Packers sign guard Ben Braden, likely to practice squad

Sometimes, it’s nice to see a familiar face. The Green Bay Packers have signed guard Ben Braden, according to his agency, Exclusive Sports Group.

Braden has been a free agent since the end of training camp, when the New England Patriots released him. He played in three games with the New York Jets over the past two seasons as a backup guard. Braden is most likely headed to the Packers’ practice squad, where the team has one official opening (due to the release of Kalija Lipscomb on Tuesday) and a second forthcoming with the Washington Football Team’s reported signing of wide receiver Robert Foster.

The reason Braden is a familiar face is that he spent two months on the Packers’ practice squad in 2019. The former Michigan Wolverine received his walking papers in November, at which time he signed back with the Jets’ practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster late in the season.

Braden is a solid athlete who has bounced around across the NFL for the last three-plus seasons. He posted exceptional speed and size for a guard at the 2017 NFL Combine, measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 329 pounds while running the 40-yard dash in 5.03 seconds. He narrowly missed the Packers’ ideal shuttle and 3-cone times for linemen, but wound up with an overall RAS of greater than 9.

Stay tuned to the transaction wire this afternoon for confirmation of Braden’s signing and the other various reported moves involving the Packers’ roster.