Packers GM Appears Brilliant After Signing Yet Another Former First-Round Pick

Packers GM Appears Brilliant After Signing Yet Another Former First-Round Pick

The Green Bay Packers‘ GM made what appears to be an intriguing move on Tuesday by signing former Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis to the practice squad.

 

 

This signing was first reported by ESPN’s senior NFL writer Jeremy Fowler, who noted:

 

 

Packers add LB Jamin Davis to the practice squad. Quite the luxury to have a former first-round pick with 36 starts on your practice squad. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him in game action.”

 

 

 

Davis was the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but hasn’t fully met expectations so far. Over three years with the Commanders, he played in 50 games, starting 36, and recorded 174 solo tackles, seven sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 10 QB hits.

 

 

 

 

Interestingly, some statistics—particularly those from Pro Football Focus—suggest that Davis was actually performing well this year. PFF rated his overall defense, run defense, and tackling grades all above 70, which are impressive numbers for a practice squad player. While the sample size of 86 snaps may factor into this, there’s still plenty to be optimistic about without needing to look too closely.

 

 

 

Packers may have just made another sneaky-great midseason signing

 

 

 

Perhaps it’s just recency bias, but on paper, this move appears to be another smart signing by Gutekunst. There’s a solid track record to suggest he might have unearthed another gem, with successful signings like Malik Willis, De’Vondre Campbell, and Rasul Douglas coming to mind as recent examples of finding value where others overlooked it.

 

 

 

One day, he might take a big risk and miss, but for now, it’s tough to dispute the decision-making of the Packers’ front office.

 

 

 

 

Additionally, Davis’ recent position change could facilitate his ability to contribute meaningfully with the Packers. Initially drafted as an off-ball linebacker, he played nearly all of his snaps in 2024 as a defensive end.

 

 

 

 

The Packers have solid depth at defensive end, allowing them the luxury of time to determine how Davis—still just 25 and possessing several above-average traits—fits into the long-term defensive plans. While it’s possible that this signing may not lead to anything significant, as Fowler points out, having young, former first-round picks on your practice squad is hardly a bad problem to have.