GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Oct. 3 against Pittsburgh, Green Bay Packers All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander suffered a serious shoulder injury.
A few days later, a top cornerback became available.
The New England Patriots and Stephon Gilmore, unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension, decided to part ways.
A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Gilmore was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, when he led the league in interceptions (six) and passes defensed (20). Better yet, he allegedly wanted to play for the Packers and was just about ready to go following December quad surgery.
It all seemed perfect. Until the Carolina Panthers – his hometown team – swooped in and acquired Gilmore for a sixth-round draft pick.
While all of that was happening, Rasul Douglas was in Green Bay. About an hour after the Gilmore-to-Panthers trade became official and right as the Packers were about to hit the practice field on that Wednesday, the team announced it had signed Douglas off Arizona’s practice squad.
Nobody – maybe not even Douglas – could have predicted the impact he would make.
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