New Packers DBs Face Challenge of Lifetime for Life-Changing Opportunity

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At one point during Tuesday’s practice at Green Bay Packers training camp, Trey Dean III and Tra Fluellen lined up together as the safeties.

Who are Trey Dean III and Tra Fluellen?

That’s probably the same thing they were asking each other.

“Don’t really know him,” Dean said.

The Packers waived/injured safety Johnathan Baldwin with a knee injury on Sunday, which left the team with only six safeties. One of them, Javon Bullard, is out with a foot injury and plays in the slot, anyway.

So, the Packers worked out Dean, Fluellen and Josh Minkins, with Dean and Fluellen signing contracts.

To clear roster spaces, they released tight end Drew Biber and offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart.

“It’s been really a blessing,” Dean said. “It was a great opportunity, joining a winning culture here. You know, we got a great staff, got great players, so it’s been like a blessing to be a part of a great organization.”

Trey Dean III Kept the Faith

Dean (6-foot-2, 201 pounds), who had four interceptions and 20 passes defensed in five seasons at Florida, signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He spent most of his rookie season on the Jets’ practice squad before joining the Chiefs’ practice squad just in time for their run to the Super Bowl.

Dean was released by the Browns before the start of their offseason practices in 2025. He spent the 2025 and 2026 seasons in the UFL.

“Just my big faith in God,” he said of his perseverance after being out of the league for more than 15 months. “I knew I always could play. I was with the Browns last year, just fighting through injury. Had a chance to win the Super Bowl with the Chiefs, so everything has really been a blessing.

“So, I just keep going and put God first. God’s going to prevail. I knew I always could play every time I got on a professional field. I had great film. I had great film in college. So, with God, I’m in a great organization with great coaches and everything’s going to fall together for the good common goal.”

Dean was fortunate to join a roster with some familiar faces. He said he was roommates with Brenton Cox and Ty’Ron Hopper while they were together at Florida. Moreover, he is longtime workout partners with Xavier McKinney.

“Yeah, we’re still in contact,” Dean said. “I kind of surprised him [in the locker room] and he was so happy. ‘Now I get to play with you,’ because I was committed to Bama all the way to Signing Day and then I flipped. So, he was kind of mad. But we’re real tight.”

McKinney isn’t holding Dean’s college choice against him. After all, they might need him.

“I think he could provide depth for us,” McKinney said. “Obviously, he’s a talented player. I’ve been with him, I’ve seen him play for a long time. I think the biggest thing is going to be depth. We’re down a couple guys so as far as making sure that we’ve got backups to go out there and fill a role if somebody goes down and not having it be a complete dropoff, I think he’ll help us.”

Tra Fluellen Has Been Here Before

After intercepting five passes and adding 168 tackles during his final two seasons at Middle Tennessee State, Fluellen (6-foot, 212 pounds) went undrafted in 2024 and spent his rookie season on the Saints’ practice squad. He has not-so-fond memories of Green Bay.

“I came here two years ago with the Saints. I was on the practice squad, had to sit and watch through negative-9 degrees,” he said. “But getting to see the Pack kind of show out and come out, it was, obviously, just a realization of how together this town and this state is. And can’t describe a better place for myself right now coming in with some greats.”

Fluellen, who has been out of the NFL since being released by the Saints in June 2025, spent the spring playing with the Dallas Renegades of the UFL.

“I’m still considering myself as a rookie just because I haven’t been out there active on the field but, man, it’s been great,” he said of his early impressions of the team. “Everybody’s so welcoming and pushing me to be my best already, so I just love how we carry each other out here. Looking forward to opportunities and coming here and doing my job.”

That first opportunity will come against the Steelers on what likely will be a crash course in the defense.

Yeah, it’s a challenge, and it’s one he’s eager to tackle.

“At the end of the day, we’re all pros, so we’re all running the same things; just different terminology,” he said. “So, part of being a pro is coming in, doing your job and making those adjustments and realizing what you have to do.

“So, I got to do my part as a professional and learn the plays. You’re never going to be perfect – nobody’s ever perfect – but, to the best of my ability, I’m going to learn the plays as fast I can. Obviously, there’s no limit, but it’s going to be a quick turnaround, you know what I’m saying?”

Big Challenge, Big Opportunity

With just one practice to get ready, Dean and Fluellen will be asked to be the last line of defense on Thursday at the Steelers.

It almost sounds like Mission Impossible, but the reward is impossibly big.

“I’m going to learn the playbook, play to my fullest potential,” Dean said. “They know I can play, you know? So, put all the work together, put God first and I think I got a good shot to make this team.”

There is a real opportunity for Dean and Fluellen. Yes, it’s true that they are with the team to provide a couple sets of fresh legs and to prevent the starters from having to take too many reps.

However, it’s not as if there isn’t a roster spot there for taking. McKinney, Bullard and Evan Williams are locked into three places and Kitan Oladapo almost certainly will be the fourth. If the Packers keep five, which they typically do, the other options are Mark Perry, who went undrafted in 2024 and hasn’t played in a regular-season game, and Murvin Kenion III, an undrafted rookie.

So, it’s not as if they are fighting for roster spots against in-their-prime versions of Nick Collins and LeRoy Butler.

Dean said he worked out for the Titans a few days earlier and they were interested in signing him, but “everything” about the Packers “really fit for me” as a place to restart his NFL career.

“Shoot, it’s just thanking God, you know?” he said. “I trained my whole life to get this opportunity to showcase my skills. I knew it was going to come, no matter if it was here or somebody else, but I was praying it was going to be here because it’s a great organization.”

He added, “Any way I can help this team win the championship, I’m going to do it.”

What happened today at Packers training camp?

A lot, even with a shorter practice.

Here is everything that happned at Practice 11, including the latest on the cornerback battle, defensive domination, lineups, highlights, injuries and more. ⬇️https://t.co/Gyz94hfqKh
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 11, 2026

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