Former Vols defender shows true value by surprisingly earning a spot on the Packers 53-man roster

Kamal Hadden was never a consistent player at Tennessee. And he hasn't been one for the Green Bay Packers. After a tough preseason Week 2 game against the Indianapolis Colts, it looked like the cornerback wouldn't make the initial 53-man roster. But he recovered in the preseason finale versus the Seattle Seahawks, and the last strong impression was worth it.

After all, Hadden was one of the six cornerbacks the Packers kept on the initial active roster. Surprisingly to some degree, general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to waive former seventh-round pick Kalen King instead—after clearing waivers, King decided to move on and sign with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad.

“I wouldn't say Kamal surprised anybody. He hadn't had an opportunity. He was nicked up a little bit at the beginning, and he played really well in the last couple of preseason games,” Gutekunst said on Wednesday. “I think it was just a matter of him getting out there and getting his opportunities, because he had a nice spring as well.”

Ups and downs with the Volts

Kamal Hadden is a defender who flashed a high level of play at Tennessee during the 2023 season. He was a player who actually started the year as a bit of a punching bag for fans online after having a viral highlight moment with a missed tackle attempt in a loss to Florida, but he blocked out the noise and had a terrific turnaround to his year.

It was ultimately cut short due to a shoulder injury, but he was among the best in the SEC in coverage with a PFF coverage mark of 90.4 and catch allowed rate of 36.4%.

The Packers protected him by keeping the player on the back end of the 53-man roster, rather than risking losing him to waivers to get him on the practice squad. That speaks to their belief in that talent and upside as well.

He has the physical tools/frame and ability to be at least a solid depth player in the league, if someone can harness those tools and bring out the ability he flashed two years ago.

Track record in the NFL

The cornerback had two seasons at Independence CC before becoming a Vol for three years. After finishing his college career at Tennessee, Kamal Hadden was a sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in last year's draft, but didn't make the initial 53-man roster.

A year ago, the Packers signed him to the practice squad. The patience was worth it. Hadden was elevated for one game as a rookie, against the Detroit Lions, and signed a future contract in Green Bay back in January.

The other five cornerbacks on the roster are Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, Carrington Valentine, Bo Melton, and rookie Micah Robinson. The competition was intense, but ultimately Hadden was good enough to secure a roster spot.