Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
GREEN BAY – Darrius Shepherd is right back in the same place he was a year ago.
The young receiver is making a strong bid for a roster spot as an underdog candidate at a crowded position.
It may not sound like progress, but Shepherd is beyond thankful just for the chance.
The Cinderella story of last year's camp as an undrafted rookie out of North Dakota State who made the 53-man roster, Shepherd unfortunately saw the clock strike midnight last October in prime time vs. Detroit.
A muffed punt and a slip on a goal-line pass that led to a deflection and interception were two large miscues that nearly cost the Packers the game. Three weeks later, he was released.
Often for a young player in that situation, his team moves on. The Packers didn't, however, bringing Shepherd back two days later on the practice squad, where he stayed the rest of 2019.
"It's the NFL and it's a small margin for error," he said. "You can't really make those mistakes.
"I was super grateful to the Packers organization, for the player personnel (staff) and the coaches believing in me, giving me another opportunity to come back. I'm just trying to prove everybody that believes in me right."