With Watkins, Watson Injured, Packers Sign Another USFL Receiver

Christian Watson and Sammy Watkins, two players the Packers are counting on, missed the first practice of training camp.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers signed receiver Ishmael Hyman on Wednesday following the first practice of training camp.

With Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson and Malik Taylor sidelined by injuries, the Packers are giving a look to a receiver whose NFL resume includes two receptions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.

Hyman played for the Michigan Panthers of the USFL, joining tight end Sal Cannella and receiver Osirus Mitchell as USFL players to join the Packers in recent days.

In just four games with Michigan, he caught 15 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

Green Bay has signed five players over the past week. To make room for the latest addition, it released undrafted linebacker Caliph Brice after practice.

“You kind of look how you’re going to get through practice,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said before practice. “The one thing about the roster management this time of year. It’s not just do you have enough guys to go out and practice, but if you lose a guy here, the stress it puts on the other players. I think you see that throughout the league right now and through the next few weeks. A lot of it is just getting your numbers right so you can get out and practice.”

Neither the injuries to Watkins (undisclosed) or Watson (knee) are serious, though they’ll miss important practice time.

“Sammy will be very short term. I think you’ll see him out here very soon,” Gutekunst said. “Christian was one of those things, we came out of OTAs, I think there was a thought process we could, do you want to try to push through the season and finish this after the season or should we just go ahead and do it now? And we just did it now. So, he’ll miss a little bit of time in camp, but it’s nothing long term.”

Their pain is Hyman’s gain. Hyman was part of the 2018 draft class and will turn 27 on Aug. 23. In 48 career games at James Madison, he caught 72 passes for 1,061 yards (14.7 average) and 11 touchdowns. As a senior in 2017, Hyman grabbed 29 passes (14.1 average) for 408 yards and four touchdowns. At pro day, he measured 6-foot- and 196 pounds, ran his 40 in 4.45 seconds (good) and jumped 30 inches vertically (not so good).

Hyman went undrafted in 2018 and played in the old Alliance of American Football before that league closed its doors. His first shot in the NFL came after getting signed by the Cleveland Browns following a tryout during the 2019 draft.

“I knew I could play in the NFL,” Hyman told DNROnline at the time. “I knew it since I was a little kid. It’s been my dream and I’m not one to give up, so there was no way I was going to give up. I can’t see myself doing anything else besides this.”

The Browns released him at the end of training camp and he latched on with the Buccaneers’ practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster late in the season and caught one pass in each of his two appearances.

Hyman spent training camp with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 and 2021 but failed to make their rosters.

Highlights from Practice 1 of Training Camp

Our most popular story every #Packers training camp is our quick-hitting reviews of the day at Ray Nitschke Field.

Today, Day 1 of camp, leads with this:

“It’s one of the best defenses on paper that we’ve had, but I told those chumps, ‘1-0, offense.’”https://t.co/UZDpmKHCls

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 28, 2022