Packers Trade Former 6th-Round Cornerback to Texans: Report

For the second time in the past month, the Green Bay Packers have struck a trade deal with the Houston Texans.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Packers agreed to send third-year cornerback and former 2019 sixth-rounder Ka’dar Hollman to the Texans on Monday, August 23, in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round pick. The acquired pick originally belonged to the Chicago Bears and was sent to the Texans as part of the deal that landed wide receiver Anthony Miller in Houston.

Hollman, 26, had been competing for one of the final roster spots in the Packers’ cornerback rotation after recording three pass breakups and 10 tackles over 14 games last season. While Hollman also made one start in Week 10’s win over Jacksonville, he played on just 108 total defensive snaps throughout 2020 and was so unremarkable on defense and special teams that he was a healthy scratch for the Packers in both of their playoff games.

The Packers cut their first deal with the Texans on July 28 when they shipped them a 2022 sixth-round pick to acquire veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb. They also completed a cornerback swap with the New York Giants after their first preseason game on August 18, sending them Josh Jackson and getting back Isaac Yiadom — both of whom were Day 2 selections in the 2018 NFL draft.

The departure of Hollman resolves another roster spot for the Packers as they continue working to reduce their numbers to the required 80 players prior to the NFL’s cutdown deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 24. Earlier on Monday, they also waived rookie tight end Daniel Crawford and, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, 2020 fifth-round linebacker Kamal Martin.

The latest Packers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Packers newsletter here!

Join Heavy on Packers!

More 2019 Picks Could Exit Behind Hollman

Hollman has now officially become the first of the Packers’ 2019 draft picks to find employment with another team, but a few more of his draft classmates could also soon find themselves on the chopping block with the regular season around the corner.

The first and most obvious next-to-go candidate is Dexter Williams, a 2019 seventh-round running back who has actually already been cut a few times before. The Packers waived him during last year’s cutdown deadline before bringing him back for their practice squad, but then released him again just before their NFC Championship Game. While he earned a redemption opportunity in 2021 in the form of a reserve/future contract, the arrival of seventh-round rookie Kylin Hill — who has impressed in both preseason games so far — seems to have doomed his roster chances.

Third-round tight end Jace Sternberger could also find himself looking for a new job when September arrives. While the Packers could reserve judgment on Sternberger until after the first two weeks of the season — as he won’t count toward the active-roster total as he serves his two-game suspension — they may feel inclined to just move on from him with a capable quartet of Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara and Dominique Dafney in place.

Could Packers Keep 7 Cornerbacks?

With Hollman now heading to Houston, the Packers have effectively reduced their roster battle at cornerback to a competition between Kabion Ento and the newly acquired Yiadom, but could they err on the side of caution and retain both of them for their 53-man roster when decisions are made at the end of August?

The Packers kept six cornerbacks coming out of training camp last summer, including Ento despite knowing he would need to spend most of the season on injured reserve. If they stuck to the same number again in 2021, that would leave just one opening on the active roster with Jaire Alexander, Kevin King, Chandon Sullivan and drafted rookies Eric Stokes and Shermar Jean-Charles all considered to be solid-locks to make the team.

Ento and Yiadom, however, have both shown promise on special teams and could tempt the Packers to carry seven cornerbacks into 2021 if they believe they can each provide a legitimate weapon in the third phase. Ento has done a nice job of maximizing his reps as a gunner for punt and kickoff coverage over the past several months, looking good in both OTAs and the first month of training-camp practice. Yiadom, who has played 498 career special teams snaps, also made a good play from the gunner spot in the team’s second preseason game against the Jets.

The Packers will make their 53-man roster cuts on August 31.