What to Know: Packers Sign CB Donte Vaughn & Cut 3

There has been no shortage of roster moves made by the Green Bay Packers over the last day or so.

It began with them announcing the signing of safety Dallin Leavitt. It was then reported that Green Bay had signed USFL wide receiver Osirus Mitchell. Followed by 2022 UDFA offensive lineman Ty Clary.

Now, the latest addition announced by the Packers is the signing of cornerback Donte Vaughn.

Vaughn was a 2020 undrafted rookie from Norte Dame who spent time on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad. He has no career NFL snaps at this point.

Vaughn has excellent length for a cornerback, measuring in at 6’2″ and weighing 211 pounds. He was primarily a boundary cornerback during his time with the Irish and played 834 snaps over four seasons, according to PFF ($$).

During that span, Vaughn allowed a completion rate of 56% on 72 targets at 11.2 yards per catch with eight pass breakups and one interception. He also had an additional 114 snaps on special teams.

While the Packers do have Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, and Jaire Alexander as their starting cornerbacks, behind them are some real question marks.

Keisean Nixon is the most experienced of the bunch — although that isn’t saying much with just under 300 career defensive snaps — and he does offer the Packers an additional slot presence, as does Shemar Jean-Charles.

Although I wouldn’t call those two absolute locks, I would say that they are the favorites for two of the remaining roster spots at cornerback. Then there is Kabion Ento, who has shined the last two summers, Rico Gafford, a recent wide receiver convert who has blazing speed, and Kiondre Thomas.

For what it’s worth, each year under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have rostered no more than six cornerbacks on the initial 53-man. And as always, when it comes to deciding these final few roster spots, special teams matters.

In order for the Packers to make these four additions, they needed to make three corresponding cuts since they entered Monday with 89 players on the roster–one short of full capacity.

The players released were three undrafted rookies in safety Tre Sterling, interior defensive lineman Hauati Pututau, and cornerback Raleigh Texada.

Green Bay must have felt that Leavitt was an upgrade over Sterling — possibly because of his special teams experience — and that Vaughn was an upgrade over Texada. When it comes to Pututau, he is at a position where there may not even be a roster spot available.