Packers Sign Explosive Linebacker, Cornerback

The Green Bay Packers needed some additional linebacker depth with starter De’Vondre Campbell nursing an ankle injury. The cornerback's father played for the Packers.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have signed explosive linebacker Marvin Pierre following a workout on Monday, Packer Central has learned.

The Packers also signed cornerback Elijah Hamilton, who started three games with St. Louis of the XFL this year. His father, Ruffin, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Packers in 1994 who played in 44 games in four NFL seasons.

At linebacker, the Packers are entering their final week of training camp a man down with 2021 All-Pro De’Vondre Campbell sidelined by an ankle injury.

Pierre is an undrafted rookie from Kent State. He had five tackles and a forced fumble against Washington, eight tackles and one tackle for loss against Oklahoma and five tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recover vs. Georgia. During the conference slate, he had 11-plus tackles in three consecutive games.

At pro day, he measured 6-foot-1 1/2 and 222 pounds and demonstrated excellent athleticism with a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash and 40.5-inch vertical leap. That equated to a Relative Athletic Score of 9.08.

Pierre is joining a strong position group. Campbell and Quay Walker form an excellent starting tandem, Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson are proven backups and special teams players, and safety-turned-linebacker Tariq Carpenter emerged as a weapon on special teams down the stretch last year.

Pierre spent a short time with the Arizona Cardinals after the draft before he was released. Pierre was selected by Houston in the XFL Draft but did not play.

But, with excellent athleticism, perhaps Pierre can parlay three practices and one preseason game (vs. Seattle on Saturday) into a spot on the practice squad.

Marvin Pierre tackles Iowa's Tyler Goodson, who's currently with the Packers. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

Pierre’s older brother, Olsen, played defensive end for the Cardinals in 2017 and 2018 and Giants in 2019. He started eight games during those three seasons.

“He gives me a lot of advice of what to do, what not to do and just to always work hard, stuff like that,” Marvin Pierre told NJ.com back in 2016 when he was a hot recruit. “Me and him train together. He helps me out with a lot of stuff on the defensive side and sometimes he tries to help me out at wide receiver and stuff like that. He's basically a mentor to me. We talk every day, basically.”

Hamilton went undrafted in 2022 out of Louisiana Tech, where he broke up one pass. Before that, he played in 41 games at Vanderbilt. As a fifth-year senior in 2020, he broke up three passes and was voted a team captain.

At pro day before the 2022 draft, he measured 6-foot-1 1/4 with a 4.56 in the 40 and a 38-inch vertical.

His father was one his coaches in high school.

“In high school it was a little agitating sometimes to have my dad at practice because he always pointed out the little things that I could do better,” Elijah Hamilton told the Vandy athletics site. “I grew to appreciate it once I got to Vanderbilt because he was really just trying to prepare me for the next level.”

The Packers will have a vacant roster spot once tight end Tyler Davis is placed on season-ending injured reserve.

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