Getty Tavon Austin #10 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts after the Cowboys score during the third quarter of the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Green Bay Packers are injecting a little more experience into their wide receiver corps, but not before moving on from one of their young pass-catchers.
According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, the Packers are releasing second-year wideout Darrius Shepherd with the presumption that his spot on the active roster will go to veteran Tavon Austin, who is signing with Green Bay, according to NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo.
The Packers cut WR Darrius Shepherd, per source.
Shepherd was elevated from the practice squad after Davante Adams sustained an injury in Week 2 and has since played in eight of nine games for the Packers, but he never took on more than a minimal role on offense, catching just five of his eight targets for 46 yards.
The Packers had been primarily using Shepherd as a substitute return man while Tyler Ervin missed time with injuries, but he fumbled on a kickoff return that yielded critical points to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11’s loss and was replaced by Malik Turner on kickoffs the following week against Chicago.
Update: The Packers made official both roster moves on Tuesday afternoon and will expectedly have Austin available for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, as he has been going through the COVID-19 protocol since coming to Green Bay for a workout last week.
The Packers still have two openings on their 53-man roster with the moves now processed, but it is possible they are being reserved for rookies AJ Dillon and Krys Barnes, who remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
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Could Austin Become Ervin 2.0 for Packers?
In many ways, the Packers are gaining a player similar to Ervin with Austin, albeit with far more experience.
While Austin is about two inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Ervin at 5-foot-8, 179 pounds, the 30-year-old veteran has been able to use his versatility his challenge opposing defenses throughout his career. He has delivered more than 3,300 yards on offense as both a receiver (2,006) and running back (1,340) over seven seasons and scored 28 touchdowns, three of which were punt returns.
That type of utility could go a long way in Matt LaFleur’s system. Austin also possesses speed that puts many to shame, clocking a 4.34 in the 40-meter dash during the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine before being taken No. 8 overall in the draft. For reference, that’s slightly faster than Marquez Valdes-Scantling (4.37 in 2018), the Packers’ go-to deep threat.
Maybe Austin won’t serve as much more than a returner in his presumed debut in Week 13, but don’t be surprised if there’s a play or two designed for him against Philly.
Shepherd Could Re-Sign With Practice Squad
Shepherd’s release means he will now hit the waiver wire and be available to any of the other 31 teams who might have a place for him on their roster. If he clears the waivers, though, there is always a chance the Packers will re-sign him to their practice squad.
The thing is, the Packers have already tried that approach once before. Shepherd started the 2019 season on their active roster and was demoted following a couple of key mistakes against Detroit in Week 6. They gave him another chance in 2020 and spoke well of him throughout training camp, and yet he was unable to crack the active roster until injuries created an opening for him.
Now, after two stints on the active roster, the Packers may see more value in letting him go with Austin’s arrival and several other wideouts — Reggie Begelton, Juwann Winfree and Seth Roberts — to choose from on the practice squad.
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