Packers Sign Veteran RB James Robinson to Practice Squad

The Green Bay Packers have signed running back James Robinson, a former 1,000-yard rusher and All-Rookie performer, to provide veteran depth.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Running back James Robinson, who rushed for 1,070 yards as a rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020, was signed to the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old worked out for the team two weeks ago.

In other practice squad transactions, the Packers signed cornerback Anthony Johnson and released cornerback Kiondre Thomas.

With Aaron Jones sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Packers had been using practice-squad veteran Patrick Taylor as the backup to AJ Dillon. Taylor was signed to the 53-man roster for last Monday night’s loss to the Raiders but was released a day later and not retained.

Jones returned to practice on Monday, providing optimism that the team’s explosive veteran will be back in action for Sunday at Denver. Not unlike Taylor, Robinson would provide some veteran insurance behind Jones and Dillon and ahead of undrafted rookie Emanuel Wilson, who won a spot on the 53 in training camp but has played sparingly.

Robinson (5-10, 220) had a brilliant rookie season. An undrafted free agent out of Illinois State, he not only topped 1,000 rushing yards but added 49 receptions for 344 yards and finished the season with 1,414 total yards and 10 total touchdowns.

Robinson reached 1,000 yards in just 14 games and finished fifth in the NFL in rushing to earn a spot on the All-Rookie Team. His rushing total was 34 yards short of Dominic Rhodes’ NFL record by an undrafted rookie, set by the Colts in 2001. The 1,414 scrimmage yards were the most ever by an undrafted running back.

Robinson never returned to those lofty heights, though. He added 767 rushing yards, 31 receptions and eight total touchdowns in 14 games in 2021, his season ending with a torn Achilles. He was traded to the Jets in 2022 and finished the season with 425 rushing yards and 11 receptions in 11 games.

As a rookie, Robinson rushed 23 times for 109 yards at Lambeau Field, though the Packers won 24-20.

James Robinson vs. the Packers at Lambeau Field :: Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images

At Rockford Lutheran High School, Robinson set Illinois high school records with 9,045 rushing yards and 158 rushing touchdowns. Among the backs whose style he tried to emulate was that of Marshawn Lynch.

“When I first started playing football, I loved the contact and the competitiveness and being able to break tackles,” he said at the 2020 Scouting Combine, where he named former Packers defensive tackle Dean Lowry as a role model for Rockford natives who hit the big-time. 

“I thought it was pretty cool the way he broke all those tackles against the Saints. For me, having people try to grab you and you being able to break away from them is kind of nice.”

Robinson rushed for 4,444 yards at Illinois State but went undrafted, due in part to a 4.64 in the 40 at the Combine.

“It means a lot,” he said after his NFL debut. “For me, I think it’s just great because I know there’s a lot of kids that obviously have the same dream. A message from me to them is to keep working and you never know what can happen and never take a day off.”

The other addition is Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Virginia. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder started 27 games in five seasons at Virginia and Louisville. He intercepted seven passes and broke up 38 in 55 career games. Johnson spent training camp with the Saints.

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