Heath Seems Like Lock to Keep Undrafted Streak Alive
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have had at least one undrafted rookie make the opening 53-man roster for 18 consecutive years.
Linebacker Krys Barnes was a Week 1 starter in 2020. Future Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Shields started six games as a rookie in 2010. Lane Taylor and Jayrone Elliott had especially strong training camps as rookies, as well.
Of the 39 undrafted free agents during the 18-year streak, not even Shields, who was still new to the position after playing receiver for most of his collegiate career, was as consistently good and ready to make an immediate impact as receiver Malik Heath, who seems like a lock to extend the streak to 19 years.
With Romeo Doubs out with an injury, Heath started Saturday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks. If there was any doubt about his place on the receiver depth chart: He was on the field long before 2023 seventh-round pick Grant DuBose and 2022 seventh-round pick Samori Toure, and his day was done long before them, as well.
“I think I put some great film out there – blocking, pass-catching, tough catches,” he said. “I think I did good. I think I did my job. I’m just waiting.”
The wait for general manager Brian Gutekunst to pick the 53-man roster on Tuesday will be nerve-wracking. The news figures to be positive.
And lucrative. Practice squad players in 2023 will receive $12,000 per week. If a player survives the full season, he’d pocket $216,000. That’s a tidy sum, but nowhere near the 2023 rookie-year base salary of $750,000, which broken down into weekly installments is $41,666.67 per week.
“It’s the 53,” Heath said. “It’s different from being on p-squad. The check’s different. You’re trying to get money.”
With his day starting with a false start, Heath’s had better games from a statistical perspective. After catching all five passes last week against New England, he caught 4-of-7 targets for 35 yards vs. Seattle. His 15-yarder in the second quarter set up Christian Watson’s touchdown.
Malik Heath (Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images)
“Today, getting in with the ones, it was mind-blowing coming from undrafted,” Heath said. “Getting in with the ones, starting with the ones, that’s how you know I did a lot of great stuff and I stayed down. I stayed humble.”
While Doubs and fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks were sidelined by hamstring injuries, Heath wasn’t just a starter-by-default. He earned his shot with the starters through consistently strong play at practice and in the games. Assuming Doubs is healthy, the Packers will go into Week 1 with Doubs, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed as their primary receivers, with Heath being No. 4.
“You know how I feel about Malik because I give him the ball whenever I can,” rookie quarterback Sean Clifford said. “That dude wins on his routes all the time. I know he's an undrafted guy, but he has continuously proven why he should be on this team. I'm a huge Malik Heath fan. That's for sure, so I'll leave it at that.”
Coach Matt LaFleur could have gone with Toure, who is listed as a starter on the unofficial depth chart. Or he could have gone with DuBose to get an extended look at the surging rookie. Instead, Heath got the call and a featured role.
“I think Malik has shown a lot of good things not only catching the football, but the way he blocks has been big time for us,” LaFleur said. “He’s a physical player, and I’m excited for him. I think he’s going to continue to get better and better and better.”
With Heath seemingly ensured a roster spot, the big question ahead of Tuesday’s roster cuts is whether the Packers will keep DuBose and Toure or only one. And from there, the next big question is what sort of role Heath will have when the season kicks off at the Bears on Sept. 10. The last undrafted rookie to make the 53 was Darrius Shepherd in 2019. He was inactive the first two games, played in two snaps in Week 3 and logged 53 snaps total.
“Once you go through those hard practices, the game’s going to flow easy,” Heath said. “Like snap of your fingers, I’m ready. I’m going to be confident out there. I went out there with the starters today with the same confidence. After the first play, I got the jitters out, you feel me? I was very confident after that.
“They can’t guard me.”
More Green Bay Packers News
Packers-Seahawks: Benny Sapp saves the day
