Packers Designate Galeai for Return

Outside linebacker Tipa Galeai has missed the last four games with an injured hamstring.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Nov 9, 2022 3:18 PM EST

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have designated outside linebacker Tipa Galeai for return from injured reserve and he practiced on Wednesday.

Galeai missed the last four games because of a hamstring injury.

In five games this season, he has not played at all on defense but logged 85 snaps on special teams. He was in on four tackles.

“That’s what the motive was ever since I set foot in this building was special teams,” Galeai said during training camp. “‘We love you. We’d love you to play defense, too, but special teams is what you have to play and that’s what you’re required to play. You have to be great at that, as well, in order to make this team.’ That’s stuck with me ever since I’ve been here and just taking it on and going forward, I always have to be a special teams player, as well, not just defense.”

A quality pass rusher in college, Galeai embraced that special-teams requirement.

“Oh, man, I love it,” he said. “I wish I played this back in college. I talked to my special teams coach back at Utah State and I’d send him some messages. ‘Hey, this is drills that we’re doing or we could implement in the game.’ I’m building a love for special teams. I love it now. I love special teams. Of course, that’s what got me a job last year but also it’s football. You get to go out, run down and hit somebody. That’s the best part of it.”

Galeai may be in position to get some snaps on defense following Rashan Gary’s season-ending knee injury. Green Bay is short on outside linebackers. Rookie Kingsley Enagbare figures to replace Gary in the starting lineup opposite Preston Smith for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Jonathan Garvin, a healthy scratch vs. Washington and Buffalo, played 20 snaps vs. Detroit and had one assisted tackle and one quarterback hit. La’Darius Hamilton, who’s on the practice squad, is the only other outside linebacker on the team.

An undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Utah State, Galeai averaged about 20 snaps per game during the final seven weeks of last season. His one and only career sack came against Cleveland.

Several players were not practicing during the open portion of Wednesday’s practice. That includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receivers Sammy Watkins and Romeo Doubs, cornerbacks Eric Stokes and Shemar Jean-Charles, linebackers Rashan Gary and Krys Barnes, and offensive linemen David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins.

“Today's going to be just a little bit more above the neck, more jog-through, just where we are from an injury perspective, and tomorrow we'll get back at it,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice.