Green Bay Packers fans who followed Marquez Valdes-Scantling during his formative years in Wisconsin received a reminder Sunday of the journeyman path their former deep threat has taken since leaving Lambeau Field.
The Dallas Cowboys are releasing the veteran wide receiver, according to multiple reports. Valdes-Scantling, 31, had signed a one-year deal with Dallas in late April after bouncing between several teams the previous two seasons.
For Packers supporters, the news offers a chance to revisit the contributions of a player selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Florida. Valdes-Scantling arrived in Green Bay with elite speed and size at 6-foot-4, quickly carving out a role as a vertical threat opposite Davante Adams.
In his rookie season, he recorded 38 receptions for 581 yards and two touchdowns across 16 games, starting 10 of them. He followed with 26 catches for 452 yards and two scores in 2019, helping the Packers reach the NFC Championship Game.
His breakout came in 2020. Valdes-Scantling posted career highs of 690 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 33 receptions, averaging an NFL-leading 20.9 yards per catch. That average ranked among the highest single-season marks for any Packers receiver in recent decades and underscored his ability to stretch defenses for Aaron Rodgers.
Injuries limited him to 11 games in 2021, yet he still managed 26 receptions for 430 yards and three touchdowns. Over four seasons in Green Bay, Valdes-Scantling totaled 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns in 59 games with 39 starts. His career average of 17.5 yards per reception while with the Packers highlighted the big-play element he brought to the offense.
After becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2022, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and won consecutive Super Bowl titles in LVII and LVIII. In two seasons with Patrick Mahomes, he added 63 receptions for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns, including key contributions in the playoffs.
Subsequent stops proved less stable. Valdes-Scantling appeared with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints in 2024, posting a combined 19 receptions for 411 yards and four touchdowns, including a strong stretch with the Saints that saw him average 22.6 yards per catch. In 2025, he split time between the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers, finishing with 14 catches for 120 yards and one score across 10 games.
Career numbers through 2025 stand at 219 receptions for 3,686 yards and 21 touchdowns over 116 games. He remains one of the league’s more experienced deep threats, having averaged 16.8 yards per reception overall.
The release by Dallas comes as the Cowboys finalize their roster ahead of the 2026 regular season. Valdes-Scantling had been competing for a depth role behind established receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Packers fans may remember the long touchdowns and contested catches that defined his time in Green Bay more than the later stops. His combination of speed and length created mismatches that opened the field for teammates and produced memorable moments under the lights at Lambeau.
Whether another opportunity arises remains to be seen. At this stage of his career, Valdes-Scantling has already collected two championship rings and established himself as a reliable vertical option for multiple quarterbacks.
For those who watched him develop from a mid-round draft pick into a productive contributor in Green Bay, the latest development simply closes another chapter in a well-traveled career that began on the frozen tundra.
Be the first to comment