Packers add John Lovett, Darrius Shepherd, and Billy Winn to 53-man roster

The Packers have made three roster moves ahead of their Week 3 game with the New Orleans Saints.

First, they’ve signed tight end John Lovett and wide receiver Darrius Shepherd to the 53-man roster. Lovett has been elevated from the practice squad for the first two weeks of the season, but the Packers couldn’t make a third elevation without exposing him to waivers. He’s played twelve snaps on offense in his first two games, and will likely continue to play a Josiah Deguara-esque role with the Packers’ 2020 third-round pick still hurt.

Shepherd made the Packers’ initial 2019 roster as an undrafted free agent, but had an ignominious start to his NFL career. In six games, he caught one pass for one yard on two targets, the uncaught target bouncing off his facemask into the hands of a Detroit Lions defender. He also returned two punts for -9 yards. With Davante Adams seeming unlikely to play this week, the Packers would only have had four healthy receivers.

The Packers have also elevated defensive lineman Billy Winn from the practice squad for this week’s game. Winn gives the Packers some defensive line depth Kenny Clark recovering but still questionable, though he’s a bit of an unusual prospect. He appeared in 68 games for the Browns, Colts, and Broncos from 2011 through 2016, but a variety of serious injuries have kept him off the field since then. At 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, Winn offers good size, but he’s a question mark beyond that.