On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers added tight end to their practice squad, according to Packers On SI.
Lumpkin, who went undrafted in 2023, began his rookie preseason with the Patriots before spending time on the practice squads of the Colts and Broncos. He was not affiliated with any team during this summer’s training camp.
During his college career at Louisiana, Lumpkin recorded 36 receptions for 408 yards and six touchdowns over four seasons. In his senior year of 2022, he had 16 catches for 143 yards and four touchdowns.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 264 pounds before the 2023 NFL Draft, Lumpkin is a sizable tight end. He ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash, resulting in a Relative Athletic Score of 6.46.
His college position coach and current head coach, Michael Desormeaux, noted, “He brings significant value to our run game and the things we do. For him to make it at the next level, his strength will be in blocking. NFL teams typically have a few players who excel at blocking the ‘C’ gap, despite the abundance of elite pass catchers.”
Lumpkin faced challenges during his career, missing the 2019 season due to a shoulder injury and dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 in 2020. He reflected, “It was frustrating because I felt ready to contribute right away, but the speed of the game was different from what I expected.”
Lumpkin takes the place of Messiah Swinson, who was recently promoted from the Packers’ practice squad to the Panthers’ 53-man roster.
Currently, the Packers’ active roster includes tight ends Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, and Ben Sims, but they had no tight ends on their practice squad before this signing. With a full practice squad of 17 players, the Packers will need to make another roster move.
Additionally, three 2021 draft picks—receivers Seth Williams and Racey McMath, and defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall—also participated in recent workouts.
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