New Packers WR Tavon Austin still believes he has 4.3 speed
His role is still to be determined, but one thing isn’t a question mark for new Green Bay Packers receiver Tavon Austin.
The 2013 first-round pick is still confident he has his legendary speed, even though the Packers didn’t ask him to run the 40-yard dash during Monday’s workout.
“I’m still explosive. If anything, I’m still 4.3. If I ain’t 4.2, I know I’m 4.3. My workout spoke for itself, how explosive I was and things like that,” Austin said Wednesday.
Coming out of West Virginia in 2013, Austin ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds at the combine, helping him crack the top 10 of the draft. The Rams picked him eighth overall.
Seven seasons and over 400 total touches on offense later, Austin is now attempting to revive his NFL career with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay. The Packers signed him Wednesday.
LaFleur, who coached Austin while the Rams offensive coordinator in 2017, said his new receiver is still “very explosive.”
Rodgers said the key for Austin will be finding a specific role and embracing it, just as so many others within the Packers offense have done since LaFleur arrived in 2019.
It’s possible that role could feature snaps as the jet motion option or on special teams as a punt returner. Austin said he’s an athlete who can do just about anything, whether it’s playing receiver, running back or punt returner.
“I can play any position that coach draws up for me and put me in the best situation to make plays,” Austin said.
LaFleur will have to cook up ways to get Austin into the open field so he can showcase his track-star speed.
Austin believed he was going to be a part of the San Francisco 49ers’ plans entering 2020, but he suffered an injury and was eventually released with an injury settlement in late October. Healthy for the last two or three weeks, Austin is now ready to use his speed and versatility to help the Packers over the final five weeks and into the postseason.
Just as he climbed the ranks with the 49ers during the summer, Austin plans to just keep rising and rising as he learns the playbook and gets comfortable with what the Packers want him to do.
“That’s my plan over here. Hopefully, as the weeks keep going on, they start seeing more and more Tay, the real Tay, the old Tay, so that’s my whole plan with this whole thing,” Austin said.
The real Tay and the old Tay used game-breaking speed to create 11 plays from scrimmage of at least 40 yards and 22 punt returns of at least 20 yards during his first seven seasons. The NFC North-leading Packers hope they can squeeze a few more explosive plays out of Austin as they enter the stretch run of the playoff chase.
