Matt LaFleur insinuates the Packers cut player for not working hard enough
If you're a fan of the Green Bay Packers, the team-cutting wide receiver/punt returner Amari Rodgers was probably a sigh of relief. The former third-round pick had one less career fumble (seven) than receptions (eight) after all.
If cutting Rodgers was a relief, the team releasing running back Kylin Hill, who had flashed some real potential ever since being drafted in the seventh round in 2021, was a shock.
In fact, it was a head-scratcher, especially with starting running back Aaron Jones not known for being the most durable of players at 5-foot-9, 208 pounds and Hill having some of Jones' skillset -- specifically his speed and ability to make defenders miss in the open field.
While it may not have made a ton of sense football-wise, head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to the media on Tuesday and revealed that Green Bay letting Hill go was more of an off-field move than anything.
"Being a member of the Green Bay Packers is a privilege, and there are standards and expectations that are placed on every team that we expect them to live up to," LaFleur said, per reporter Ryan Wood.
Though Hill was firmly buried on the depth chart behind Jones and A.J. Dillon, LaFleur subtly hinted that the second-year running back out of Mississippi State wasn't working in such a way that he'd be ready if his number was ever called.
Hill played in only eight games for the Packers as a rookie, rushing just 10 times for 24 yards, but he did flash exciting speed and potential in his first preseason and also as a kick returner. He's spent most of the 2022 season on the injured reserve, making his debut against the Detroit Lions in Week 9.
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