Packers Sign Running Back Dexter Williams, Safety

Dexter Williams, a sixth-round draft pick in 2019, worked out for the Packers on Tuesday and is signing on Wednesday, according to a source.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers re-signed running back Dexter Williams, according to a source, and he practiced on Wednesday. 

Williams was among a score of players who worked out for the team on Tuesday. So was safety Micah Abernathy, who also signed and practiced. He was a three-year starter at Tennessee who spent the spring in the USFL. He had 71 tackles and two interceptions for Houston.

To make room, they released long snapper Steven Wirtel and receiver Osirus Mitchell (quad) was waived/injured.

That leaves Jack Coco as the lone snapper. 

The Packers are at 90 players and have to trim to 85 on Tuesday.

The Packers could be a bit short-handed at running back for Friday’s preseason opener at the 49ers, which is why Williams is back. 

Starters Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are unlikely to play, Patrick Taylor missed time with a groin injury (but has done individual drills the past couple days) and Kylin Hill is battling back from his torn ACL. That leaves only Taylor (maybe) and undrafted rookies B.J. Baylor and Tyler Goodson to face the 49ers.

It's not just this game. The Packers are hitting a key stretch with joint practices against the Saints on Tuesday and Wednesday before playing them in the second preseason game next Friday.

A sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2019, Williams can mostly hit the ground running from a schematic perspective to help carry the load.

“I think that a lot of it is where we are with the running back room,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice. “Dexter, obviously, has a lot of familiarity. It was great to see him. He is a guy that I probably was really hard on throughout his time here in terms of trying to get everything out of him. I’ve got to say that it’s always cool to see a guy not only take the coaching but you just see him evolve and mature as a player, as a person. I think he was one of our hardest workers on our team. You can always count on Dex giving maximum effort. It was great to see him back here and I’m excited for him.”

Williams got his big chance at San Francisco in 2020. With Dillon sidelined due to COVID and Jamaal Williams out after being deemed a high-risk contact, Williams was elevated from the practice squad. He carried twice for 8 yards before suffering an injury that ended his night. He never saw the ball the rest of the season.

He failed to make the roster last season, losing out to then-rookie Hill for the third spot behind Jones and Dillon.

“I think for him, it probably just took him a little bit longer to process the offense in the beginning, and now that he has, he doesn’t make the same mistakes and errors he used to,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said last summer. “So, what that has done is allowed him to play a lot faster, not get out there and think about here’s what I need to do or what’s going on. Now his awareness is a lot better so now he can play at a faster speed and make good decisions. I thought he played pretty well.”

Last preseason, Williams carried 17 times for 82 yards – a position-best 4.8 yards per carry.

“I thought he had a great preseason in comparison to where he was at when he first got here,” Sirmans said late in camp. “I think he’s made a lot of improvements. I’ve been really, really impressed with him. He’s done a great job with us, he’s been doing a great job on special teams. It’s like everything has finally come together for him.”

After his release by Green Bay, Williams served five stints on practice squads last season – two with the Giants, two with the Browns and one with the Dolphins. He spent time with the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars in June but did not record any stats.

Off the field, Williams has become a champion in the battle against myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that struck his mom in 2004.

“Me and my mom have been wanting to spread information about myasthenia gravis,” Williams told Packer Central last year. “Just growing up, we didn’t know. We couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was going on that was wrong with her. We had to go to different doctors to find out. He’s finding something different or she’s finding something different. It was a lot of visiting different doctors. Nobody knew what was going on. Finally, we were able to piece the puzzle together and found out it was myasthenia gravis.”

Packers Wednesday Injury Report

Returned to practice: QB Aaron Rodgers (rest).

New Injuries: WR Randall Cobb (foot), TE Dominique Dafney (knee), DT Devonte Wyatt (possible concussion).

Old injuries: S Darnell Savage (hamstring), CB Donte Vaughn (hamstring), S Innis Gaines (hamstring), OLB Randy Ramsey (ankle), C Cole Schneider (ankle).

Physically unable to perform list: K Mason Crosby (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), LT David Bakhtiari (knee), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).

Comparing Unofficial Packers Depth Charts

Below is a position-by-position look at the team depth chart (in plain text) compared to what’s been on display at Ray Nitschke Field (in italics), with comments following each.

Offensive Line

Left tackle

Yosh Nijman, Cole Van Lanen, Rasheed Walker

Yosh Nijman, Cole Van Lanen, Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker

Having missed the start of camp and struggling upon his return, seventh-round pick Walker has a lot of ground to make up.

Left guard

Jon Runyan, Michal Menet

Jon Runyan, Cole Van Lanen, Michal Menet

Runyan has been one the standbys on a line that has a lot of questions. Van Lanen is in good position to make the roster as a backup at most spots, including here.

Center

Josh Myers, Cole Schneider, Ty Clary

Josh Myers, Jake Hanson, Michal Menet, Cole Schneider, Ty Clary

Schneider, an undrafted rookie who is out with an ankle injury, has never been the No. 2 center.

Right guard

Jake Hanson, Sean Rhyan, George Moore

Royce Newman/Jake Hanson, Sean Rhyan, George Moore

We’ll go with co-starters here to reflect the open competition. In reality, Rhyan has been the second- and third-string right guard. He’s taken approximately 1.1 billion snaps in training camp.

Right tackle

Royce Newman, Zach Tom, Caleb Jones

Royce Newman/Zach Tom, Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker

We’ll go with co-starters here to reflect the battle. Jones, the absolutely massive undrafted free agent, has gotten some second-team looks.

Offensive Skill Positions

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Danny Etling

Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Danny Etling

No explanation needed.

Running back

Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, BJ Baylor

Aaron Jones/AJ Dillon, Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson, BJ Baylor

We’ll go with co-starters here. In a two-minute drill on Monday, for instance, Dillon was the running back.

Tight end

Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis, Dominique Dafney, Alize Mack, Sal Cannella

Marcedes Lewis, Josiah Deguara, Tyler Davis, Dominique Dafney, Alize Mack, Sal Cannella

Tight end is a hard spot because it’s not really one position. Without Robert Tonyan, it’s not as if Davis is the No. 3 tight end. But, if you were to ask the coaches how they’d rank the group, this is probably accurate.

Receiver

Allen Lazard, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor

Allen Lazard, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor

Receiver

Sammy Watkins, Romeo Doubs, Danny Davis, Osirus Mitchell

Sammy Watkins, Romeo Doubs, Danny Davis, Osirus Mitchell

Receiver (slot)

Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure, Ishmael Hyman

Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Samori Toure, Ishmael Hyman

The Packers like their receivers to line up here, there and everywhere, so it’s not quite as clear-cut as a depth chart makes it out to be. When Lazard needs a breather, for instance, it’s not as if Winfree would be the next man up. Lazard is the obvious No. 1 receiver, and Watkins, Doubs and Cobb round out the clear-cut top four.

Defensive Front Seven

Defensive line

Dean Lowry, Jack Heflin, Akial Byers

Dean Lowry, Jack Heflin, Akial Byers

Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford

Kenny Clark, T.J. Slaton, Jonathan Ford

Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Chris Slayton

Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Chris Slayton

Like at receiver, this is a cleaner picture than the reality. If, for instance, Lowry needed a breather, Heflin would not be the next man up. If you had to rank the top group in order, you’d have Clark, Lowry/Reed, Slaton and Wyatt.

Outside linebacker

Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare, Randy Ramsey, Chauncey Manac

Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Randy Ramsey, Kingsley Enagbare, Chauncey Manac

Outside linebacker

Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones

Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones

At Monday’s practice, Galeai and Garvin were the No. 2 tandem. Hamilton has taken a lot of second-team reps, as well. The fifth-round pick Enagbare has been going nowhere fast. If you had to rank the whole group based on usage, you’d go Gary, Smith, Galeai, Garvin, Hamilton, Ramsey, Jones, Enagbare, Manac.

Inside linebacker

De’Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers, Ellis Brooks

De’Vondre Campbell, Krys Barnes, Ty Summers, Ellis Brooks

Inside linebacker

Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Ray Wilborn

Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Ray Wilborn

Summers has been a key player on special teams in each of his three seasons but is buried on the depth chart at linebacker as well as special teams. Of the seven inside linebackers, he is clearly No. 6.

Secondary

Cornerback

Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Rico Gafford, Kabion Ento, Kiondre Thomas

Jaire Alexander, Rasul Douglas, Rico Gafford, Kiondre Thomas, Kabion Ento

Cornerback

Eric Stokes, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Donte Vaughn

Eric Stokes, Shemar Jean-Charles, Keisean Nixon, Donte Vaughn

Most teams play with three cornerbacks most of the time, so Douglas is a starter even if he’s not listed as one. The battle to be that fourth corner is wide open between Nixon, who held the job throughout the offseason before missing the start of camp with an injury, Jean-Charles, who moved into the No. 4 role without Nixon, and Gafford, who got a few snaps with the starters on Monday. Thomas is listed lasted on the team depth chart but has gotten plenty of second-team action.

Safety

Adrian Amos, Innis Gaines, Shawn Davis, Tariq Carpenter

Adrian Amos, Shawn Davis, Innis Gaines, Tariq Carpenter

Safety

Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Dallin Leavitt

Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, Dallin Leavitt

Throughout the offseason, Davis was the No. 3 safety. When Savage went down at Family Night, Scott moved into that role. In order, it’s Amos/Savage, Scott, Davis and Leavitt. Unless he makes a late push, Carpenter will be an interesting call when final cuts are made. He’s clearly last on the pecking order but there’s so much potential.

Special Teams

Kicker

Gabe Brkic

Gabe Brkic

Punter

Pat O’Donnell

Pat O’Donnell

Holder

Pat O’Donnell

Pat O’Donnell

Punt returner

Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, Rico Gafford

Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs, Randall Cobb, Ishamel Hyman

Kickoff returner

Rico Gafford, Amari Rodgers, Romeo Doubs

Amari Rodgers, Rico Gafford, Romeo Doubs

Long snapper

Jack Coco, Steven Wirtel

Jack Coco, Steven Wirtel

With Mason Crosby on PUP, Brkic is batting about .500 on field goals. That’s great for baseball but bad for kicking. If Gafford has taken punt-return reps, I’ve missed them. The coaches have had Coco ahead of the incumbent Wirtel throughout training camp and were right to do so. Wirtel’s punt snaps are consistently a bit low.