Former Illini WR Malik Turner Claimed By Dallas Cowboys
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Malik Turner didn’t need to wait long to find another home in the National Football League.
The former Illinois wide receiver was claimed Sunday by the Dallas Cowboys less than 24 hours after being waived by the Green Bay Packers before the 3 p.m. Saturday deadline to get under the 53-player roster limit.
Turner, 24, was an undrafted free agent in 2018 but managed to make the Seattle Seahawks roster after being signed shortly after the draft completed. In two seasons in Seattle, Turner had 17 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown in just 284 offensive snaps. Turner could prove to be a valuable weapon on special teams for Dallas as they hired John Fassell from the Los Angeles Rams after he produced 15 NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in his eight seasons with that franchise. Turner logged 170 snaps on special teams for the Seahawks last season.
Turner made his NFL debut on Nov. 4, 2018 when Seattle hosted the Los Angeles Chargers and in a media session on March 9 during the 2020 Illinois Pro Day workouts Turner said he flew out his entire family to the game in Seattle.
“It wasn’t cheap and it was a moment I’ll never forget,” Turner said. “It was a dream come true for real.”
Turner was signed by Green Bay on Aug. 12 but couldn’t break through the five Packers wide receivers of Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown and Malik Taylor on its announced 53-man roster.
Turner, a 6-foot-2 and 202-pound receiver from Springfield, Ill., finished his four-year career at Illinois with the ninth-most receiving yards in school history (1,804) and ninth-most receptions in Illini history (143). Turner had at least one catch in 30 straight games to end his career. In the 2016 season, Turner was named to the All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention honors by the league’s media contingent after he led the Illini in receptions (48), receiving yards (712) and receiving touchdowns (six).
Turner’s most memorable game in an Illinois uniform was when he had a career-highs of 11 receptions and 164 receiving yards in a 42-21 loss at Northwestern on Nov. 26, 2016.
In order to make room for Turner’s arrival on the roster, Dallas released linebacker Joe Thomas but CowboysMaven insider Mike Fisher reported Sunday he expects the team to investigate bringing Thomas back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.