Packers Samori Toure Drawing Attention Through Offseason Programs

What takes place during OTAs and minicamp certainly isn’t the be-all-end-all. In fact, many would say that there isn’t much of anything that can be gleaned from those Green Bay Packers’ practices.

And while I largely have to agree, it’s not as if they are meaningless either, and first impressions do matter. One player in particular who is off to a good start and already turning heads is seventh-round pick, Samori Toure.

Toure spent the 2021 college season at Nebraska but played his first three seasons at FCS Montana. At both schools, he was a big-play threat, averaging 17.5 yards per catch on 113 targets in 2019 with Montana. Toure also totaled nearly 1,400 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns that season.

At Nebraska, he would average 19.5 yards per catch this past year on 46 receptions, and his 552 downfield receiving yards were the 10th most among all receivers in college football, according to PFF ($$).

It’s also important to mention that Toure has special teams experience at both Montana and Nebraska. This phase of the game will be his path to making the Packers’ final roster.

For all of the questions at the receiver position, it very well could be that all of the roster spots are already accounted for. Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have never rostered more than six receivers on the initial 53–and right now, I think it’s safe to say that six spots belong to Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, and Romeo Doubs.

Now, this doesn’t mean that things won’t be different in 2022, and the Packers won’t roster seven receivers this season, but for Toure to earn that spot, he is going to have to stand out on special teams–something that he has already done through the offseason programs.

Toure spent most of his time as a gunner at Nebraska and has filled that role early on with the Packers, which included several nice reps over the course of a few practices, as Andy Heman of Packer Report would note.

"“Special teams is so important, I feel like it’s one of the most underlooked aspects of football, just because everybody is so focused on offense and defense,” Toure told reporters last month. “But there’s a lot of hidden yardage on special teams, and like I said, I feel like the more I can contribute on special teams and hopefully be able to change the game, the better off I’ll be and the better off the team will be.”"

Although special teams may be Toure’s path to the final roster, he also has to prove himself on the offensive side of the ball as well–which again is something he has done early on.

During one of the two-minute drill sessions, Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated would call Toure’s performance “sensational,” as he was able to make a number of plays with Jordan Love at quarterback to help move the offense down the field and into the red zone.

Aaron Rodgers, when on the Pat McAfee Show this past Wednesday, would also compliment Toure — although not by name — when discussing the Packers’ rookie wide receivers.

"“Physically, they definitely look the part,” Rodgers said via Packers Wire. “All three of the guys we drafted all have physical gifts. Obviously, the top two picks are bigger, but the seventh-rounder has a lot of stuff to him.”"

Certainly, standing out on offense will be important for Toure, but while earning a roster spot may already be an uphill battle of its own, finding playing time on the offensive side of the ball this season will be an even bigger challenge.

As Rodgers would say during minicamp, he prefers production over potential, meaning that he is likely going to rely more so on the Packers veteran receiving options than the rookies early on. There will also be plenty of targets for Robert Tonyan, Aaron Jones, and AJ Dillon–all of which creates very few targets for a seventh receiver on the roster and illustrates why special teams play is so important for Toure.

Training camp and the preseason begins in just a few short weeks, and that is where Toure will really have to continue to perform well if he hopes to make the final roster.

Step one is continuing to learn the offense, which, as Rodgers mentioned, there are two versions of — there is the playbook and then what actually takes place on the field — and, of course, also maximizing his opportunities on special teams.

However, with that said, it’s never a bad thing to get off on the right foot — even in offseason programs when the pads aren’t on — which Toure certainly has.