The Green Bay Packers made one of their initial roster moves after finishing the preseason, and it ended one of the shortest stays on their summer roster.
The Packers announced Saturday that they had signed veteran tight end Jonnu Smith and released safety Tra Fluellen. KPRC 2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson also noted the corresponding moves on X later in the afternoon.
The transaction made Smith’s previously reported one-year agreement official and ended Fluellen’s stint only 18 days after Green Bay signed him.
Fluellen, 25, received one final chance to make an impression Friday night, recording three total tackles in the Packers’ 42-38 preseason win over Arizona.
His release gives Green Bay one fewer decision to make at safety as the front office works toward its 53-man roster.
Fluellen’s Packers Run Ends After 18 Days
The Packers added Fluellen late in training camp on Aug. 11 as the club continued adjusting the back end of its roster.
He came to Green Bay with momentum from the UFL.
Fluellen played all 10 games for the Dallas Renegades in 2026, finishing with 40 tackles, one sack, one interception, two passes defensed and one tackle for loss. The UFL also noted that he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and spent time on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad.
His Packers audition was always going to be an uphill climb. Fluellen was listed fourth on one safety line in Green Bay’s Aug. 24 unofficial depth chart, putting him at the back of a position group going into the final preseason game.
He was active against Arizona and contributed on defense. The official gamebook credited Fluellen with two solo tackles and one assisted tackle. One stop came on running back Tony Stewart in the fourth quarter, and Fluellen helped make another tackle with seven seconds remaining.
That performance didn’t extend his stay.
Fluellen originally starred at Houston Christian before transferring to Middle Tennessee. The UFL said he finished his college career with 323 tackles and was a permanent team captain as a senior.
His 2026 spring season with Dallas helped open an additional NFL door after the Saints released him during the 2025 offseason.
Smith Signing Forces a Roster Move
Fluellen’s release came as Green Bay formally added Smith, giving the Packers an experienced option at a position that has dealt with injuries throughout the summer.
Green Bay signed Smith to a one-year contract, and the Packers made the move official Saturday, using Fluellen’s roster spot to complete it.
Smith brings a much different track record than the player whose spot he took.
The veteran tight end has appeared in 141 regular-season games with 91 starts, producing 345 catches for 3,529 yards and 30 touchdowns. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2024 after setting career highs with 88 receptions, 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns for Miami.
Green Bay also has familiarity with Smith. He played under Matt LaFleur when LaFleur served as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2018, catching 20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns that season.
In the end, the move puts Fluellen back on the open market less than three weeks after Green Bay brought him in. His UFL production and recent NFL camp experience could make him a practice-squad option somewhere once teams complete their final cuts.
Green Bay Packers Cut Former Saints DB Before Roster Deadline