Green Bay Packers add long snapper to practice squad

The Green Bay Packers added former Iowa State long snapper Steven Wirtel to their practice squad on Thursday, according to Packers.com. Wirtel joins former UCLA kicker JJ Molson as the only two special teamers on the practice squad. He will be able to serve as a backup to Hunter Bradley and is able to join the active roster if needed under the NFL’s loosened roster movement rules for 2021.

The full 17-man practice squad roster is now filled out to begin the season. The Packers retained nine offensive players and six defensive players in addition to the two special teams players.

Green Bay Packers practice squad

Kurt Benkert, quarterback

Patrick Taylor, running back

Chris Blair, wide receiver

Equanimeous St. Brown, wide receiver

Juwann Winfree, wide receiver

Bronson Kaufusi, tight end

Cole Van Lanen, offensive tackle

Ben Braden, offensive guard

Jacob Capra, offensive guard

Abdullah Anderson, defensive lineman

Willington Previlon, defensive lineman

Tipa Galeai, linebacker

Ray Wilborn, linebacker

Kabion Ento, cornerback

Innis Gaines, safety

JJ Molson, Kicker

Steven Wirtel, long snapper

Transaction notes

Benkert is one of the Packers’ most high-profile practice squad members. In his final two seasons at Virginia, Benkert threw for over 5,700 passing yards, while tossing in 46 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

St. Brown has played in 24 games with the Packers over the past three years. He’s hauled in 28 catches for 445 yards and a touchdown.

A former defensive end out of BYU, Kaufusi was called “one of the happiest guys ever” by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He was a prolific pass rusher at BYU, racking up 26.5 sacks in his career there. He suffered a broken ankle in his first year in the NFL with the Ravens.

Braden played in six games for the Packers last season, including both playoff games. “Braden played the second-most snaps of any offensive player during the preseason,” wrote Yahoo’s Zach Kruse. “His 154 snaps trailed only the 157 from Yosh Nijman. He played 103 snaps at right tackle, 39 at left guard and 12 at right guard. According to Pro Football Focus, Braden allowed five pressures, including a sack, but he was still the team’s 10th highest-graded offensive player overall.”

Anderson is a 6-foot-3, 303-pound defensive lineman out of Bucknell. He played in six games in 2019 with the Chicago Bears, racking up four tackles and one sack. He also played one game in 2020 with the Minnesota Vikings.

Ento is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back out of Colorado. A former wide receiver, he switched to defensive back during his time with the Buffaloes.