clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Packers to Work Out Joe McKnight on Saturday

Former New York Jets running back Joe McKnight sent a cryptic tweet earlier this afternoon stating that he was "headed to Green Bay tomorrow," so will the Packers add to their running back stable?

By DanTurczynski
Larry French

With the fourth and final preseason game in the books, the Green Bay Packers have now focussed all their attention on getting their roster down to 53 guys.

As per usual the Packers haven't announced any cuts today, as they will likely all be reported at 5:30 p.m. CST after the 5:00 p.m. CST NFL deadline. However, the big news out of Green Bay today appears to be on the acquisition front rather than the roster cut front.

Former New York Jets running back and kick returner Joe McKnight sent out this tweet earlier today:

While no signing has apparently taken place, there was a lot of skepticism about the tweet that McKnight sent out. The tweet appears to be from an unverified account and not from the verified account of Joe McKnight himself. However, FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo confirmed the workout is taking place:

The question then becomes what could McKnight bring to the Packers backfield if he were to sign?

The biggest impact McKnight would have for the Packers would be as a kick and punt returner. It's no secret the Packers have been searching for a new returner as they phase out Randall Cobb and allow him to focus on an exclusive offensive role.

In 39 games with the Jets, McKnight returned 76 kickoffs for 2,205 yards (29 yard average) and two touchdowns, including his career highlight, to this point, a 107-yard kick-off return at the Baltimore Ravens in October of 2011. McKnight also returned seven punts for 69 yards for the Jets.

McKnight would also add a little more speed to the Packers backfield, perhaps replacing what the injured DuJuan Harris might of brought to the Packers offense in 2013. In his career, McKnight has 502 yards on 112 carries (4.4 yards per carry). McKnight is also a good receiving running back having caught 17 passes for 177 yards.

The Jets selected McKnight in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but thus far in his career McKnight has been a disappointment, which lead to his eventual release earlier this week.

I think the Packers could get a solid returner in McKnight, who has a chance to be a very good player in the Packers' fast offense. Sometimes players just need a "fresh start", as McKnight indicated himself. If McKnight were to sign, it would all but end the Packers career of James Starks.

More from Acme Packing Company:

Not a member? Join Acme Packing Company and start commenting | Follow @AcmePackingCo on Twitter | Like Acme Packing Company on Facebook | Subscribe to our RSS feed

More From Acme Packing Company