Former Green Bay Packers fourth-round pick, Royce Newman, has signed with the Arizona Cardinals for the 2025 season. Newman, who spent the 2024 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, only played in one game that year. His playing time has steadily decreased over his four-year NFL career. In 2021, he started at right guard and played over 1,000 offensive snaps, but by 2023, his snap count had dropped to just 182.
Newman’s time in Green Bay was marked by inconsistency, and after three years with the Packers, he was released. During his time in Green Bay, he appeared in every game, totaling 54 games over three seasons, but his performance never reached the level expected of a starting lineman. His decline in playing time continued in Tampa Bay, where he was only activated for one game and played just three snaps.
Other players from the Packers’ 2021 draft class have also seen their careers take unexpected turns. For instance, Eric Stokes, a first-round pick, was not retained by the Packers after multiple injuries and has since signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. Josh Myers, the second-round pick, has also moved on, signing with the New York Jets. Meanwhile, several others, including Amari Rodgers and Kylin Hill, are no longer in the league.
The Packers’ 2021 draft class, which was expected to help the team make a Super Bowl run, has been largely unsuccessful. Only Isaiah McDuffie, a sixth-round pick, remains with the team, having signed a two-year contract extension. The disappointing results from the draft have raised questions about the team’s scouting and selection process, as many of the players selected have either failed to make an impact or are no longer on an NFL roster.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73476866/1798952108.0.jpg)
Royce Newman’s move to the Arizona Cardinals marks a new chapter in his career, but his future remains uncertain. Given his reduced playing time in recent years, securing a permanent spot on the Cardinals’ roster will depend on his performance in training camp and during the season.
