Packers sign Dimitri Stanley, son of former Green Bay WR Walter Stanley
The Green Bay Packers signed former Iowa State wide receiver Dimitri Stanley after watching him in action during rookie minicamp. The signing was announced on Monday, and Stanley is the son of former Packers wide receiver Walter Stanley who was with the team 1985-1989. Along with adding Dimitri Stanley to the roster, the Packers signed former Central Michigan wide receiver Julian Hicks and former Virginia Tech offensive lineman Lecitus Smith.
Dimitri Stanley joins the Packers after having a solid career at Iowa State. In two seasons with the Cyclones, Stanley caught 48 passes for 559 yards and a touchdown in 23 games with nine starts. He began his college career with the Colorado Buffaloes and registered 70 receptions for 820 yards and four touchdowns. He was selected to SB Nation’s All-Pac 12 Freshman Team in 2019 after tallying 29 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns.
Dimitri Stanley’s father loves seeing his son with the Packers
Walter Stanley is hoping that everything works out for his son. While speaking with Sports Illustrated, the former Packers wide receiver said the younger Stanley earned a spot on the roster.
“I thought this was well-deserved for him, something that he had worked his tail off for,” Walter said. “The icing on the cake was it being the Green Bay Packers. Of course, in my home, we are all green and yellow. We’re Packers through and through, and to connect with the team that was a childhood dream team has just been phenomenal.
“It’s been a phenomenal feeling for him, phenomenal feeling for the family, phenomenal feeling for my extended family, as well, because they know that that’s kind of where my journey started. Having your kid’s journey start in the same place is amazing.”
Walter also talked about Dimitri not getting the ball a lot in college. “He had probably one of the worst experiences I’ve ever seen any kid that I’ve been around his last year of college and what he had to deal with in terms of just not getting the ball but being on the field and being called on to just go down and block and run decoy routes, clear-out routes, and know that that ball was always going to go to someone else, even if he was open,” Walter said.
With the signings of Dimitri Stanley, Hicks and Smith, the Packers released cornerback Anthony Johnson, defensive lineman Deandre Johnson and wide receiver Thyrick Pitts. Green Bay will now get ready for OTA offseason workouts which begin May 20.