Packers do not activate Tipa Galeai from IR, season now over
By Paul Bretl
Tipa Galeai’s season is over for the Green Bay Packers. He was placed on IR with a hamstring injury in Week 6 and then designated to return in Week 10. That designation opened a three-week window for him to be added to the 53-man roster, but since he wasn’t added, according to Aaron Wilson, Galeai reverts back to season-ending IR.
Galeia, a 2020 undrafted rookie out of Utah State, made the Green Bay Packers’ initial 53-man roster out of training camp. He had appeared in the first five games as a core special teams player with 85 snaps and logged three tackles during that span. Galeai had no defensive snaps this season.
The Packers currently have four edge rushers on the roster — which is how many they’ve carried for most of the season — in Preston Smith, JJ Enagbare, Justin Hollins, and Jonathan Garvin, along with Quay Walker taking some occasional snaps there as well. Smith and Enagbare have taken the bulk of the snaps, with the recently signed Hollins and Garvin as rotational players.
Not surprisingly, the Packers’ pass rush has very much missed the presence of Rashan Gary. In order for the Packers to generate more consistent pressure moving forward, it will likely take Joe Barry utilizing more blitzes and stunts. But with that said, Enagbare has steadily improved, ranking 32nd out of 113 edge rushers in PFF’s pass rush win rate metric since Week 10. Hollins also made a splash in his Green Bay debut with three pressures, including a sack, and two stops.
The Green Bay Packers still have an open roster spot, and presumably, that is going to go to offensive tackle Caleb Jones, who has been on the non-football injury list since early on in the season. He has since returned to practice and his window to be added back to the roster is open.
Standing 6’9,” Jones brings rare size to the offensive tackle position and was quickly promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster following final cuts, as I imagine the Packers were concerned about another team trying to add him, given his upside and potential. Jones would be the 11th offensive lineman on the Green Bay roster.