Getty Stanford Samuels #34 of the Green Bay Packers participates in a drill during Green Bay Packers Training Camp at Lambeau Field on August 20, 2020, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
A division rival this week inked a former Green Bay Packers cornerback to its roster.
The Chicago Bears signed Stanford Samuels III to be part of its secondary on Wednesday, January 5, per an official NFL transaction report. Samuels will join the Bears practice squad for now, though he has game day experience on an NFL field.
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Green Bay signed Samuels to its practice squad in 2020 as an undrafted free agent. He dressed for, and appeared in, two games for the Packers that year on both defense and special teams, finishing the campaign with three tackles. The team cut the former Florida State product loose in August 2021 prior to the start of the new season.
Samuels will replace cornerback Dee Virgin on the Bears’ practice squad, after Chicago released him earlier this week.
Packers Make Moves of Their Own Ahead of Playoff Run
GettyFormer Green Bay Packers cornerback Stanford Samuels III has been signed by the Chicago Bears.
Green Bay used the last week to try out a few specialists in hopes of shoring up the team’s third unit behind its offense and defense.
The Packers on Tuesday worked out Nolan Cooney, a punter out of Syracuse, as well as James Smith, who punted for the Tennessee Titans during the preseason before being released from that organization in August.
Starting Green Bay punter Corey Bojorquez is not being replaced, at least not yet. His numbers have been solid in 2021, averaging 46.8 yards per punt on 52 attempts across 16 games played this season. However, he has struggled at times holding for kicker Mason Crosby, which has cost the Packers points at inopportune moments throughout the year. Securing a solid backup at the position makes sense, as Bojorquez could suffer an injury and has also missed time this season after being designated to the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Green Bay relieved offensive lineman Jon Dietzen and cornerback Jayson Stanley of their practice squad obligations earlier this week to make room for potential new additions.
Packers Can Use Week 18 to Shake Rust Off Newly-Returned Players
GettyAaron Rodgers (right), of the Green Bay Packers, celebrates a touchdown run with David Bakhtiari (left) in the second quarter of a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lambeau Field on November 15, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Green Bay has one regular season game yet to go before a playoff bye week. The contest against the Lions in Detroit this Sunday is of little consequence, save for the opportunity to shake the rust off a few long-injured players returning to the active roster.
Atop that list is All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, who was a full participant in practice all week. Whether he will play at all against Detroit — or how much of the field he will see, should he see any at all — remains up in the air.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur gave an ambiguous answer to a direct question about Bakhtiari’s playing status when he spoke with the media earlier this week. Tom Silverstein, of the Milwuakee Journal Sentinel, shared LaFleur’s sentiments on Twitter Thursday.
#Packers coach Matt LaFleur said that T David Bakhtiari had a very good day at practice yesterday, will use Thursday as a conditioning day and then practice again Friday.
“#Packers coach Matt LaFleur said that T David Bakhtiari had a very good day at practice yesterday, will use Thursday as a conditioning day and then practice again Friday,” Silverstein wrote.
Bakhtiari could hit each and every one of his practice targets this week and still remain sidelined. LaFleur said getting the offensive lineman on the field would “be part of the discussion” leading up to game time Sunday, but did not commit either way on whether he would actually play.
Bakhtiari suffered an ACL tear last season and subsequently underwent several surgeries. He has yet to play in a regular season game in 2021. The Packers aren’t likely to risk further injury to their tackle in a game that means absolutely nothing to their season or postseason but the training staff deems it safe for him to play, getting Bakhtiari some field time would make sense — especially with an extra week off before the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs.
Rookie center Josh Myers, who has been sidelined since Week 7 with knee issues of his own, was designated for return from the injured reserve list (IR) on Wednesday. He is not likely to play against the Lions, but will be cleared to participate in practice over the next week and a half with a chance to take the field when the Packers open their playoff run.