Packers: 3 roster bubble players to watch at training camp
DeAngelo Yancey
Excitement abounds about the Packers’ trio of newly drafted receivers: J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown. But fans shouldn’t forget about DeAngelo Yancey, who will make a serious push for a roster spot.
The Packers selected Yancey in the fifth round of the 2017 draft. He’s a big receiver with adequate speed, standing 6-feet and 5/8 of an inch tall and 220 pounds, with a 4.53 40-yard dash at his Purdue pro day. Physically, he’s comparable to retired Packer James Jones.
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Yancey spent 2017 on the practice squad after a fairly ordinary training camp. He caught three passes for 67 yards in the preseason, including one impressive deep reception from Taysom Hill on a nine route.
Yancey averaged nearly 20 yards per reception in college. With his size and strength, he has the ability to elevate above defenders and win at the catch point. He’s also dropped around 15 pounds this offseason, according to an article by Packers.com, in an effort to become faster.
If Yancey becomes faster, that will help. To make the team, though, he’ll need to become a valuable special teams contributor, refine his route running, and earn the trust of Aaron Rodgers and DeShone Kizer.
The Packers will keep somewhere between five and seven receivers on the roster. After surefire roster locks Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, Yancey will be competing with current number three receiver Geronimo Allison, speedy third-year player Trevor Davis, 6-feet-6-inch Michael Clark, and the three 2018 draft picks for three to five spots.