The Green Bay Packers have given up on two promising members of their 2021 draft class, with the team releasing third-round receiver Amari Rodgers and seventh-round running back Kylin Hill on Tuesday.
Rodgers was billed as a “complete football player” after the draft but he made zero impact in about 1 2/3 seasons. He started only one game on offense – last year’s game at Arizona when Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were out – and finished his abbreviated time in Green Bay with almost as many fumbles (seven) as receptions (eight).
Rodgers, who was benched after fumbling a punt vs. Dallas, has more fumbles than every other receiver, running back or tight end drafted in 2021. In fact, he has more than twice as many fumbles than every one of those players other than Cleveland’s Demetric Felton (five).
The Packers moved up in the third round to select Rodgers and made him the 13th receiver off the board. The 85th overall selection, Rodgers is tied for 18th in the class with eight receptions. Among the players the Packers bypassed: receivers Nico Collins and Amon-Ra St. Brown. The 89th pick by Houston, Collins has 56 career receptions. The 112th pick by Detroit, St. Brown has emerged as a star with 139 career receptions.
Hill was the 19th of 20 running backs selected. Opportunities were fleeting in a backfield headed by Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Hill suffered a torn ACL when returning a kickoff at Arizona last season and made his 2022 debut with one carry vs. Detroit.
Early last week, with Jones looking iffy for the Dallas game with an ankle injury, coach Matt LaFleur said Hill had “been locked in. I thought he had a nice run the other day. That was good to just get that first carry out of the way and so we’ll get a good look at him throughout the week in practice.”
The moves created two open roster spots. One could go to receiver Randall Cobb, who can come off injured reserve this week. The other could go to running back Patrick Taylor, who opened the season on the 53, was released when Hill was activated from injured reserve and then re-signed to the practice squad.
Another option would be fortifying outside linebacker, which is a man down following Rashan Gary’s torn ACL. Tipa Galeai, a key player on special teams, remains on injured reserve but returned to practice last week. La’Darius Hamilton, who was elevated from the practice squad last week, could be promoted to the 53.
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