Packers Sign Receiver to Practice Squad

Two receivers who were drafted in 2021 worked out for the Packers on Tuesday but they signed former Gardner-Webb star T.J. Luther, according to a source.

Former Jets receiver T.J. Luther has signed with the Packers. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have signed receiver T.J. Luther to their practice squad, a source told Packers On SI on Tuesday.

Luther was part of a big Tuesday workout. An undrafted free agent in 2023, he was signed over two drafted receivers with NFL experience, Seth Williams and Racey McMath.

The Packers also signed a tight end, Johnny Lumpkin, to their practice squad.

To make room on the practice squad, the Packers released receiver Jalen Wayne and running back La’Mical Perine.

The 24-year-old Luther signed with the Jets after the 2023 NFL Draft and spent most of his rookie season on the Patriots’ practice squad. He did not play in any regular-season games last year. 

This year, he spent training camp with the Steelers but did not catch any passes in the preseason.

As a senior at Gardner-Webb in 2022, he caught 55 passes for 1,035 yards (18.8 average) and seven touchdowns. 

The reception count wasn’t beefed up by a bunch of glorified runs. According to Pro Football Focus, he caught only five passes behind the line of scrimmage but grabbed 17-of-39 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He was fourth in the entire draft class in deep receptions.

"When I was playing in college at Gardner-Webb, I always envisioned myself in this position (playing in the NFL,” he told GWUSports.com last year. “It's good to look back on all those accomplishments and see what God has done for me. It's a dream come true."

A transfer from Wofford, Luther posted 1,419 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns in two seasons at Gardner-Webb.

At 5-foot-11 1/4, he’s got 4.50 speed and a 39-inch vertical for a 5.85 Relative Athletic Score.

"We have had a few players from Gardner-Webb play in the NFL (19 since 1973), but T.J. is the first of my tenure. I think we will have some more over the next few years, but I'm certainly happy for TJ and I am proud of him,” then-Gardner-Webb coach Tre Lamb said last year.

Luther was one of Virgina Luther’s nine children. She died unexpectedly in 2019.

“She always used to tell me when I was little that I was going to be her NFL player. She spoke it into existence,” Luther told The New York Post after a practice in 2023. “I’m definitely honoring her. She already knew I was going to be the first generation to graduate college, and I told her I was going to make it to the league.”

Luther was one of eight boys in the family. Naturally, that brought out the competitiveness.

“Football in the backyard, games, who ate more? Anything you can think of that we were all doing collectively as a family was a competition,” Luther said. “We always had that edge about us and believed iron sharpens iron. We used to chase rabbits — they were fast, I’m not going to lie — but it would build up our wind.”

The Packers started the day with Julian Hicks and Wayne as receivers on their practice squad.

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