Packers Take Flier on Former Fourth-Round Pick
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers need help at receiver and are throwing a Hail Mary to one of the more talented receivers in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Green Bay signed Josh Malone to its practice squad on Tuesday. A former fourth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, he worked out recently for the Packers, who needed to boost their numbers at receiver with Randall Cobb (core), Malik Taylor (abdomen) and Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion) out with injuries and Juwann Winfree promoted to the 53-man roster.
After catching 54 passes for 636 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman in 2014 and sophomore in 2015, Malone had a monster third and final season for the Tennessee Volunteers with 50 receptions for 972 yards (19.4 average) and 11 touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, he caught 13-of-23 passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, that 56.5 percent catch rate ranking ninth in the nation.
“I think he has the potential to be a third receiver in an offense, and soon,” former NFL general manager and then-Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said. “No doubt, he could have worked his way up higher in the NFL draft if he had come back for another season at Tennessee."”
At 6-foot-2 5/8 and with 4.40 speed in the 40, Malone was considered one of the more talented receivers in a draft class that included top-10 picks Corey Davis, Mike Williams and John Ross. Malone never got close to panning out, though.
He started seven games as a rookie and caught 6-of-17 passes for 63 yards and one touchdown. That would be the best season of his career. He caught one pass in nine games in 2018, a season detoured by a hamstring injury. The door was open when training camp started in 2019 with Ross and veteran star A.J. Green sidelined by injuries. He was a starter headed into the preseason.
“It's just a different mindset in Year 3,” Malone said during training camp that summer. "You should know everything that is going on, even though we have a new coaching staff. Just being more professional in my approach, taking care of my body and on the mental part of it, just handling things in a different aspect.”
Malone, however, tumbled down the depth chart and was released at the end of training camp a few weeks later, and joined the New York Jets’ practice squad. He was promoted for a couple games late that season but didn’t record any stats in limited playing time.
He failed to make the Jets’ roster in 2020 but was elevated to the 53-man roster four times. He caught 4-of-6 passes for just 16 yards and averaged 20.0 yards on seven kickoff returns.
Malone, who played only three snaps during the preseason game at Green Bay on Aug. 21, was released toward the end of camp this summer despite some promising practices. He spent one week on Denver’s practice squad in October.
