Lazard joins practice squad but for how long?

Allen Lazard had other practice-squad opportunities.

The Green Bay Packers filled their 10-man practice squad just before the start of Sunday’s practice – the first to get ready for Thursday’s season-opening showdown at Chicago. Perhaps the most important signing was Allen Lazard.

It was a surprise the 6-foot-5 receiver didn’t make the 53-man roster. With his size and preseason production, Lazard received multiple offers to sign a practice-squad contract but chose to return to Green Bay. That decision no doubt will make quarterback Aaron Rodgers happy.

Video: Whitted on Lazard, Shepherd

“I think it’s definitely one of the deeper groups that we’ve had,” Rodgers said of the state of a talented but unproven receiver corps last week. “There are a lot of guys with legitimate shots to make the team – some guys who you didn’t maybe think of before camp who have had incredible camps. And I’m talking about, specifically, Allan Lazard. He’s had a really nice camp, he’s made a bunch of plays. He’s always showing up on special teams. He does things the right way in practice. I think he’s put himself in position to legitimately be playing for all 32 teams. And we see that from time to time, the cliché that you’re always playing for the entire NFL, and that is true to a point if you’re good enough, and Allan is definitely good enough to be an NFL player. I think he’s had a fantastic training camp.”

It wasn’t a good enough camp to make the 53-man roster. The Packers kept six receivers, going with veteran receiver-returner Trevor Davis and undrafted rookie Darrius Shepherd over Lazard. But after a record-setting career at Iowa State and a strong preseason, he probably is a receiver who remains on NFL radars with the season about to begin. And that means his time on the practice squad might not last long. Remember, the Packers poached Lazard off Jacksonville’s practice squad in December and the same could happen to Green Bay.

“I just want to show these coaches I can do it all, whether it’s inside, outside, blocking, catching, special teams,” Lazard said during camp. “No matter what it is, I can do whatever I can to help this team win a Super Bowl.”