Packers Sign Linebacker DQ Thomas to Practice Squad
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have signed linebacker DQ Thomas to their practice squad. To create a spot on the 16-man unit, they released receiver Travis Fulgham.
A four-year starter at Middle Tennessee State, he ranked No. 1 in school history with 53 tackles for losses and tied for No. 3 with 20.5 sacks. On the school sacks list, he trailed former Packers linebacker Erik Walden (22.5) for the top spot and was tied with former Packers linebacker Jamari Lattimore for third.
As a fifth-year super-senior in 2021, Thomas had five sacks, 17 tackles for losses and 89 tackles. He ranked ninth nationally with 1.4 TFLs per game.
Thomas went undrafted this year; the Jets signed him to a contract that included $130,000 guaranteed. He failed to make their roster and opened the regular season on their practice squad.
At pro day, he measured 6-foot-1 5/8 and 226 pounds. He ran his 40 in 4.67 seconds.
Thomas’ first name is D’Quarius. When a fourth-grade teacher couldn’t pronounce his name, he became DQ.
At Middle Tennessee, he learned from those ahead of him on the depth chart at the start of his career, then passed on his knowledge as he became the veteran leader.
“It means a lot to be mentioned in the same breath as (some of my old teammates),” Thomas told the school athletics site in 2020. “I thank those guys so much for competing with me and teaching me how to play the game and how to go about life as a professional. Because of them, I can share my experience and some of the details I've picked up from them with some of the younger guys. I always try to tell them things that I wish that people would've told me coming up.
“At the end of the day, though, football will only take you so far. What means most to me is the relationships I've been able to build and the people I've met along the way. I hope that when people look back at me, they say ‘He was a well-rounded young man.’ At the end of the day, I just really want to make my mama proud and do my best to love everybody.”
The Packers are a man short at inside linebacker following the ankle injury sustained by third-year pro Krys Barnes at Minnesota in Week 1. That left the Packers with starters D’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker, second-year backup Isaiah McDuffie and practice-squad player Ray Wilborn.
