Former Green Bay Packers receiver Malik Heath has been forced to write the next chapter of his NFL journey after his release from America's Dairyland in December and another from his new team on Tuesday afternoon.
Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, "A couple of veteran wide receivers who were restricted free agents but won't be tendered, per sources -- Seattle's Jake Bobo and Atlanta's Malik Heath. Both players will hit unrestricted free agency next week."
Heath's release was somewhat surprising in a sense, since he had worked his way from undrafted free agent to a steady hand on the special teams for the better part of three years. Unfortunately, the numbers game squeezed him out, since he was deep down on the depth chart as a receiver who is better at blocking than making explosive plays downfield.
His 31 catches, 308 yards, and three touchdowns in three seasons didn't impress the Packers, and did even less for the Falcons. Now, his future will depend on his ability to latch onto a team in training camp and outwork competition like he's done since working his way up from Copiah–Lincoln Community College, to the Mississippi State Bulldogs, to the Ole Miss Rebels, and eventually onto an NFL franchise that was in the title hunt every year he was able to earn his roster spot.
Malik Heath Had Mystery Issue With Packers This Past Season
Heath didn't travel with the team to their Nov. 16 matchup with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium because of a coaching decision from Matt LaFleur. He didn't reveal why, but Heath's lack of an explanation had reporters thinking the worst. And Heath was seemingly OK with it.
“I mean, like [LaFleur] said, ‘Coach’s decision,’” Heath said after practice on Nov. 19, via Channel3000.com. “I can’t speak on it. It wasn’t nothing bad or nothing like that ... I'm just going to keep stacking days, keep doing the little things right, keep my head up. And just keep working. That’s all I can say.”
Whatever it was that happened in Green Bay, it wasn't bad enough to prevent him from getting another job. It was seemingly just another wrinkle in a horribly disappointing season for the Packers.
And it was just part of Heath's non-linear football journey that now faces uncertainty during the offseason for the first time since he entered the league.
The Canton, Mississippi, kid has to work hard to overcome two releases in three months and a non-tender from a team that isn't impressed with its ranks beyond its WR1 (Drake London). He can stick somewhere else this offseason, though.