Packers release Makinton Dorleant after failed physical, per report

The tenure of one of Green Bay Packers' top undrafted free agents from last season has come to an end. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the team released cornerback Makinton Dorleant with the failed physical designation.

The failed physical designation appears to have resulted from knee surgery Dorleant underwent shortly after the Packers’ Week 17 tilt with the Detroit Lions. Recovery from that procedure could take nine months, a timeline that would have put the start of training camp in jeopardy for the second-year player.

A corner out of FCS Northern Iowa, Dorleant battled his way onto the final 53-man roster coming out of the preseason. However, a hamstring injury forced the team to place him on injured reserve before the first game of the season. Dorleant remained there until late in the year when an undermanned secondary opened the door for his return.

Dorleant figured to become a larger part of the Packers defense in 2017. However, an arrest last month in Cedar Falls, Iowa on misdemeanor charges of interference complicated his status with the team. Teammates including guard T.J. Lang publicly expressed support for Dorleant during this time.

As a rookie, Dorleant appeared in four regular-season games with the Packers, recording one tackle.