Patrick Taylor, an RB, joins the Packers’ active roster.
Weeks 1-3 were when Taylor had previously been called up.
The Green Bay Packers have made a few roster changes ahead of their Week 5 Monday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. The most significant change is that running back Patrick Taylor, a former member of the Packers practice squad, has been added to the 53-man roster, enabling him to participate in tonight’s game in Las Vegas.
Taylor had used up all of his practice squad promotions for the season when he was previously called up by the Packers in Weeks 1 through 3. Taylor had to be added to Green Bay’s active roster in order for them to employ him once again, which they did.
Taylor has gained 29 yards from nine ball carries and 23 yards from three ball receptions this season. He has played 49 offensive snaps and 28 special teams snaps thus far in 2023, which equates to 26% and 35% of the overall snap totals on those respective teams.
Taylor has made a significant contribution on special teams on the punt protection and kickoff units, where injuries have accumulated. Furthermore, according to recent sources, Aaron Jones, the team’s favored starting running back, is unlikely to play against the Raiders due to a hamstring injury. As a result, the only backfield options available to the team are AJ Dillon, Taylor, and undrafted rookie Emmanuel Wilson.
Due to Dillon’s struggles during the 2023 season, Taylor will be used by the Packers in “crunch time” against the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in Weeks 2 and 3. Despite being a preseason sensation, Wilson has only appeared in two games this year, totaling just 13 offensive snaps. Wilson is yet to play a down in
The Packers made room for Taylor by releasing outside linebacker Justin Hollins in a comparable roster move. After being claimed off waivers by Green Bay in the previous season, Hollins re-signed with the team in the summer for a one-year deal. Since Hollins only played 84 defensive snaps for Green Bay in 2023, Rashan Gary and/or Lukas Van Ness will likely see a rise in snap count in the near future.
Additionally, according to Demovsky, cornerback Corey Ballentine was promoted off the practice squad. Ballentine was the player who saw the most of the action against the Detroit Lions last week. Ballentine is done practicing heights for the rest of the season as this is his third elevation. Ballentine will probably be used less on defense this week because it looks like Raiders cornerback Jaire Alexander (back) will play. Head coach Matt LaFleur said that Ballentine replaced rookie seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine as an every-down cornerback as it became apparent that the Lions would run the ball offensively.
In a press statement, the Packers stated that they only used one of their two practice squad call-ups for
