Packers release H-back John Lovett with failed physical designation

With next Wednesday’s deadline looming, the Green Bay Packers have not made any major inroads on their salary cap woes yet. However, on Friday, they did part ways with one member of their roster. The team announced the release of H-back John Lovett on Friday, and the move was noted on the league’s transaction report as coming with a failed physical designation.

Lovett, a quarterback in college at Princeton, landed with the Packers in the summer after the team claimed him on waivers. He settled into a practice squad role early in the season, but was elevated to the active roster in weeks one and two before earning a promotion to the 53-man roster. Lovett would end up playing in eight games total, but suffered a torn ACL during practice around midseason and finished the year on injured reserve.

That knee injury is surely the reason for Lovett’s failed physical designation. Lovett also spent the entirety of the 2019 season on the Kansas City Chiefs’ injured reserve list with a shoulder injury.

Lovett made four special teams tackles in 2020, returned one kickoff for five yards, and carried the football three times for six yards late in a blowout win over the 49ers.

With third-round draft pick Josiah Deguara expected to return healthy from his own ACL tear in 2021 and Dominique Dafney’s emergence following Lovett’s injury, there would seem to be few opportunities for a third H-back type on the roster moving forward. The move will save the Packers $120,000 in salary cap money in the short term.