After quick introduction, Allen among first wave of cuts as Packers get down to 74
During the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s preseason game, Dejon Allen got in the huddle and did something pretty incredible.
He introduced himself to his teammates.
Allen, a first-year guard from Hawaii, was signed by the Packers before Thursday’s game against Kansas City. When he ran onto the field, quarterback Aaron Rodgers asked one of his teammates, “Who in the hell is that?”
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Allen’s stay in Green Bay was brief, though. After playing eight snaps against the Chiefs and providing a key block on Dexter Williams’ game-winning touchdown run, Allen was released as the team made a series of roster moves en route to getting down to the 53-man limit by 3 p.m. Saturday.
“I basically got in at 11 o’clock yesterday,” Allen said after the game. “They told me they were going to sign me and see what I could do. I did my best. I had a 30-minute meeting to go out there and do my best. My biggest goal was to go out there and play 100 percent.”
There were no surprises – not even a mild surprise – in the first wave of cuts. Sources told Packers Maven that receivers Teo Redding and Malik Taylor, fullback Tommy Bohanon, tight end Pharoah McKever, guard Anthony Coyle, inside linebacker Brady Sheldon, outside linebacker James Folston, defensive lineman Deon Simon and cornerback Nydair Rouse have been released. Offensive tackle Gerhard de Beer announced on Twitter that he had been released. Also released were cornerbacks Jocquez Kalili and Jackson Porter and safety Tray Matthews, according to PackersNews.com, and fullback Malcolm Johnson, according to The Athletic. Kalili and Porter were signed to the team this week, though not quite to the extreme of Allen.
The newsworthy nugget of these first cuts: With the releases of Bohanon and Johnson, Danny Vitale is the last man standing at fullback.
Green Bay started the day with 89 players on its roster. Those 15 moves get the roster down to 74.
It's possible Allen will return as a member of the practice squad. He spent his rookie season on Chicago's practice squad but was released after this year's draft. He was out of the league until the Packers called, so he wasn't in tip-top shape.
"I was at home in Compton, Calif.," Allen said. "I was at home at my mom’s house. I’d say it was about 6 o’clock in the morning. They called me and told me, ‘You think you can play? You think that you’re ready?’ Basically, told them, 'Yeah I’m ready. Whatever I have to do to play.' They said all right. Brought me in and I was ready to go."
