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Packers Sign One Defensive Back, Release Another Off Practice Squad

The Packers released safety Murvin Kenion, who had a good preseason.
Bill Huber|
Green Bay Packers safety Murvin Kenion III was released from the practice squad.
Green Bay Packers safety Murvin Kenion III was released from the practice squad. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers signed Kahlef Hailassie to the practice squad and released Murvin Kenion, according to a source.

Hailassie was on the practice field for Wednesday’s practice. Just like that, he’s a next man up at safety, where the Packers went light with only Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard and Kitan Oladapo on the 53-man roster.

A college cornerback, Hailassie played at Oregon in 2018 and 2019 and Western Kentucky in 2021 and 2022, with a year of junior-college ball in between. After intercepting two passes and adding three sacks and eight tackles for losses as a fifth-year senior, he went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Chiefs as a rookie free agent.

Hailassie stuck at cornerback during his NFL training camp but was released among Kansas City’s final cuts, then spent his rookie season on the 53-man roster of the Browns, for whom he played in nine games and recorded eight tackles in 105 snaps on defense and 102 on special teams.

The Browns released him midway through the 2024 season and signed him to the practice squad. He played in one game with eight snaps on special teams during the season.

He Knows the Opponent

Notably, Hailassie signed a futures contract with the Vikings after the 2024 season and competed for a roster spot the last two years. In 2025, his preseason snaps were at safety and slot. He intercepted two passes in a preseason game against the Texans.

“It's really just about staying consistent in the details, even just as far as coming out here during practice, still going hard, still making sure you're maintaining your craft. Just the little details [and] staying consistent with them,” he told Fox 9 at the time.

He wound up joining the Jaguars’ 53-man roster for several games last year before finishing the season back on Minnesota’s practice squad.

In 2026, with almost all of his defensive snaps in the preseason coming at safety, he finished second on the team in the preseason with 13 tackles and added one interception.

Before the 2023 draft, he measured 6-foot 1/2. He did not run a 40 but posted an excellent three-cone time. His Relative Athletic Score of 6.51.

“I see myself as a playmaker,” he told The Observer before the 2023 draft. “I make plays wherever I'm at on the field. I can play man-to-man, zones and blitz, which increases my value in versatility. I can do it all. …

“I feel like I'm very versatile. I can play each position. I can do everything on the field, so I displayed a lot of that [at pro day]. So, hopefully they're going to see that.”

He told Draft Diamonds that his favorite player is Charles Woodson.

“Hailassie is a twitchy athlete who can mirror and match, although he will surrender separation when caught upright and on his heels,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote before the 2023 draft. “As a tackler, he stays balanced as a finisher when working from high to low. He plays fearless with a brash attitude.

“Hailassie needs to play with more disciplined eyes, but he is long, fluid and controlled in his movements to cover from press or off coverage.”

More Practice Squad Movement

The Packers have a new running back on the practice squad, too, with Damon Bankston. His addition probably coincides with this noteworthy absence at practice.

Bankston, an undrafted free agent, was a playmaker in college. He had a predraft visit with the Packers but signed with the Giants.

As for Kenion, he went undrafted this year after a standout senior season at Nevada, where he was coached by former Packers cornerback Joey Thomas. Kenion and Mark Perry competed to be the No. 5 safety. Instead, with Week 1 almost here, neither player are on the roster.

Packers Practice Squad

Here’s the 17-player unit.

Offense (9): QB Kedon Slovis, RB Pierre Strong, RB Damon Bankston, TE Drake Dabney, WR Isaiah Neyor, WR Chris Hilton, G Dillon Wade, G Josh Gesky, T Dalton Cooper.

Defense (6): DT Jaden Crumedy, edge Arron Mosby, edge Nyjalik Kelly, LB Kristian Welch, CB Domani Jackson, S Kahlef Hailassie.

Special teams (2): LS Scott Daly, K Lenny Krieg (international).

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.