Packers sign long-snapper Derek Hart; is Brett Goode’s career in Green Bay over?

The Green Bay Packers made a minor roster move this weekend, adding a player at a specialized position. The newest player on the roster is Derek Hart, a long snapper who last played football for James Madison University in 2015.

The Packers announced the signing late in the day on Friday, noting that Hart is listed at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds.

Hart chose not to try for an NFL career out of college, instead working for motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson as an engineer. In all likelihood, Hart worked in the main office in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a few minutes northwest of Milwaukee. As a result, he presumably targeted the Packers as a potential destination when deciding to restart his football career.

This move now puts into question whether long-time Packers long snapper Brett Goode will return for another season in 2017. Goode returned for 2016 after tearing his ACL late in the 2015 season, but he is currently an unrestricted free agent. The Packers now have Hart and former Michigan State long-snapper Taybor Pepper under contract at that position.

However, as Packers fans saw last season, there is a chance that Goode may still be available in August if the team decides they are unhappy with their two youngsters. Last season, he was signed on final cut-down day on September 5th, after the team elected to bring him back over Rick Lovato, who had replaced him after his ACL tear the year before.