Packers Sign Former Vikings Safety to Practice Squad

Mike Brown, an undrafted rookie out of Miami (Ohio), led the Minnesota Vikings in tackles during the preseason.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers signed rookie safety Mike Brown to their practice squad on Wednesday.

An undrafted rookie out of Miami (Ohio), Brown spent training camp with the Vikings but was released among their final cuts despite leading the team with 13 tackles and adding two more on special teams.

In college, he was a three-year starter who finished his career with 196 tackles, including 15.5 for losses, along with four interceptions and 10 passes defensed. He had a career-high three interceptions in 2019. He took two of those back for touchdowns, tied for No. 1 in the nation.

As a senior, he had 66 tackles, 9.5 tackles for losses and one pass breakup on defense and was a stalwart on special teams, where he played 161 snaps and recorded two tackles.

Listed as a safety, most of his collegiate snaps came from the slot, though he lined up here, there and everywhere while playing in every game over five seasons for the Redhawks.

“Just stay true to who you are and don't forget why you're here, which is to work hard,” he said before his senior season. “You got here by working hard so, as long as you work hard and do the right things, then everything will work out how you want it to.”

At pro day before the 2022 draft, he measured 6-foot 5/8 and 218 pounds. He ran a 4.59 in the 40.

As a senior at Grand Rapids Catholic Central, he helped the school win the Division 4 state championship by scoring the game-winning touchdown. He picked off eight passes for the season.

The Packers have seven safeties under contract, with starters Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage, veteran additions Dallin Leavitt and Rudy Ford, and rookie Tariq Carpenter on the 53-man roster and Brown joining Micah Abernathy on the practice squad.

Packers-Bears: Did You Know?

Here are some quick-hitting notes ahead of Packers-Bears on Sunday Night Football.

Aaron Rodgers has thrown 61 touchdown passes against Chicago, one more than Brett Favre for most against Chicago. Even while playing the equivalent of 1 3/4 seasons’ worth of games, Rodgers would rank eighth in Bears history in touchdown passes. With a combined total of 121 touchdown passes, Rodgers and Favre would rank third. Rodgers has thrown 16 touchdowns with zero interceptions vs. Chicago during the LaFleur era. Overall, he’s 23-5 vs. Chicago. One of those losses came at Lambeau Field in 2013, when he suffered a broken collarbone on the opening series.

Matt LaFleur is 6-0 against the Bears. Turnovers have been a major theme. His teams are plus-12 in turnovers in those games, with 13 takeaways vs. only one giveaway.

Green Bay was the only team to go undefeated at home last season and has won 13 consecutive games at Lambeau, the fourth-longest streak in franchise history. That, of course, doesn’t include last year’s playoff loss to San Francisco.

Bears defensive end Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 18.5 sacks last year. He lined up at right end for all 49 snaps last week vs. San Francisco. That means he’ll go up against David Bakhtiari or, perhaps more likely. Yosh Nijman.

Bears safety Eddie Jackson had an interception against San Francisco. Jackson had six interceptions in 2018, including two pick-sixes, to earn All-Pro honors. His interception on Sunday, however, was his first since the 2019 finale.

Pregame Vitals

Time and date: 7:20 p.m. Sunday.

Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

2022 records: Packers, 0-1. Bears, 1-0.

Coaches: Packers – Matt LaFleur (fourth season, 39-11). Bears – Matt Eberflus (first season, 1-0).

History: Packers lead the series 103-95-6, including a 1-1 split in the playoffs. They’ve won all six games under Matt LaFleur. Going deeper, they’ve won 11 of the last 12, 15 of the last 17 and 21 of the last 24. This marks the 17th consecutive season in which these teams have met in primetime.

The line: The Packers are 9.5-point favorites at SI Sportsbook.

How to Watch: Bears at Packers

TV: The game will be aired nationally by NBC, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call and Melissa Stark serving as field reporter.

Live stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial).

Radio: Packers Radio Network (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren), Westwood One (Ryan Radtke and Mike Golic) and SiriusXM 85 or 225 and the SXM App.