MAKING THE CUT

Packers Announce Final Cuts/ Name 53 Man Roster

It all happens so fast. In the blink of an eye young men’s lives are changed, some for the better and some have the dreams crushed. In the course of one game, one play, one small moment a player on the bubble can play himself onto the roster of an NFL team.

Or right off of it.

The Turk came calling on Saturday armed with approximately 20 pink slips for the unlucky ones informing them that their services were no longer required. For some it is the end of the line. For others another team will come calling, and few will get the last ditch opportunity to hang around on the Practice Squad.

There were some genuine surprises as the Green Bay Packers made their cuts and announced their actual 53 man roster for the coming year. Perhaps the most shocking was the release of QB Vince Young. After releasing Graham Harrell (who later signed with the woeful New York Jets and their quarterback fiasco) Young appeared to have the backup job locked up. B.J. Coleman is still greener than the jerseys the Pack wears at home on Sundays so Young though he was in home free.

But literally the second Harrell was released Young laid an egg against Kansas City in the final

preseason game. In a game that meant absolutely nothing except to those getting one last shot at catching the coaches eyes Young was miserable. He failed to lead the Packers offense, his suspect accuracy was exposed, his penchant for turnovers reared its’ ugly head and all of a sudden Mike McCarthy had a very uneasy stomach. McCarthy stresses ball security and not turning the ball over. Fumbles and interceptions and broken plays fill more of Young’s resume than completions and touchdowns. After exiting the game with a puny 61.0 passer rating Young resembled the turnover machine he was that drove him out of the NFL and nothing like the promising #3 pick overall he once was. While Young can run and make plays with his feet McCarthy needs a QB who can stay in the pocket, find them open man and hit him consistently.

Young is not that man.

The Packers let Young go and Young tweeted his appreciation to the Packers for what was probably his last shot. Coaches use the threat of cut day to keep players on their toes. They also let players know that even if it doesn’t work out for you (the player) here (in whatever team’s camp that player is currently playing) the rest of the league is looking at you. Put together some good tape as it’s called and someone else somewhere may come calling.

That leaves Coleman as the next man up should Aaron Rodgers get injured. Perhaps the nightmare of McCarthy and every member of Packer Nation is to see Coleman forced into duty. Most likely the Pack will be shopping the waiver wire furiously trying to find a more NFL-ready QB to carry the clipboard and will send Coleman to the Practice Squad again.

The Running Back position saw a small surprise as Alex Green, the Pack’s leading rusher last year, was cut. Green struggled to consistently find the holes and while he stills possesses the ability to play somewhere with Eddie Lacy and Jonathon Franklin Green was caught in a numbers game. And with former Jet Joe McKnight coming in for a look Green now finds himself looking for someplace to hook on, and it may well happen for the former 3^rd rounder. While Franklin was clearly at the bottom of the depth chart he has a much higher upside than Green who never quite regained his stride after blowing out a knee.

Another big name out on the street is Tight End D.J. Williams. Williams also is coming back from

injury and with Andrew Quarless and Jermichael Finley Williams became a numbers casualty. Williams hadn’t made the progress the Packers hoped he would make and he may not be out of a job for long. He has good hands and there are a lot of teams looking for TE’s – Miami, Buffalo and even New England could be a lading point for Williams. Another semi-surprise was the release of Matthew Mulligan who was signed as a Free Agent from the Rams. Mulligan is a good blocker but McCarthy chose to go with Ryan Taylor and Brandon Bostick whose age and potential is enough to keep him in Titletown another season. The Pack is carrying only 4 TE’s this year as opposed to the 5 they carried in the past 2 years. Rookie Jake Stoneburner may have cost himself a spot with an untimely fumbled during the preseason, but he has a good chance of being called back to the PS.

LT Andrew Datko was released as well having shown no signs of improving after a shoulder injury sustained in his senior year set him back and after a year on the PS it became evident he couldn’t get the job done. The Packers will carry 8 Offensive Linemen into the season with former 1^st round pick Derrick Sherrod starting the season on the PUP list along with rookie J.C. Tretter who broke an ankle early in camp. While rookie Patrick Lewis showed enough to make the PS if either Sherrod or Tretter can be activated it will be interesting to see how MM and Ted Thompson handle the likes of Greg van Roten, Marshall Newhouse and rookie Lane Taylor.

Two players who did complete about faces with their hopes of making the team were WR’s Jeremy Ross and Tyrone Walker. Ross played himself back onto the roster while Walker played himself of if it. Ross is a capable return man who needs more focus and Walker had been the camp surprise. But Walker hurt his chances immensely with some untimely drops ion practice and a fumble in the last preseason game against Kansas City while Ross had a terrific day catching 3 balls and making plays more fluidly. Assuming Walker clears waivers he, too should be in line for a PS slot. Ross will join the Big 3 of Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb and the improving Jarrett Boykin who may see more offerings from Rodgers this year. Rookie Charles (C.J.) Johnson, a 7^th round pick who has a tremendous upside was also cut as injuries limited him severely in camp. If he clears waivers he will grab another PS spot. That’s a big ‘if’ as Johnson has a huge upside with his size (6’4”/ 215 lbs.) and 4.3 speed. The Packer brass is hoping he clears waivers and can join the PS.

The best story of camp is the return to form of Johnny Jolly. Jolly made his comeback from a league

suspension and jail term for possession of a controlled substance complete by playing his way onto the 53 man roster. A huge disruptive force in the middle, of the line Jolly is a passing swatting headache for opposing QB’s. Jolly had several knockdowns and deflections in the preseason and knowing he had to fight for his spot ratcheted his play up to a point he forced McCarthy and DC Dom Capers to keep him. Rookie Josh Boyd also made the cut as the Pack will go into the season with 7 Defensive Linemen. While Boyd may see limited time his upside is enough that he may have earned his spot because TT and MM may have felt he would not clear the waiver wire and be snatched up.

 

One area where the Packers were load wed with talent was at the Linebacker position. 10 LB’s will go into the season. And there is much young talent this year. Gone are Dezman Moses, last year’s camp surprise who couldn’t get his footing with a toe injury and Terrell Manning. Mike Neal is now being lumped among the OLB’s and not listed with the DL this year. How well Neal can play in space remains to be seen. But there were some players whose play warranted a roster spot. UDFA Andy Mulamba improved steadily and 7^th rounder Sam Barrington played the last preseason game with such reckless abandon he made it. He plays like a heat seeking missile and got noticed when he was at the center of a scrimmage fist fest with Jermichael Finley. His lightning-like sack for a safety against KC was highlight reel material and his style of play will get him on the field with the Special Teams immediately. 5^th round pick Nate Palmer outplayed Manning and he will join returnees Jamari Lattimore and the ever improving Rob Francois who had a great camp.

 

 

No surprises at the CB position were found. In Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Casey Hayward and

Davon House the Pack has a solid group. Jarrett Bush is listed as a CB but his value is as a gunner on Special teams and not in the defensive backfield. Rookie Micah Hyde is a flat out stud that can play. Hyde caught everyone’s eye and if the position wasn’t so loaded with talent he would see the field immediately. But Hyde will get a chance to grow into the spot. He could be another Casey Hayward, a star on the rise. Brandon Smith, a 6’1” converted WR has enough athletic intrigue to warrant keeping him on the PS, but at 26 and the position already so stacked that some potentially great players ahead of him will see limited snaps he is a longshot.

The last man to play himself onto the roster was S Chris Banjo. With Sean Richardson on the PUP list Banjo made a name for himself with his rugged, get-your-nose-bloodied- style of aggressive play. At 5’10” Banjo lacks ideal size but heart can’t be measured and Banjo grabbed the last available spot. With Morgan Burnett nursing an injury incumbents M.D. Jennings and Jerron MacMillian must improve for the Packers D to have any shot at returning to the big dance.

While Mason Crosby finally found his stroke McCarthy is taking no chances this year on a kicker best described as ‘inconsistent’. Crosby can boot the ball out of a stadium but his shaky performance last year caused a few gray hairs to pop out on the coaching staff. While K Giorgio Tavecchio was cut and told not to get too far out of shape MM also brought in Harvard Rugland for a look. Rugland is the rookie K cut by Detroit whose nickname is ‘Kickalicious’ and garnered attention for his wild, trick shot kicks on YouTube. But MM doesn’t need trick shots. He needs a kicker who can routinely split the pipes. Crosby agreed to take a pay cut and restructured his contract to the point that he could potentially earn what he had been making in guaranteed money as long as he meets the bonus criteria. It’s an incentive laden deal that keeps the heat on Crosby and a simple one at that. You want a big check? Fine. Do your job and make your kicks. The streets have enough kickers who can miss. Crosby knows hew could be one of them quickly if he falters.

The Packers will be tested early opening against San Francisco and Washington. The read option QB

has to be stopped and they will face two of the best at it – SF’s Colin Kaepernick and the ‘Skins RG3 – will provide some barometer as to where the Pack fits in. This is the roster – for now. Gentlemen – lace ‘em up and let’s get after ‘am.

Football is back! And… we can hardly wait.