Getty Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers watches action during training camp at Ray Nitschke Field on July 28, 2021 in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.
Days before their first preseason game in two years, the Green Bay Packers are still looking for ways to upgrade their training-camp roster.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Packers hosted defensive back Dominique Martin for a workout on Wednesday one day after second-year cornerback Stanford Samuels III was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
Green Bay Packers worked out Dominique Martin
Martin, who played three seasons at wide receiver for Division II Tarleton State University and caught 35 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns, converted to cornerback during his senior year and proved to be an effective piece of the Texans’ secondary with 41 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
Since graduating in 2016, Martin has played for multiple startup football leagues, including The Spring League and Fan Controlled Football. He also recently visited Foxborough for a workout with the New England Patriots on Aug. 5.
The Packers currently have nine cornerbacks signed to their 90-man camp roster, but veteran starter Kevin King has spent the first two weeks on the non-football injury list with a hamstring problem. According to Tom Pelissero of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Samuels was also added to the injury list on Tuesday; though, there were no details provided about the type or extent of his injury.
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Packers Have Worked Out 14 Since Camp Started
The Packers took quite a few measures over the offseason months to ensure the majority of their starters from the 2020 season would be back in 2021. As far as the deeper roster spots go, though, they have been aggressively scouting the younger and less-established talent on the free-agent market since camp practice began on July 28.
In total, the Packers have hosted 14 players for workouts, including four tight ends (Daniel Crawford, Darion Clark, Carson Willams and Jared Rice) and four pass rushers (Allen Cater, Landis Durham, Bryson Young and Chuck Harris). They have also tried out former New York Giants running back Jon Hilliman, cornerback Saivion Smith (who has since signed with the Denver Broncos), safety Terry Adewusi, defensive tackles Josh Avery and Trevon McSwain and, most recently, Martin.
While conducting free-agents workouts is a normal part of the process for the Packers (even once the season begins), it is worth noting that only two of them — Avery and Crawford — have impressed them enough to earn a roster spot. Still, the Packers have been relatively proactive in terms of upgrading their roster throughout the first few weeks of camp practice, as they have also traded for veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb, signed free-agent offensive tackle Dennis Kelly and claimed outside linebacker Chauncey Rivers off the waivers from the Baltimore Ravens.