Packers Add Drafted Running Back, Starting Fullback to Practice Squad

The Green Bay Packers filled their 17-man practice squad on Friday by signing running back La’Mical Perine, fullback Andrew Beck and cornerback Kamal Hadden

New Packers running back La'Mical Perine (22) is shown running against the Packers in the 2021 preseason. / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers made two key additions to their practice squad on Friday, signing running back La’Mical Perine and fullback Andrew Beck.

Plus, they added cornerback Kamal Hadden, a sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in this year’s draft.

With injury issues in the Green Bay Packers’ backfield, they added Perine – a fourth-round pick by the New York Jets in 2020.

Perine (5-11, 216) rushed for 232 yards (3.6 average) and caught 11 passes for 63 yards (5.7 average) as a rookie but played in only seven games the past three seasons. With the Kansas City Chiefs last year, he played in three games with one start. He carried 22 times for 77 yards (3.5 average) and caught three passes for 33 yards.

Perine spent training camp with the Steelers and carried 16 times for 46 yards (2.9 average). Those numbers aren’t impressive, but neither was the blocking. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 52 yards after contact and broke five tackles.

At the University of Florida, Perine’s four-year totals were 2,485 rushing yards (5.0 average) and 22 touchdowns and 72 receptions for 674 yards and eight more scores. As a senior, he rushed for 676 yards and caught 40 passes with five scores. He’s got enormous hands (10 1/4 inches) but doesn’t have breakaway speed (4.62 in the 40).

“A guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield, pass protect, anything,” he said at the 2020 Scouting Combine. “I am a competitor and I feel like that is one of the biggest things they taught me at Florida, just to be able to compete. …

“A lot of teams pretty much know I can run the ball, so they were also happy to see me catch the ball out of the backfield, as well. … You can’t be one-dimensional in this game. I feel like you have to be able to do everything, and that is one of my biggest traits. I am not just a one-dimensional guy. I am able to catch the ball out of the backfield and do everything the NFL wants these days.”

At running back for the Packers, AJ Dillon is on injured reserve because of a stinger and MarShawn Lloyd is coming back from a hamstring injury.

The Packers started the day with two openings on the practice squad. To make room for the three additions, they placed running back Nate McCrary on practice squad injured reserve. Perine will join Ellis Merriweather as running backs on the practice squad.

Beck (6-3, 252) is an intriguing addition, because the Packers didn’t have a fullback on their roster. After playing in 51 games for the Denver Broncos from 2019 through 2022, Beck played in 15 games with 12 starts for the Houston Texans last year. He caught 11 passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns and carried five times for 3 yards and one touchdown.

And if something were to happen to All-Pro Keisean Nixon, the Packers would have a kickoff returner.

Well, maybe not. But against Jacksonville last year, he became the heaviest player in NFL history with a kickoff-return touchdown.

“We’re back,” Beck said. “Fullbacks are back, for sure.”

“When I crossed the goal line, I refused to believe it,” he added. “It took me a minute to celebrate. It felt great. Anytime you give your team that kind of momentum.”

Hadden, who has excellent size at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds with 4.57 speed in the 40, Hadden led Tennessee with three interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 2023 despite missing the final six games with a shoulder injury.

According to PFF, 125 corners in this draft class played at least 250 coverage snaps. Because of the injury, he just missed the cutoff. Had he played enough snaps, he would have ranked third in completion percentage allowed (36.4), first in passer rating allowed (7.0) and ninth in forced-incompletion percentage. He did not allow a touchdown.

Hadden played only 22 snaps in the preseason. With eight coverage snaps, PFF charged him with one completion (one target) and 22 yards.

“I feel back when I feel like I’m back,” Hadden said at the start of training camp. “It’s really good to be back on the field. I feel like I’m more faster, I feel like I’m stronger and, mainly, I feel like I’m smarter, so that just the game took me out, but it helped me grow mentally and helped me grow as a man and as a player.”

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