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It has been a long and difficult journey for Green Bay rookie defensive back Benny Sapp III, but on Saturday, he got good news: He was added to the Packers roster for Sunday’s Week 11 game against the Chargers.
Sapp was an undrafted free agent from Northern Iowa this offseason, the son of a former defensive back, Benny Sapp, who spent eight seasons in the NFL after following a similar path as an undrafted former transfer out of Northern Iowa.
#Packers elevate Benny Sapp
Sapp was impressive for the Packers in training camp and in the preseason, and even with a roster well-stocked with safeties, the Packers decided to keep him on the roster as a developmental project, hoping he would be ready to contribute next season.
But his opportunity has come a bit earlier than expected, as the Packers’ secondary has been wracked with injuries. Safety Darnell Savage is already on the injured reserve with a calf injury and now, Rudy Ford will miss Sunday’s game with a biceps injury. That’s opened up a spot for Sapp.
Benny Sapp III Had 3 Knee Surgeries in HS
While the elder Benny Sapp was able to work himself into an NFL lineup as a rookie, it has been slower going for the younger Benny Sapp. But given his history, he has been ever-grateful for his opportunity, even on the Packers practice squad.
In high school at Eden Prairie in Minnesota, Sapp was a three-star recruit signed by the University of Minnesota when he suffered a knee injury that required surgery and cost him all of his senior season.
Before that, Sapp was one of the best defensive recruits in the country, playing for St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida. He was so good as a freshman that he received 21 offers from colleges across the country, including national powers like Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Michigan.
But Sapp tore his ACL as a sophomore. Then, he tore it again as a junior. That was when the offers dried up, and his father, Benny Sapp II, moved the family to Minnesota so that his son could reset his football career.
Sapp III played two seasons at Minnesota before transferring to UNI.
After going undrafted, he was just grateful to get a call from the Packers for a chance to come to camp.
“With everything I went through up to that point, I just felt like it was all worth it,” he told SI.com. “Being battle-tested – I feel like God’s not going to give you anything that you can’t handle. He knew that I could handle that.”
Saved Final Preseason Game With End-Zone INT
Back in the final game of the preseason for the Packers, it was Benny Sapp III who made the game-ending interception in the end zone against the Seahawks, preserving a 19-15 win.
It was the highlight of the preseason for Sapp, but even before that, he had caught the Packers’ notice enough to warrant a practice squad spot, even if the team did not have room for him on the 53-man—yet.
Bear in mind, the Packers will have a full boat of free-agent safeties next offseason, and are likely to rework the position altogether in the coming months. Expect Sapp to have a more secure role when next season comes around. And expect him to be ready.
“Hopefully, it’s here but I know that I proved that I can play in the NFL, no matter the circumstances that I had in the past,” Benny Sapp said in August, per SI.com. “I walk by faith. I really don’t care what’s going on in front of me, I’m just going to keep pushing. I’m going to keep stacking days. Whenever that day comes, I’m going to be ready to suit up.
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Packers Add ‘Battle-Tested’ Rookie Who Had 3 Knee Surgeries