Report: Packers sign Will Sheppard after failed physical with Tampa Bay

Former Colorado and Vanderbilt receiver Will Sheppard will sign with the Green Bay Packers, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Sheppard had previously signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent this offseason but was released from the team on May 9 after he failed a physical.

Following his release, he worked out with the Denver Broncos at their minicamp but was not signed. It all worked out in the end, though, as Sheppard lands with the Packers just in time for the start of training camp.

Sheppard played this past season for the Buffaloes after spending the first four years of his college career with the Commodores. He finished with 48 catches for 621 yards and six touchdowns, ranking third overall on the team in receiving yardage.

The 6-foot-3 receiver had a starting role each of the past four seasons and appeared in 55 total games across his five-year career. He finished his time in college with 200 catches for 2,688 yards receiving and 27 touchdowns overall.

Sheppard played high school football for Mandeville (LA), where he was a three-star prospect in the class of 2020. He ranked as the No. 1,004 overall player and No. 167 receiver in the cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

Will Sheppard now joins a Packers team coming off of an 11-6 finish and appearance in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. He’ll now look to compete for reps in a WR room that includes first-round pick Matthew Golden.

Green Bay Packers release kicker Alex Hale

The Green Bay Packers announced on Monday they have released kicker Alex Hale. During training camp last year, Hall joined the Packers’ practice squad as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Hale signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in August after going undrafted. He played college football at Oklahoma State and was selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2023 after going 27 for 34 on his field goal attempts and 36 for 38 on extra points.

Alex Hale is from Australia and was part of his country’s World Cup soccer developmental program. Shortly after joining the Packers last year, Hale talked about moving to America and playing football.

“I stopped wakeskating and I wanted to go to college and wanted to pursue a sport at the same time,” Hale said, per Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. “So, I began looking at kicking and I started from scratch. Went to see John [Carney] and he told me as much as he could and sent me on my way.”

On3’s Brian Jones contributed to this report.