Packers Stun Fans Again with a Fifth Shocking Deal in 18 Months, Revealing an Obsessive Chase for One Mysterious Star.QQ
GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a move that defies logic and screams of NFL absurdity, the Green Bay Packers have once again flung open the doors of Lambeau Field for a player who’s become as synonymous with the franchise as cheese curds and frozen tundra. On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the Packers inked interior offensive lineman Lecitus Smith to their practice squad—for the fifth time in just 18 months. Yes, you read that right: fifth. It’s a revolving-door saga that’s equal parts baffling, inspiring, and downright bizarre, painting a picture of a team in unrelenting pursuit of a journeyman whose grit might just be the secret sauce to their success.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill roster tweak. With starting center Elgton Jenkins sidelined on injured reserve after a brutal hit in last week’s thriller against the Lions, the Packers needed depth along the line—and who better to fill the void than the guy they’ve cut, re-signed, elevated, and released more times than Aaron Rodgers has thrown interceptions in a single season? Smith’s return caps a whirlwind campaign that’s seen him bounce between Green Bay and oblivion like a pinball in a Packers-themed arcade.
Let’s rewind the tape on this enigmatic odyssey, because the timeline reads like a soap opera scripted by a sadistic GM. It all kicked off in earnest last offseason, when Smith—fresh off a tryout that turned heads at rookie minicamp—signed with Green Bay on May 6, 2024. The Packers saw enough in the 6-foot-2, 300-pound bruiser from Northern Iowa to keep him around through training camp. But reality bit hard: He was waived on August 27 amid final cuts, only to be scooped back up to the practice squad the very next day. A brief detour to New England followed on October 15, where the Patriots poached him for their 53-man roster. Smith suited up for eight games with the Pats, logging five offensive snaps and 28 on special teams, even starting one as an extra tight end in a pinch. But the NFL’s cutthroat nature struck again; he was released in March 2025, adrift and unsigned until Green Bay came calling once more.
Fast-forward to this season, and the plot thickens into full-on farce. Smith rejoined the Packers’ training camp roster on August 5, 2025, only to be cut again on August 26. Undeterred, he landed on the practice squad September 24 and earned a gameday elevation for the September 28 showdown at Dallas, where he provided crucial reps in a 27-24 nail-biter win. But the hits kept coming: Released November 4 amid a roster shuffle triggered by tight end Tucker Kraft’s IR stint, Smith was back in green and gold by Wednesday. That’s four transactions in three months alone—not counting the offseason loop-de-loop from 2024. In total, since May 2024, the Packers have signed, cut, or elevated Smith five times. It’s not a contract; it’s a subscription service with no cancellation fee.
What makes this unrelenting pursuit so jaw-dropping? Smith’s resume isn’t that of a perennial Pro Bowler. Drafted in the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022, the Midwestern workhorse flashed promise as a rookie, appearing in 10 games with two starts at guard. But 2023 was a washout—no games, no glamour. His Patriots detour last year was more survival than stardom. And yet, here he is, back in Titletown, USA, because the Packers can’t seem to quit him. Coaches rave about his versatility—he can slide in at left guard, right guard, or center without missing a beat—and his intangibles: that blue-collar ethos forged on Iowa cornfields and polished through years of rejection.
“It’s not hard to keep going,” Smith told reporters post-signing, his voice steady as a Lambeau Leap. “We’ve been playing this game since we were 8 years old. This is what you’ve been doing for many, many years of your life. The alternative? ‘Oh, wow, what’s next?’ So, you don’t stop grinding. You just keep praying for a call. Keep grinding, keep praying for a call. It’s all you can do, but the grind don’t stop.”
That mentality? It’s catnip for a Packers organization built on underdogs and overachievers. Head coach Matt LaFleur, ever the optimist, hinted at Smith’s staying power in a pre-practice scrum: “Lecitus is one of those guys who just gets it. He’s versatile, he’s tough, and he’s got that fire. We’ve seen what he can do in spots, and with Elgton down, we need that depth. This isn’t charity—it’s smart football.”
Analysts are split on the “bizarre” label. Some call it a symptom of the Packers’ thin interior line, exposed by Jenkins’ absence and the brutal NFC North grind. Others see genius in the familiarity: Why waste time onboarding a rookie when Smith’s playbook fluency is Packers gospel? “It’s like dating your ex who keeps ghosting you,” quipped ESPN’s Rob Demovsky on his Packers podcast. “Frustrating, but damn if they don’t click when it counts.” And count it does—Smith’s elevations have coincided with key wins, including that Dallas dagger that kept Green Bay’s playoff hopes flickering at 7-3.
For Smith, though, this isn’t about headlines or head-scratching. It’s personal redemption. “I want to show that I can be a consistent, good football player for this team,” he said, eyes locked on the horizon. “They want to see a guy that can play multiple spots—both guard spots, center, of course—and be able to do it consistently. Not high one day and low the next, no drop-off. Just being a consistent, good football player. I get to that point and I’m consistent with that, I think I’ll be happy with myself.”
As the Packers gear up for a Thursday night clash with the Bears—yes, the rivalry that never sleeps—this fifth pact feels like more than a roster Band-Aid. It’s a testament to persistence in a league that chews up dreams and spits out millionaires. Will Smith stick this time, or will the door spin again come December? Only time—and perhaps another IR call—will tell. But one thing’s clear: In the unrelenting pursuit of victory, the Packers have found an enigmatic ally who’s as stubborn as a Lambeau snowstorm. And for now, that’s enough to keep the faithful believing.
