Packers Sign Ex-Texans Linebacker, Work Out Free-Agent QB

Peter Kalambayi Packers

Getty Peter Kalambayi #58 of the Houston Texans warms up before a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on August 08, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Green Bay Packers have added an experienced special teamer to their ranks after another week of disappointing play from the unit.

On Monday, December 20, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst signed former Houston Texans inside linebacker Peter Kalambayi to the practice squad following his visit with the team earlier in the day. The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick for the Texans in 2018 and played 784 snaps on special teams over three seasons with them despite scarcely seeing action as a defender.

According to Monday’s NFL transaction wire, the Packers also hosted four players for roster workouts to start the week, bringing in wide receiver Mathew Sexton and tight ends Alize Mack and Cary Angeline. They also tried out fifth-round journeyman quarterback Kyle Sloter, who has spent time with all three of the Packers’ NFC North rivals, including two full seasons on Minnesota’s active roster from 2017 to 2018.

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Packers’ Special Teams a Liability Once Again

The Packers have been open about exploring free-agent additions who can contribute for them on special teams. While they left Baltimore on Sunday with a 31-30 victory and their third straight NFC North title in hand, they also once again made enough mistakes in the third phase to raise warning flags about the quality of the unit.

The most egregious error occurred when Packers cornerback Isaac Yiadom was called for fair-catch interference on Green Bay’s first punt of the game. Yiadom — who has played exclusively on special teams since Week 7 — seemingly didn’t recognize the fair-catch signal in time to slow down and plowed into Baltimore’s returner, drawing a 15-yard penalty that set up the Ravens on the Packers’ 45-yard line.

Seven plays later, it turned into the Ravens’ first scoring drive of the game.

Yiadom’s penalty wasn’t the only issue. Amari Rodgers had a 35-yard kickoff return neutralized due to a holding penalty on Jonathan Garvin, giving the Packers the ball at their own 16-yard line instead of near midfield. With the win hanging in the balance, their punt team was also called for a delay-of-game penalty that ultimately forced them to boot it away from inside their 10. And that doesn’t even count the pop-up kickoff from the Ravens that they struggled to corral.

The Packers have already tried some things that appear to be working, such as putting cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Kevin King to work on coverage units or having Aaron Jones back on the “hands team” to receive kickoffs. Risking starters for the sake of special teams is a desperate solution, though, that the Packers will need to put behind them to make good on their plans of a deep playoff run this winter.


Could Sloter Become New Emergency QB?

Even with Aaron Rodgers dealing with a broken pinky toe, the last thing the Packers seem to need at the moment is more quarterback depth. Jordan Love, their 2020 first-round pick, just got done spending 10 days on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but he was activated on December 16 and is back in place as Rodgers’ primary backup. The Packers also have third-stringer Kurt Benkert locked and loaded on their practice squad in case they find themselves in a bind — as they did in Week 14 while Love was out.

That’s all to say that the Packers’ interest in Sloter is a little puzzling. It might be as simple as them wanting to freshen up their list of available talent, especially in light of the recent widespread outbreak of COVID-19 cases across the league. It could also be because their previously emergency quarterback — Danny Etling — was recently signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, leaving them without their preferred option if a quick signing became necessary for any reason.

Will Sloter fit the bill, though?

Sloter has spent time with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Las Vegas Raiders since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, predominately as a practice-squad player. Even when he spent time on active rosters for the Vikings and Lions, he never saw any action.

Otherwise, Sloter played just one collegiate season as a starting quarterback, completing 196 of 319 passes for 2,656 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for North Colorado during the 2016 season.

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