Green Bay Packers release veteran cornerback

The Green Bay Packers released one of their veteran cornerbacks on Tuesday, as their secondary continues to recover from injuries. Quinton Dunbar was cut from the team, his third time being cut by a team this season.

Packers release veteran cornerback

“[The] Packers cut veteran cornerback Quinton Dunbar,” reported Dov Kleiman on Tuesday. “Dunbar has been signed and cut by the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals and now [the] Packers in 2021.”

Dunbar was brought in to the Packers after injuries sidelined cornerbacks Kevin King and Jaire Alexander. With a timeline for their return in doubt, Dunbar could provide a veteran presence and an active player to help sure up their secondary during their time out.

The Packers elected to bring in Dunbar just in case. An undrafted free agent in the 2015 NFL draft, he started his career with the Washington Football Team. He spent four years in Washington before he was traded for the Seattle Seahawks in last year’s offseason. But his time with the Seahawks was short-lived. He suffered a knee injury midway through November and did not play the remainder of the season. Over his five years in the NFL, he’s played in 64 games, recorded 40 past deflections, and 10 interceptions.

Dunbar was signed to the Green Bay practice squad and not the main 53 man roster. As a member of the practice squad, he could have been elevated to the main roster twice. After that, the Packers would have had to choose between signing him for the remainder of the season or releasing him.

Although the Packers have injury concerns with their two starting corners, they still have ample help at the position currently on their roster. Their first-round pick in this year’s draft, Eric Stokes, filled in at starting corner in King’s absence for two games, and against Cincinnati, he started in place of Alexander. Aside from him, the Packers still have Chandon Sullivan, Isaac Yiadom, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Rasul Douglas.

Dunbar’s NFL start

Being signed to the Packers meant a reunion with defensive coordinator Joe Barry who was in Washington when he joined the NFL. Barry recounted that coming out of high school, Dunbar was one of the top wide receiver prospects in the country.

Although his college career didn’t quite match the level of hype he received in high school, he still joined Washington as an undrafted free agent and was given a chance in training camp.

Barry admitted that he was mostly on the team as a body to play preseason games, and that they had no intentions of having him make the team as a receiver. During camp, they had a practice scheduled with the Houston Texans and Washington did not have enough cornerbacks healthy to play the full practice.

While they decided what to do, someone at the team meeting suggested they put Dunbar at cornerback. The switch worked and helped pave the path for Dunbar to join the NFL as a defensive back instead of his original position of receiver.