Packers Sign Familar Face to Practice Squad

The Green Bay Packers turned to a familiar face to fill a spot on the practice squad.

Following the promotion of rookie offensive tackle Brant Banks from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Tuesday, the team re-signed center/guard Lecitus Smith. He was on the practice field on Wednesday.

It’s Smith’s third stint with the team.

Smith was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round in 2022. As a rookie, he played in 10 games with two starts, logging a total of 209 snaps on offense, but was released at the end of training camp in 2023. Smith spent the rest of the season on the practice squads of the Texans and Eagles.

In 2024, the Packers invited him to their rookie camp for a tryout. He did enough to sign a contract, and he played well enough during training camp and the preseason to earn a spot on the practice squad. In mid-October, the Patriots signed him to their 53-man roster off Green Bay’s practice squad. He played in eight games with one start as an extra lineman.

Smith was released by the Patriots before this year’s draft and was released again by the Steelers during OTAs.

He rejoined the Packers early in training camp.

“Oh, I was excited, for sure, for sure,” Smith said after signing during camp. “Me and my fiancee jumping up around the house. I promise, we were. It’s good to be back in Green Bay, it really is.”

In three preseason games, he played 72 snaps – all at center.

“I want to show that I can be a consistent, good football player for this team,” Smith said. “I think that’s what they want to see out of me. They want to see a guy that can play multiple spots – both guard spots, center, of course – and be able to do it consistently. Not high one day and low the next or no drop-off. Just being a consistent, good football player. I get to that point and I’m consistent with that, I think I’ll be happy with myself.”

The Packers are dealing with two key injuries on the offensive line. Right tackle Zach Tom and left guard Aaron Banks were injured in Week 1, inactive in Week 2 and re-injured in Week 3. The promotion of Banks to the active roster will provide some depth on gameday, and the addition of Smith will provide experienced depth.

As for Banks, one of his college coaches spoke highly of his potential.

“He is a guy with a lot of natural, God-given ability,” Middle Tennessee State assistant coach Dylan Barnett told Packers On SI on Tuesday. “I don’t want to say that the sky’s the limit for him, but that combined with the way he works, the way he prepares – I’ve seen him show up to work every day and he prepares the right way. 

“He’s been treating it like a pro for a long time, so that’s going to set him up to be very, very successful. From what I know of Brant, the way that he prepares himself, the way he carries himself, I don’t think there’s any limit to what he can do.”

Packers Practice Squad

Here’s what the Packers’ practice squad looks like.

Quarterback: Clayton Tune.

Running back: Pierre Strong.

Receivers: Isaiah Neyor, Will Sheppard, Jakobie Keeney-James.

Tight end: Josh Whyle.

Offensive line: Lecitus Smith, Dalton Cooper.

Defensive tackle: James Ester.

Defensive ends: Arron Mosby, Deslin Alexandre.

Linebackers: Kristian Welch, Jamon Johnson.

Cornerback: Micah Robinson, Jaylin Simpson.

Safety: Johnathan Baldwin.

Kicker: Mark McNamee.

The Packers signed Keeney-James on Tuesday. He took the spot of Mecole Hardman.