Packers Release DB Josh Jones After Rumored Trade Request

Green Bay Packers defensive back Josh Jones announced on Twitter Sunday morning that he had been released. 

The news comes in the wake of Jones reportedly asking for a trade away from the Packers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Jones' reported desire to be traded or released dates back to May, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN, when he left the team's voluntary offseason workouts early, though he did report for mandatory minicamp in June. The Packers' head coach, Matt LaFleur, expressed a desire to keep Jones at the time:

"We've been in constant communication. I think we're on the same page in terms of what the expectations are and where [Jones] fits with us. We certainly want him a part of what we're doing moving forward.

"I think he's a versatile guy. He can fill a lot of roles, especially in [coordinator Mike] Pettine's defense where we're going to play multiple defensive backs and put these guys all over the place. I think he's a talented young player that I think can help us."

Jones didn't publicly say at the time that he wanted to be moved, though he expressed uncertainty about his future in Green Bay when asked if his best opportunities might come with another organization.

"I don't know. I really don't know. I don't know what the good Lord has planned for me," he said. "I don't know what path he's going to lead me down. Whether that's here or there or anywhere, I know that I'm going to thrive."

Jones, 24, registered 55 tackles and a sack in 2018, his second with the Packers after being a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft. But he fell behind Darnell Savage, Jr. and Adrian Amos, the expected starters at safety, and Raven Greene on the depth chart, making him expendable.

He also hasn't practiced the past two weeks due to an undisclosed illness, according to Demovsky, and was kicked out of a July 31 practice for fighting after he hit another player during a non-tackling portion of practice.