing of numerous undrafted free agents ahead of mini-camp. Last year, linebacker Brenton Cox Jr. and wide receiver Malik Heath both made the final 53-man roster for Green Bay despite not being selected in the draft. The franchise has a history of production from undrafted players. Recent undrafted free agents who became notable starters for the Packers include Keisan Nixon, Allen Lazard, and Robert Tonyan.
Green Bay added 10 rookies after the draft, and in this group, Northern Illinois defensive tackle James Ester has the best chance of making the Packers’ final 53-man roster.
1 undrafted free agent who will make the Packers’ roster
The Packers added significant depth on the defensive side of the ball in the 2024 NFL Draft. But one position they did not address among their 11 draft selections was the defensive line. Green Bay did add two rookie players after the draft though: Northern Illinois defensive tackle James Ester and Ohio defensive lineman Rodney Mathews.
Ester was a four-year team captain for NIU and a three-time all-conference choice in the MAC. He was also a second-team All-MAC selection in 2023 and a two-time NIU team MVP. Ester fits the profile of many of Green Bay’s selections in the draft: veteran players with four-plus years of college experience who were team leaders.
James Ester had 49 tackles as a senior, including 6.5 tackles for a loss and 4.0 sacks. It was his third straight season as a starter for the Huskies. He was part of an NIU defense in 2023 that finished 28th in the nation in points per game allowed and 23rd in total yards allowed per game as the team went 7-6 and won the Camellia Bowl 21-19 over Arkansas State.
Though he did not earn an invite to the NFL Combine, Ester met with at least 14 teams at the Hula Bowl College All-Star Game in January. At 6-foot-3-inches and 298 pounds, the five-year player should have value in a draft class that was thin at the defensive tackle position.
Unfortunately, Ester suffered an upper-body injury at mini-camp over the weekend, which could hamper his ability to make the final roster. Organized team activities continue for Green Bay at the end of May and into June, before the team’s mandatory mini-camp begins on June 11.
His path to the Green Bay roster will be difficult, but if James Ester can demonstrate ability as a run defender, he could crack the final 53-man roster — especially given the Packers’ lack of additions on the interior of the defensive line.
