It's back to Green Bay for former Trojan Russell

By JASON PEEVYHOUSE

Sports Editor

After being released by the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday as part of the cuts to get down to the 53-man roster by the NFL's deadline, former Dyersburg Trojan Chris Russell didn't stay on the market long as the Packers have signed the Texas A&M rookie to the team's practice squad.

Chris Russell

AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Each team can carry as many as 16 players on its practice squad. Ten of those players have to be rookies or second-year players. There's no eligibility restrictions for the other six players. Teams can use a "standard elevation" to make as many as two practice squad players available to play in a regular season game without moving them to the active roster. However, the elevation can only be used a maximum of three times on a single player. To make a player available for a fourth regular season game, he would need to be moved to the active roster. Teams can sign players from another team's practice squad, but must sign them directly to their active roster and can't move them laterally to the practice squad.

Being on the practice squad is one step away from being on the active roster of an NFL team.

Dyersburg High School Head Coach Bart Stowe said being signed to the practice squad is a big step in Russell's career.

“The young man has an opportunity in front of him with the team,” Stowe explained. “He keeps going and keeps playing football with the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

“They're a great organization. It says a lot about the young man. We here at Dyersburg High School, the Dyersburg community, and our football program here are so proud of him.”

Stowe said it's truly special to see Russell just one step away from the active roster of an NFL team.

“I wish the best for him,” Stowe said. “I've always been a big Packer fan and I am even more now.”

Russell was in Dyersburg this week and made a couple visits to his alma mater's practices.

“It felt great to have him here,” the DHS head coach said. “He was able to talk to the coaches and talk to the team.

“It was just great having him here. He enjoyed being here and we haven't been with him in a long time. He's part of us. He can remember his old locker and his old number. He got to revisit and be a part of it.”