As Crosby Returns, Packers Release Three
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The scourge of COVID-19 continues to take its toll on sports.
After Saturday’s first practice of training camp, the Green Bay Packers announced they had released cornerback Marc-Antoine Dequoy, tight end James Looney and receiver Darrell Stewart. The moves were made after three players on the team’s COVID-19 reserve list, kicker Mason Crosby, tight end Jace Sternberger and defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, were on the practice field. Officially, only Crosby returned, according to the NFL transaction wire.
In a normal training camp, teams have 90 players on the roster. Due to COVID, the Packers are keeping their roster at 80 players so they can avoid having split-squad practices. By releasing three and adding only Crosby, perhaps more players will return Sunday (an off-day) or Monday (10:10 a.m. practice).
Dequoy and Stewart had their NFL dreams dashed before even getting to go through a practice. At least Looney, a seventh-round pick as a defensive lineman in 2018 before moving to tight end last season, had a chance to show what he could do.
Dequoy, a second-round pick in this year’s CFL Draft by Montreal, came to Green Bay with quite a story. After graduating from high school in 2011, he sat out four of the next five seasons due to injury or other circumstances. That includes 2012, when he lost the desire to play.
“I quit it because I didn’t have the passion anymore,” Dequoy told the Toronto Sun. “I don’t know, I just felt there was something wrong. I didn’t enjoy it anymore. But that year off was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it just made me realize I still have the flame and passion in me. I would go see a football game and I’d think, ‘Oh, man, that could be me out there making some plays.’ And it just made me realize I want to still play football. Badly.”
At the University of Montreal, he played mostly safety and had six career pick-sixes. After a standout season in 2019, he was invited to the East-West Shrine Game to play against other top U.S. seniors. He practiced all week with a broken arm but wasn’t allowed to play in the game.
Dequoy, who will turn 26 next month, was given a $7,000 signing bonus.
Stewart was released following the recent additions of former Seahawks receiver Malik Turner and former Lions receiver Travis Fulgham.
Stewart has overcome a life’s worth of adversity, including the death of his father. Following three strong seasons at Michigan State, Stewart went undrafted and the Packers signed him with a $7,000 bonus. Not long after agreeing to join Green Bay, he went to the “sand pit” – a sand volleyball court in his native Houston. With the nets taken down due to COVID-19, it became Stewart’s training center. He ran route after route in the sand that evening.
“As you’re going through this whole thing, you put it in your head: Your name didn’t get called,” Stewart told the Washington Post. “It puts this feeling in your stomach, the motivation to go another rep.”
Stewart finished his career ranked third in school history with 150 receptions and 23rd with 1,640 receiving yards. Most of that production came from the slot, which appeared to give him an opening toward making the roster.
Green Bay started the day with five players on its COVID-19 list, with long snapper Hunter Bradley and outside linebacker Greg Roberts being the others. Of the five, Crosby was the only player to practice. During a field-goal drill, Crosby made 8-of-9 field goals with backup offensive tackle John Leglue snapping but no defense to provide pressure. His lone miss was on his longest attempt, from 45 yards.
“That’s a great question,” coach Matt LaFleur said after practice when asked about their availability. “All of us are kind of working through that protocol, so I really don’t have any updates in that regard.”
Big Training Camp Battles
OL: Does Turner vs. Taylor mean Taylor vs. Wagner?
TE: Who will emerge as starter?
OLB: Taking the load off the Smith Bros.
