The Green Bay Packers are taking a closer look at the defensive back market with injuries beginning to pile up in their secondary.
KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported Sunday that Green Bay worked out Trey Dean, Tra Fluellen and Josh Minkins, giving the Packers three more options as they move toward their preseason opener against Pittsburgh.
Javon Bullard missed Monday’s practice after leaving Sunday’s session with a foot injury, while two other defensive backs were waived with injury designations over the weekend. Green Bay also has multiple cornerbacks dealing with injuries.
There’s no indication yet that the Packers will sign any of the three players, but the workouts give general manager Brian Gutekunst options if the team decides it needs another body before Thursday night.
Packers’ Secondary Has Taken Several Injury Hits
Bullard created the biggest concern after he was spotted wearing a walking boot on his right foot at Monday’s practice. Bullard later described the injury as “just a bruise” and was seen without the boot in the locker room after practice.
That was encouraging, though Bullard’s absence added to an already-thinned group.
The Packers announced Sunday that they waived/injured safety Johnathan Baldwin II and cornerback Marlon Jones. Baldwin had been getting work in the slot behind Bullard before suffering a knee injury.
Cornerbacks Carrington Valentine and Domani Jackson were unavailable for Monday’s practice as well. Valentine has been dealing with a hamstring injury, while Jackson is working his way back from an undisclosed issue that also limited him during the offseason.
Those absences have forced Green Bay to shuffle the secondary. Kitan Oladapo received first-team work in the nickel spot after Bullard left Sunday and again on Monday.
The Packers entered camp with safety looking like one of their deeper positions.
Former Chiefs DB Brings NFL, UFL Experience
Dean brings the most extensive NFL career of the three workout players.
The former Florida safety entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has spent time with the Jets, Chiefs and Browns. Cleveland signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January 2025 before waiving him that May.
Dean also remained active this spring. Per the UFL, he appeared in six regular-season games between Louisville and St. Louis in 2026, recording 18 total tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Fluellen offers another experienced college safety profile.
Middle Tennessee credits him with 323 career tackles. He finished his final college season with 64 tackles and a team-high three interceptions despite suffering an ACL injury late in the year. Fluellen later signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent before the team waived him in June 2025.
Minkins, meanwhile, spent last summer with New England after signing as an undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati.
The Patriots released him on Aug. 10, 2025, after he recorded three tackles in a preseason win over Washington. He resurfaced with Orlando this spring and produced 32 tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery in seven games.
For Green Bay, the workouts arrive at a sensible time.
The Packers can afford to see how quickly Bullard and Valentine progress, but the past few days have taken enough depth out of the secondary to warrant a look at available help.
Green Bay Packers Work Out 3 Defensive Backs After Starter’s Injury Scare