The Green Bay Packers have a new kicker and International Player Pathway Program player. The team announced the signing of rookie kicker Mark McNamee, a native of Ireland who will replace Alex Hale — who was released on Monday — as the backup kicker and international player on the 91-player offseason roster on Tuesday.
The Packers start training camp on Wednesday and needed a backup kicker behind veteran Brandon McManus.
McNamee (6-4, 208) was previously a goalkeeper in Gaelic football in Dublin, Ireland. He got a chance to work at the NFL Scouting Combine as part of the International Player Pathway Program and made 13 of 14 field goal attempts.
McNamee was most recently a member of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Despite making both of his field goal attempts during the preseason, McNamee was released by the Lions on June 1.
McNamee is replacing Hale, an Australian native who was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list to start training camp after suffering an eye injury. It’s possible the Packers are giving McNamee a chance to showcase his talent while Hale recovers and will then make a decision between the two once Hale is healthy again.
McNamee joins punter Daniel Whelan as the second Irish player on the Packers roster.
The Packers also announced the signing of rookie wide receiver Will Sheppard, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado. The move was first reported on Monday.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers sign rookie kicker and Ireland native Mark McNamee as IPP player
Reporting by Zach Kruse, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
