Report: Packers to work out WR Ty Fryfogle on Tuesday

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on Monday that the Green Bay Packers will be working out receiver Ty Fryfogle on Tuesday. Typically, the Packers work out potential practice squad signings on Tuesdays during the season. Usually, the team brings in a cluster of players at the same position at one time, meaning Fryfogle likely won’t be the only receiver brought in.

Fryfogle was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent this spring. At 6’1” and 209 pounds, he is in that “Matt LaFleur receiver” build that the team usually aims for. Coming out of Indiana, Fryfogle posted great jump numbers during the pre-draft process but fairly average to below-average measurables elsewhere.

Fryfogle was best know for his contested catches at Indiana before he was waived with an injury designation (hamstring) by the Cowboys this summer. Fryfogle was later paid an injury settlement by Dallas and this appears to be his first tryout with an NFL team following his recovery.

Receiver is a tricky position for the Packers right now as Allen Lazard and Romeo Doubs were forced to play virtually every offensive play in Week 6. With Sammy Watkins (hamstring, injured reserve), Christian Watson (hamstring) and Randall Cobb (ankle) injured, that leaves just return man Amari Rodgers and rookie receiver Samori Toure as the remaining receivers on the 53-man roster. Last week, LaFleur mentioned potentially placing Watson on injured reserve. After the game on Sunday, when Cobb was carted to the locker room, quarterback Aaron Rodgers brought up Cobb potentially being placed on short-term IR, too.

Yesterday also marked Amari Rodgers’ second-most snaps ever played in an NFL game, behind just the season finale against the Detroit Lions last season when the team’s starters were benched. Toure has yet to be activated for a game all season, along with fellow rookie stash draft pick defensive lineman Jonathan Ford.

The Packers don’t currently have an open spot on their practice squad, but they do have an open roster spot on their 53-man roster following outside linebacker Tipa Galeai’s placement on the injured reserve, even before decisions on Watson and/or Cobb come. Green Bay has already elevated practice squad receiver Juwann Winfree three times to the gameday roster in 2022, meaning that if the team wants to play him in games moving forward they’ll have to call him up to the 53-man roster. With another receiver, Travis Fulgham, on the practice squad, too, adding a new receiver into the mix only makes sense if Winfree’s going to move up to the active roster.