GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jake Kumerow was the star of the Packers‘ preseason.
Could he be the savior for the regular season?
The popular receiver with a Wisconsin connection returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since he suffered a sprain of the SC joint in his right shoulder on an end zone dive following a preseason catch-and-run touchdown on Aug. 16.
Kumerow would still have to be added to the 53-man roster, but he’s eligible to play Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings, where the Packers’ season at 4-5-1 could be on the line. Kumerow could play right away because he already has been on injured reserve for the requisite eight games. The Packers, however, have 21 days to either add him to the roster or return to him IR for the rest of the season.
When asked about Kumerow’s potential return, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said: “That could be the galvanizing moment.”
To be sure, Rodgers said it with a smile, referring to his comment after last Thursday’s loss at the Seattle Seahawks. It was then when Rodgers said the Packers needed “one galvanizing moment” to turn their season around.
However, Rodgers has raved about Kumerow since the offseason. The Packers signed him to their practice squad late last season. Even though he was injured in the Packers’ second preseason game, he still led them in exhibition receiving yards (190) and tied for the team lead with two touchdown catches.
“He’s a talented guy, and I think many of us were wondering if he was going to be back on the field this year,” Rodgers said. “He understands the game; he has a great sense about him. In space, he can get open. He was incredible in training camp earning a spot on the squad. Unfortunately, he’ll learn from diving in the end zone there. But yeah, it will be nice to get him out there and get him some opportunities.”
Kumerow first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2015 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent the final week of the 2016 season on the Bengals’ roster but was inactive for the season finale. He spent most of his first two years on the Bengals’ practice squad and looked like a good bet to make their team in 2017, until an ankle injury ruined that bid. He also had a brief stint on the New England Patriots‘ practice squad last season.
Kumerow has NFL bloodlines. His father, Eric, was a first-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1988. His uncle, John Bosa, was a Dolphins’ first-round pick in 1987. And his first cousin is Los Angeles Chargers star Joey Bosa.
If he makes his NFL debut this season, Kumerow will do so as a 26-year-old. He is older than the Packers’ leading receiver, Davante Adams, who is in his fifth pro season.
It wasn’t until this week that Kumerow knew he would get a chance to return this season. The Packers already used one of their two designated-to-return slots on kick returner Trevor Davis, who made his season debut last week at Seattle. But on Monday, Packers co-director of player personnel John Wojciechowski asked Kumerow if he was ready to come back.
“I said, ‘Hell yeah,’” Kumerow said.
And Kumerow says he believes he can pick up where left off during the preseason.
“It can definitely be replicated,” Kumerow said after Wednesday’s practice. “I feel good. I haven’t lost a step. I’ve been training just as hard as the guys practicing. Being out there today, my wind was good, and I think I can definitely come back and do what I was doing where I left off.”
When told Rodgers half-jokingly referred to his return as possibly the galvanizing moment, Kumerow said: “I’ll just try to make plays. Being a receiver, we are playmakers; and if I can do that to help the team, make a big play, get the sideline hyped, get the crowd hyped, make a good catch and get the offense some confidence and the defense pumped up, I think that’s the big thing. Just make a big catch or make a couple in the game and get everybody hyped up.”
By activating Kumerow for practice, the Packers have now used both of their designated-to-return spots off injured reserve. It means receiver Geronimo Allison‘s season is over. Allison had groin surgery and could have returned for the postseason.
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