Saturday’s Packers Transactions: What They Mean for Sunday vs. Chargers

The Packers are down two at safety with Darnell Savage on injured reserve and Rudy Ford nursing a biceps injury.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are elevating undrafted rookie safety Benny Sapp III to their gameday roster for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

It will be Sapp’s NFL debut.

That was the only transaction made on Saturday. Here’s the weekly look at what it all means, from the move that was made to the move that was not made.

Elevated: S Benny Sapp III

For Sapp, this isn’t the finish line but it’s one heck of a milestone. A hot recruit from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., due to the combination of talent and genetics – his father, Benny Sapp, played eight NFL seasons – Sapp suffered three season-ending knee injuries in high school.

Thanks in part to his family’s move to Minnesota and his father’s history with the Vikings, Sapp landed a scholarship at the University of Minnesota. He spent two years there, then transferred to Northern Iowa for his final three seasons. In 2022, he earned FCS All-American honors.

Sapp went undrafted and landed with the Packers. On his final snap of the final preseason game, Sapp’s end-zone interception preserved Green Bay’s victory over the Seahawks.

Afterward, in the auxiliary locker room that’s connected to the main locker room, Sapp was swarmed by reporters and teammates. Former starting cornerback Rasul Douglas was among the most excited.

“Hopefully, it’s here but I know that I proved that I can play in the NFL, no matter the circumstances that I had in the past,” Sapp said. “I walk by faith. I really don’t care what’s going on in front of me, I’m just going to keep pushing. I’m going to keep stacking days. Whenever that day comes, I’m going to be ready to suit up.”

That day is Sunday.

With Darnell Savage on injured reserve and Rudy Ford expected to be inactive, the Packers are down to veteran Jonathan Owens and rookie Anthony Johnson as the presumptive starters. Special-teams leader Dallin Leavitt and Zayne Anderson as the other safeties on the 53.

With Savage on IR and Ford inactive against the Rams two weeks ago, the Packers elevated Innis Gaines to the gameday roster. The Packers, however, released Gaines this week. So, Sapp is the next man up.

“I learned a lot about how to be a pro,” Sapp said at the end of camp. “It wasn’t fun at first because you’ve got to learn the system but, once you put the time in and everything, man, it felt all worth it. Staying up those nights, watching the game in your hotel room, asking your coach – nothing is a dumb question – it felt great. Just being prepared for this moment and it came, and I was ready.”

Not Elevated: OLB Keshawn Banks

While the Packers had a long injury report this week, they are relatively healthy headed into Sunday. Along with Ford, cornerback Jaire Alexander, linebacker Quay Walker and outside linebacker Rashan Gary are questionable.

The Packers didn’t pull anyone else from the practice squad, though. The Packers recently added Robert Rochell and Kyu Blu Kelly to their 53 to join Alexander, Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine at cornerback, so there is depth on the roster. And the Packers have gotten by with Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson as the depth behind Walker and De’Vondre Campbell all season.

The noteworthy non-move would be not adding outside linebacker Keshawn Banks from the practice squad. Gary was added to the injury report on Friday with a shoulder issue. That the Packers are standing pat at outside linebacker could be a signal that Gary will be fine, though perhaps the Packers simply are comfortable with giving Brenton Cox some snaps if necessary.

Two Elevated by Chargers

Before lifting off from Los Angeles, the Chargers elevated a pair of receivers, Terrell Bynum and Alex Erickson.

Erickson entered the NFL as undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2016. If he plays on Sunday, it will be his 100th career game.

While Erickson has 96 career catches, he’s done most of his damage as a returner. With Cincinnati, Carolina and Washington, he assembled averages of 8.0 yards per punt return and 24.8 yards per kickoff return.

Offense figures to be his focal point on Sunday, though, because fourth-round rookie Derius Davis leads the NFL with a 16.6-yard average and one touchdown on punt returns and has handled all three of their kickoff returns.

Receiver Jalen Guyton was added to the injury report as questionable with a groin injury. He had four receptions last week against Detroit.

More Green Bay Packers News

With Rudy Ford unlikely to play on Sunday, studious #Packers rookie Anthony Johnson says he's eager for his next test against the high-flying Chargers. ⬇️https://t.co/55ggwtgHP5

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 18, 2023

Packers-Chargers: Final injury report

Packers in “contract limbo” with Jordan Love

Three biggest needs for the Packers in 2024