The Green Bay Packers continue to make roster adjustments as we approach training camp and the 2025 regular season. While one player may have been considered to have the potential to make the roster back in March, the same might not be said as we approach June.
This appears to have been the case in Green Bay, as the team has already moved on from a signing made shortly after the end of the 2024 campaign. To add a player to your roster, you must make a corresponding move to make space for them, and one defensive back learned that lesson the hard way on Wednesday.
Former BYU Cougars standout Kaleb Hayes was waived by Green Bay on Wednesday in order to make room for another veteran cornerback, as the Packers have signed former Houston Texans cornerback Gregory Junior.
Hayes was undrafted out of BYU and bounced around the NFL, making stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos before signing a futures/reserve contract with Green Bay in January 2025. Now, the 26-year-old will look to latch on with another franchise to keep his professional career alive.
While Hayes did not have much of an opportunity to show what he is capable of during his brief stint with the Packers, Junior should not run into that issue after joining the franchise before OTAs commence on May 27. A former sixth-round pick out of Ouachita Baptist, Junior has appeared in 10 games during his professional career and recorded 17 total tackles, including two for a loss. He also has one pass deflection to his credit.
The athleticism that Junior brings to the table could be what intrigued Green Bay's front office to give him a closer look. Despite standing 5'11" tall, Junior has a vertical leap of 39.5 inches and ran the 40-yard dash in just over 4.4 seconds. Those are qualities that any team would want to have in a defensive back.
It remains to be seen whether Junior can impress enough to stick with the Packers through training camp and have a legitimate shot at making the final roster. If he can, however, this signing will be one of the better ones made by Green Bay this offseason.