Rico Gafford is feeling more comfortable after switching from receiver back to cornerback at the request of Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur following the 2022 NFL draft.
The Packers think Gafford has a better chance of making the team after changing positions. And Gafford is embracing the opportunity to move back to cornerback, the position where he thrived in college.
“Playing DB is what I love. That’s who I am,” Gafford told Bill Huber of SI.com. “Just being out there, being able to compete, I just have a different type of feeling when I’m out there. I would explain it as having more swag out there. That’s what I would say. I just love it because I can really be myself.”
From a personnel perspective with the Packers, the change made perfect sense.
The Packers signed Sammy Watkins and used three draft picks on receivers, blocking Gafford’s path to a realistic role on the offensive side of the ball. But at cornerback? The door is wide open behind Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes and Rasul Douglas, the three starters.
Gafford, who is one of the fastest players on the team, intercepted six passes as a full-time starter over his final seasons at Wyoming.
He’s now wearing No. 37.
Gafford stayed at cornerback after signing with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2018, but he eventually latched on with the Raiders after being cut by Tennessee and then switched to receiver, a position he’d play for the next four seasons. Over eight regular-season games with the Raiders between 2018 and 2020, Gafford caught two passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Gafford told Huber that he had been contemplating moving back to cornerback before signing with the Packers. And LaFleur’s team signed Gafford as a receiver before deciding a position change would give him the best opportunity to make the 53-man roster.
With more comfort at cornerback and blazing speed, Gafford now has a chance to win a 53-man roster spot as a backup and core special teams player.
Later this month, Gafford, Keisean Nixon, Shemar Jean-Charles, Kabion Ento, Kiondre Thomas and Raleigh Texada will arrive at training camp in Green Bay to compete for what could be two or three open spots on the Packers’ roster to start 2022.
