Packers place OLB Jonathan Garvin on reserve/Covid list, sign OL Jon Dietzen to practice squad

Dietzen spent the summer in Green Bay’s camp

Jonathan Garvin, the Green Bay Packers’ 2020 seventh-rounder, was missing from practice during the media-open warmups today. It was later revealed that Garvin, an outside linebacker, was placed on the reserve/Covid-19 list by the team. The team has not commented on Garvin’s situation beyond the transaction, but there are very few scenarios where Garvin would be available to play against the Los Angeles Rams this week.

Outside linebacker is now an even more emphasized position than it was already, with Za’Darius Smith, Whitney Mercilus, Chauncey Rivers and Randy Ramsey on the injured reserve and Rashan Gary dealing with an elbow injury that cost him playing time last week. There’s a chance that after Preston Smith (423 defensive snaps), the most-played available outside linebackers to the Packers on Sunday will be La’Darius Hamilton (43 snaps, on practice squad currently) and Tipa Galeai (36 snaps, was just activated for the first time in 2021 last week.)

The Packers also signed Jon Dietzen, a former Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman who went to Seymour High School just a few miles west of Green Bay. Dietzen went through Green Bay’s training camp before eventually being released by the team. He started 39 games with the Badgers, playing both guard and tackle. At one point, Dietzen retired from the sport due to injuries but returned to the field in 2020 for Wisconsin before being picked up as an undrafted rookie free agent by his hometown team.

With Ben Braden called up from the practice squad yesterday, this gives the team a second offensive lineman on the practice squad alongside Cole Van Lanen, another rookie Badger tackle.