Packers Sign Running Back Dexter Williams, Safety
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers re-signed running back Dexter Williams, according to a source, and he practiced on Wednesday.
Williams was among a score of players who worked out for the team on Tuesday. So was safety Micah Abernathy, who also signed and practiced. He was a three-year starter at Tennessee who spent the spring in the USFL. He had 71 tackles and two interceptions for Houston.
To make room, they released long snapper Steven Wirtel and receiver Osirus Mitchell (quad) was waived/injured.
That leaves Jack Coco as the lone snapper.
The Packers are at 90 players and have to trim to 85 on Tuesday.
The Packers could be a bit short-handed at running back for Friday’s preseason opener at the 49ers, which is why Williams is back.
Starters Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are unlikely to play, Patrick Taylor missed time with a groin injury (but has done individual drills the past couple days) and Kylin Hill is battling back from his torn ACL. That leaves only Taylor (maybe) and undrafted rookies B.J. Baylor and Tyler Goodson to face the 49ers.
It's not just this game. The Packers are hitting a key stretch with joint practices against the Saints on Tuesday and Wednesday before playing them in the second preseason game next Friday.
A sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2019, Williams can mostly hit the ground running from a schematic perspective to help carry the load.
“I think that a lot of it is where we are with the running back room,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice. “Dexter, obviously, has a lot of familiarity. It was great to see him. He is a guy that I probably was really hard on throughout his time here in terms of trying to get everything out of him. I’ve got to say that it’s always cool to see a guy not only take the coaching but you just see him evolve and mature as a player, as a person. I think he was one of our hardest workers on our team. You can always count on Dex giving maximum effort. It was great to see him back here and I’m excited for him.”
Williams got his big chance at San Francisco in 2020. With Dillon sidelined due to COVID and Jamaal Williams out after being deemed a high-risk contact, Williams was elevated from the practice squad. He carried twice for 8 yards before suffering an injury that ended his night. He never saw the ball the rest of the season.
He failed to make the roster last season, losing out to then-rookie Hill for the third spot behind Jones and Dillon.
“I think for him, it probably just took him a little bit longer to process the offense in the beginning, and now that he has, he doesn’t make the same mistakes and errors he used to,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said last summer. “So, what that has done is allowed him to play a lot faster, not get out there and think about here’s what I need to do or what’s going on. Now his awareness is a lot better so now he can play at a faster speed and make good decisions. I thought he played pretty well.”
Last preseason, Williams carried 17 times for 82 yards – a position-best 4.8 yards per carry.
“I thought he had a great preseason in comparison to where he was at when he first got here,” Sirmans said late in camp. “I think he’s made a lot of improvements. I’ve been really, really impressed with him. He’s done a great job with us, he’s been doing a great job on special teams. It’s like everything has finally come together for him.”
After his release by Green Bay, Williams served five stints on practice squads last season – two with the Giants, two with the Browns and one with the Dolphins. He spent time with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars in June but did not record any stats.
Off the field, Williams has become a champion in the battle against myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that struck his mom in 2004.
“Me and my mom have been wanting to spread information about myasthenia gravis,” Williams told Packer Central last year. “Just growing up, we didn’t know. We couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was going on that was wrong with her. We had to go to different doctors to find out. He’s finding something different or she’s finding something different. It was a lot of visiting different doctors. Nobody knew what was going on. Finally, we were able to piece the puzzle together and found out it was myasthenia gravis.”
Packers Wednesday Injury Report
Returned to practice: QB Aaron Rodgers (rest).
New Injuries: WR Randall Cobb (foot), TE Dominique Dafney (knee), DT Devonte Wyatt (possible concussion).
Old injuries: S Darnell Savage (hamstring), CB Donte Vaughn (hamstring), S Innis Gaines (hamstring), OLB Randy Ramsey (ankle), C Cole Schneider (ankle).
Physically unable to perform list: K Mason Crosby (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), LT David Bakhtiari (knee), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).
Comparing Unofficial Packers Depth Charts
Below is a position-by-position look at the team depth chart (in plain text) compared to what’s been on display at Ray Nitschke Field (in italics), with comments following each.
Offensive Line
Left tackle
Yosh Nijman, Cole Van Lanen, Rasheed Walker
Yosh Nijman, Cole Van Lanen, Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker
Having missed the start of camp and struggling upon his return, seventh-round pick Walker has a lot of ground to make up.
Left guard
Jon Runyan, Michal Menet
Jon Runyan, Cole Van Lanen, Michal Menet
Runyan has been one the standbys on a line that has a lot of questions. Van Lanen is in good position to make the roster as a backup at most spots, including here.
Center
Josh Myers, Cole Schneider, Ty Clary
Josh Myers, Jake Hanson, Michal Menet, Cole Schneider, Ty Clary
Schneider, an undrafted rookie who is out with an ankle injury, has never been the No. 2 center.
Right guard
Jake Hanson, Sean Rhyan, George Moore
Royce Newman/Jake Hanson, Sean Rhyan, George Moore
We’ll go with co-starters here to reflect the open competition. In reality, Rhyan has been the second- and third-string right guard. He’s taken approximately 1.1 billion snaps in training camp.
Right tackle
Royce Newman, Zach Tom, Caleb Jones
Royce Newman/Zach Tom, Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker
We’ll go with co-starters here to reflect the battle. Jones, the absolutely massive undrafted free agent, has gotten some second-team looks.
Offensive Skill Positions
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Danny Etling
Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Danny Etling
No explanation needed.
Running back
Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, BJ Baylor
Aaron Jones/AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, BJ Baylor
We’ll go with co-starters here. In a two-minute drill on Monday, for instance, Dillon was the running back.
Tight end
Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis, Dominique Dafney, Alize Mack, Sal Cannella
Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis, Dominique Dafney, Alize Mack, Sal Cannella
Tight end is a hard spot because it’s not really one position. Without Robert Tonyan, it’s not as if Davis is the No. 3 tight end. But, if you were to ask the coaches how they’d rank the group, this is probably accurate.
Receiver
Allen Lazard, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor
Allen Lazard, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor
Receiver
Sammy Watkins, Romeo Doubs, Danny Davis, Osirus Mitchell
Sammy Watkins, Romeo Doubs, Danny Davis, Osirus Mitchell
Receiver (slot)
Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure, Ishmael Hyman
Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure, Ishmael Hyman
The Packers like their receivers to line up here, there and everywhere, so it’s not quite as clear-cut as a depth chart makes it out to be. When Lazard needs a breather, for instance, it’s not as if Winfree would be the next man up. Lazard is the obvious No. 1 receiver, and Watkins, Doubs and Cobb round out the clear-cut top four.
Defensive Front Seven
Defensive line
Dean Lowry, Jack Heflin, Akial Byers
Dean Lowry, Jack Heflin, Akial Byers
Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford
Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford
Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Chris Slayton
Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Chris Slayton
Like at receiver, this is a cleaner picture than the reality. If, for instance, Lowry needed a breather, Heflin would not be the next man up. If you had to rank the top group in order, you’d have Clark, Lowry/Reed, Slaton and Wyatt.
Outside linebacker
Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare, Randy Ramsey, Chauncey Manac
Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Randy Ramsey, Kingsley Enagbare, Chauncey Manac
Outside linebacker
Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones
Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones
At Monday’s practice, Galeai and Garvin were the No. 2 tandem. Hamilton has taken a lot of second-team reps, as well. The fifth-round pick Enagbare has been going nowhere fast. If you had to rank the whole group based on usage, you’d go Gary, Smith, Galeai, Garvin, Hamilton, Ramsey, Jones, Enagbare, Manac.
Inside linebacker
De’Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers, Ellis Brooks
De’Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers, Ellis Brooks
Inside linebacker
Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Ray Wilborn
Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Ray Wilborn
Summers has been a key player on special teams in each of his three seasons but is buried on the depth chart at linebacker as well as special teams. Of the seven inside linebackers, he is clearly No. 6.
Secondary
Cornerback
Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Rico Gafford, Kabion Ento, Kiondre Thomas
Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Rico Gafford, Kiondre Thomas, Kabion Ento
Cornerback
Eric Stokes, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Donte Vaughn
Eric Stokes, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Donte Vaughn
Most teams play with three cornerbacks most of the time, so Douglas is a starter even if he’s not listed as one. The battle to be that fourth corner is wide open between Nixon, who held the job throughout the offseason before missing the start of camp with an injury, Jean-Charles, who moved into the No. 4 role without Nixon, and Gafford, who got a few snaps with the starters on Monday. Thomas is listed lasted on the team depth chart but has gotten plenty of second-team action.
Safety
Adrian Amos, Innis Gaines, Shawn Davis, Tariq Carpenter
Adrian Amos, Shawn Davis, Innis Gaines, Tariq Carpenter
Safety
Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Dallin Leavitt
Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Dallin Leavitt
Throughout the offseason, Davis was the No. 3 safety. When Savage went down at Family Night, Scott moved into that role. In order, it’s Amos/Savage, Scott, Davis and Leavitt. Unless he makes a late push, Carpenter will be an interesting call when final cuts are made. He’s clearly last on the pecking order but there’s so much potential.
Special Teams
Kicker
Gabe Brkic
Gabe Brkic
Punter
Pat O’Donnell
Pat O’Donnell
Holder
Pat O’Donnell
Pat O’Donnell
Punt returner
Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, Rico Gafford
Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, Randall Cobb, Ishamel Hyman
Kickoff returner
Rico Gafford, Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs
Amari Rodgers, Rico Gafford, Romeo Doubs
Long snapper
Jack Coco, Steven Wirtel
Jack Coco, Steven Wirtel
With Mason Crosby on PUP, Brkic is batting about .500 on field goals. That’s great for baseball but bad for kicking. If Gafford has taken punt-return reps, I’ve missed them. The coaches have had Coco ahead of the incumbent Wirtel throughout training camp and were right to do so. Wirtel’s punt snaps are consistently a bit low.