The Green Bay Packers needed interior offensive linemen and linebackers. On Saturday, general manager Brian Gutekunst added former draft picks to the practice squad to address both issues: Guard Marquis Hayes and off-ball linebacker Michael Barrett.

As a corresponding move, the Packers released wide receiver Malik Knowles from the PS.

Linebacker

The issue at off-ball linebacker came up after Edgerrin Cooper hurt his hamstring last week. He missed the past two games because of it. Isaiah McDuffie is playing through an ankle injury, and the Minnesota Vikings signed Jamin Davis off the Packers' practice squad.

So Green Bay compensated for that by adding Michael Barrett, a rookie from Michigan — where he won a national championship and was named to the All-Big Ten team in 2022 and 2023. He was a seventh-round pick by the Carolina Panthers this year, but ended up being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in August.

He started the regular season on the Seahawks' practice squad, and also spent some time on the Cleveland Browns' PS.

Guard

The Packers have an issue at interior offensive lineman since Jordan Morgan went on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The only backup player at the position on the 53-man roster is center Jacob Monk, and he's been inactive lately. Donovan Jennings, a guard, is also on the practice squad since the start of the season.

Marquis Hayes is a seventh-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. He spent the first two seasons of his career with the Cardinals. He started this season on the team's PS, but was later released. Hayes spent the last two months on the Washington Commanders' practice squad. He hasn't played any regular season downs in the NFL.

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Both players the Packers signed had worked out for the team on Friday. Green Bay also worked out linebackers Sterling Weatherford and Tyler Murray, guard J.D. DiRenzo, and wide receiver Rory Starkey.

Malik Knowles, who was released by the Packers, is a second-year player and had been on the practice squad since October. The decision to move comes because the Packers have three other wide receivers on the practice squad, Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, and recently re-signed Alex McGough.

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