Packers' Douglas eager to build on his breakthrough season

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas is approaching the offseason with the same attitude that helped the former practice squad player emerge as one of the NFL’s biggest surprises last year.

While his breakthrough season resulted in a three-year, $21 million contract, Douglas isn’t taking anything for granted. He understands the tenuous nature of NFL life after bouncing around a few organizations last year before finding a home in Green Bay.

“At any time, if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, they can let you go,” Douglas said this week during the Packers’ organized team activities. “You’ve just got to keep working.”

Douglas, 27, is part of one the league's top secondaries. It includes 2020 All-Pro second-team selection Jaire Alexander and 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes at cornerback plus Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage at safety.

“We’re trying to be the best secondary,” Douglas said. “We’ve got the best two safeties, the best three corners. We’re trying to put that all together.”

A 2017 third-round pick from West Virginia, Douglas helped Philadelphia win a Super Bowl title in his rookie season. He made a combined 29 starts in four seasons with the Eagles (2017-19) and Carolina Panthers (2020). Last season was a struggle to land a job until the Packers took a chance on him.

Released by the Las Vegas Raiders and the Houston Texans before the season, the Packers signed him off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad in early October. The move came after Alexander suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season.

Little did they know the impact Douglas would make.

His first big play came against the Cardinals. Douglas preserved the Packers’ 24-21