With injuries hitting at linebacker and running back, the Green Bay Packers needed to add depth at both positions before going to Denver for a joint practice and preseason game vs. the Broncos. The additions? Rookie linebacker Chris Russell and former Packers running back Nate McCrary, who are both on the field and practicing on Wednesday.
With a full 90-man roster, corresponding moves were required. The Packers released safety Tyler Coyle and rookie long snapper Peter Bowden on Wednesday, per Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com.
Russell is an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M, where he was teammates with Packers rookie Edgerrin Cooper. McCrary spent part of training camp and played in two games with the Packers last summer. He most recently played in the UFL.
Coyle, who signed in Green Bay in January, made some plays during training camp but got stuck in a young, deep position group. He went undrafted out of Purdue in 2023 but spent time with the Dallas Cowboys last season.
Bowden, a rookie out of Wisconsin, has been released for the second time during training camp. The Packers released him on July 23 but brought him back a week later on July 30. Bowden, a highly decorated collegiate long snapper, has been competing with veteran Matt Orzech. It’s possible the Packers could bring him back again at some point once the depth chart isn’t so affected by injuries.