The Green Bay Packers elevated safety Benny Sapp III from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 11. The move was announced Saturday, making Sapp available for Matt LaFleur and the Packers for Sunday’s showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers at Lambeau Field.
Sapp is an undrafted rookie out of Northern Iowa. If active as expected, Sunday will be his first appearance in an NFL regular season game.
The Packers need depth at safety, where preferred starters Rudy Ford is doubtful to play and Darnell Savage remains on injured reserve. Jonathan Owens and rookie Anthony Jonhson Jr. will be expected to start vs. the Chargers.
Sapp, the son of former NFL cornerback Benny Sapp II, played 54 games at the collegiate level. He transferred from Minnesota to Northern Iowa and played in 30 straight games between 2020 and 2022. The Packers signed him in May.
Over three preseason games, Sapp was on the field for 63 total snaps on defense, recording two tackles and the game-ending interception in the preseason finale vs. the Seahawks. He was among the Packers defense’s highest-graded players during the exhibition schedule.
Sapp is the fifth different Packers player to be elevated from the practice squad this season. Three of the previous four — Patrick Taylor, Corey Ballentine and Innis Gaines — ended up on the 53-man roster for at least one game.
All teams are allowed to elevate up to two players from the practice squad each week. An individual player can only be elevated from the practice squad three times per season, so Sapp has two elevations remaining. On Monday, Sapp will revert back to the practice squad.
Elevations by week
Week 1: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 2: RB Patrick Taylor, DB Innis Gaines
Week 3: RB Patrick Taylor, CB Corey Ballentine
Week 4: CB Corey Ballentine, CB Kiondre Thomas
Week 5: CB Corey Ballentine
Week 7: None
Week 8: None
Week 9: DB Innis Gaines
Week 10: None
Week 11: S Benny Sapp III