A training-camp darling who steals the show is always fun to see. When it happens on Family Night in Green Bay in front of nearly 60,000 fans, it’s even better.
Omar Brown will have his work cut out for him to make Green Bay’s final 53-man roster. At a minimum, he’s maximizing what he can control and giving the Packers something to really think about.
Brown had two interceptions in training camp before racking up three on Saturday night at Lambeau Field. Sure, it’s just a scrimmage between both sides of the ball. Still, it holds incredible value to players like Brown, who are trying to make an impression.
An impression he did leave, and he did so in front of family and friends.
It felt good. I got my family out there, so it definitely feels good to make plays in front of them. Most importantly, it’s just being out there playing defense. It’s my first Family Night, so just being in front of the crowd and making plays is super fun.
More importantly, Brown raised eyebrows among his teammates and coaches. Safety Zayne Anderson said:
He’s a stud. He attacks every day like a true pro. He’s always wanting to get better and he’s always asking questions, which I think is the first thing, and he does his job, which, clearly tonight, he gets those interceptions.
Brown seized his opportunities on Saturday. What he can’t control is the numbers game the Packers have at safety, and how even with a standout summer, it’ll be tough to carve out a spot on the final roster.
Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard aren’t going anywhere. After that, there’s Kitan Oladapo, a fifth-round pick in 2024, and Anderson, who’s a special teams ace for Rich Bisaccia.
After that is a tier with Brown and a couple of other names.
It’s unlikely the Packers will keep six safeties on their final roster. While it’s an uphill battle, Brown can leapfrog that second tier and onto the roster if he keeps shining.
The Denver Broncos signed Brown as an undrafted free-agent addition last season, but they released him last August. Green Bay swooped in, and Brown subsequently spent most the 2024 season on the practice squad.
One way to positively spin this is to note that Brown was scratching for a practice squad spot last season. If he doesn’t make the final roster this year, he’s almost guaranteed a place on the practice squad.
Having the support of his teammates certainly helps. McKinney was chanting “MVP” in the background of Brown’s locker-room interview on Saturday night and later spoke about the second-year safety.
I’m proud of him, and I can’t wait to continue to just see him grow. After his third one, I just said, ‘Just stay consistent. Stay focused.’ Because as you make those plays, everybody’s patting you on the back, but you’ve still got to understand, you’re still trying to make the team.
Making the final 53 is surely Brown’s goal, but it’s tough on a team that tripled up at his position in the 2024 draft and forked over $115,000 guaranteed to Johnathan Baldwin, a rookie who played slot at UNLV and also safety.
His performance this summer has elevated Brown into a spot where the Packers will at least have to have a serious conversation about finding room for him — that is, if this trend continues into the preseason.
It’s not just his teammates taking notice. The first two questions head coach Matt LaFleur was asked at the podium following the festivities over the weekend were about Brown.
He’s definitely a guy we had our eye on coming out in the draft process. We had him in for a 30 visit, so certainly there was some like there for him. To get him ingrained in our system and to watch him … grown and develop has been pretty exciting. He’s making plays.
The encore will be critical for Brown.
He’s shown out at times in training camp, but the breakout performance came on Family Night. Brown will need to capitalize on the added attention he’ll now receive from the staff and roll that momentum into the preseason, starting with the New York Jets’ visit to town on Saturday night. If he’s able to have another moment, it will become increasingly difficult for the team to deny him a roster spot, regardless of the circumstances.
All Brown can do is maximize what is in his control. So far, so good.
