Packers WR Shepherd bids for roster spot
GREEN BAY - After the worst game of his life, after his subsequent release, after his shot with the Green Bay Packers appeared over, Darrius Shepherd wasn't bitter, dejected or even humiliated. He was relieved.
Shepherd knew what the aftermath of his mistakes against the Detroit Lions last season could have been. He had caused an interception when Aaron Rodgers' pass deflected off his facemask, but that alone might have been pardonable. Much worse, Shepherd had a cataclysmic breakdown in judgment, trying to return a punt instead of calling fair catch with Lions cornerback Dee
Virgin barreling down at him. Virgin crushed Shepherd's ribs about the time he caught the football, raising both hands above his shoulders to do so, causing a fumble.
The fumble gave the Lions a field goal, breaking a 13-13 tie. The Packers would come back to win, but Shepherd knew the two errors were unacceptable. When the Packers released him shortly after, he wasn't surprised.
He was, however, relieved. Because instead of jettisoning him to another team, the Packers made clear they wanted him back on their practice squad.
“I was super grateful to the Packers organization,” Shepherd said, “for the players personnel and the coaches believing in me, giving me another opportunity to come back, and just believe in me, let me grow and learn from that. I'm just trying to prove everybody that believes in me right.”
Shepherd is doing something with his second chance in this camp. It might not be enough to crack the 53-man roster when the Packers trim down at the end of this week. But Shepherd, much like when he was a long shot to make the Packers' 53-man roster a year ago in his first training camp, has positioned himself firmly on the bubble.
The Packers very well might have known their 53-man roster entering this week, which signaled the end of camp and beginning of game prep for Week 1 at the Minnesota Vikings. General manager Brian Gutekunst said Saturday only a few spots remain open in his mind. Given the numbers at receiver, specifically the amount of young, developmental projects, Shepherd might find himself on the wrong side of that bubble.
But the Packers couldn't ignore what Shepherd did Sunday. He's one of the smallest players on the field, but constantly the Packers would look up to find Shepherd catching the football. He caught four of his seven targets for a team-high 84 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown on third-and-6. There was also a 16-yard catch on third-and-5. A 9yard catch on third-and-7. And, capping his day, a 34-yard catch up the left seam on third-and-11.
Four catches. Four third-down conversions. No, Aaron Rodgers didn't throw any of those passes, indicating where Shepherd stands on the depth chart.
Still, Shepherd made his case. The Packers treated Sunday's scrimmage like the closest thing they'd get to a preseason game. Shepherd undoubtedly showed up.
“I always felt like I belonged,” he said. “I just needed the opportunity, and that's how I felt coming into training camp last year. Obviously, during the season, having the bad game, that definitely was frustrating. I just want to show I'm the player that everybody sees and hears about.
“I'm not the guy that made the mistakes. I'll learn from them, and try to grow and come back to show them I'm a player that can make plays and play in this league.”
Shepherd went to work this offseason, determined to put last year behind him. When he wasn't at home in Blue
Springs, Missouri, because of coronavirus reasons, he was training in California with former North Dakota State teammate Easton Stick. Now a quarterback with the Los Angeles Chargers, Stick gave Shepherd another professional to train with.
The workouts, Shepherd believes, further developed his game. Shepherd said he feels more comfortable beating man coverage than a year ago. Last year, Shepherd reached the NFL and realized cornerbacks were not only bigger and faster than in college, but also played with better technique. He had to relearn how to get open.
“Shep's done an outstanding job,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think he's again showed up, consistently separating and has caught the ball pretty well for the most part. I know there's a couple of plays here and there — just like every guy — that they'd always like to have back. One thing you know about Shep is he's going to prepare to the best of his ability, and he's been able to take what he knows from the classroom and put it on the field.”
That's the only way Shepherd could recover from last year. He made the mistakes, put them on film, for everyone to see. There was no guarantee he would get a second chance, but Shepherd believed. If that second chance came, he would be ready.
He has gotten himself close enough for another shot at the roster. Either way, Shepherd doesn't plan on stopping now.
“After that Detroit game,” Shepherd said, “I faced a lot of adversity personally and had to just overcome it. Growing physically, mentally, emotionally, all that kind of stuff, just learning to overcome. Taking the offseason just to grow and come back and be confident in my play and myself, and I'm excited to show what I do in practice on the game field hopefully.”