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Since late in spring practices, the Green Bay Packers have been carrying 89 players on their 90-man roster. The team waived running back Kapri Bibbs in mid-June, and a failed physical for tight end Michael Roberts resulted in the team sticking at 89 after minicamp through the last five weeks.
On Friday, however, the Packers are apparently getting back up to the 90-man limit. Jim Owczarski of Packersnews.com reports that the team plans to sign undrafted rookie receiver Malik Taylor to the roster. Taylor spent a few days on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ roster after the 2019 NFL Draft, but was released following the Bucs’ rookie minicamp in May.
Taylor, who played college football at Ferris State University in Michigan, is another big, fast receiver whose athletic abilities would appear to fit in well with the players currently in the Packers’ wideout room. Here are his measurements from Pro Day:
Malik Taylor went undrafted in the 2019 draft class.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) May 1, 2019
Malik Taylor posted a Great #RAS with Good size, Okay speed, Great explosiveness, Great agility at the WR position.#Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/1mZF3dXgz6
Statistically, Taylor had a very good junior year for the Bulldogs, leading the team with 61 receptions for 906 yards and six touchdowns. However, he was injured for much of his senior year, only catching seven passes for 88 yards and a score.
Joining a jam-packed receiver room that already had 11 players on the roster, Taylor will be the longest of long shots to make the team this fall. However, the Packers have seen late-summer signings make the team in years past; for example, linebacker James Crawford made the opening 53 last year after signing with the team on August 8th. Still, given the players ahead of him, Taylor will probably be gunning for a practice squad spot.
As for that last roster spot, a common expectation was that the Packers were planning to bring safety Ibraheim Campbell back once he was able to pass a physical exam. Campbell spent the latter half of last season in Green Bay, but tore his ACL late in the season. He may still be an option for the team later on, but at this time it appears that the team will head into training camp without him.