Official Final Cuts/Roster Thread

[Joemailman]

My stab at the 53/69 man roster:

QB (2) Love, Clifford
RB (3) Jones, Dillon, Taylor
WR (6) Watson, Doubs, Toure, Reed, Wicks, Heath
TE (4) DeGuara, Musgrave, Kraft, Waiver Pickup
OL (9) Bakhtiari, Jenkins, Myers, Runyan, Tom, Walker, Nijman, Rhyan, Jones

DL (6) Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Wooden, Brooks, Ford
LB (4) Campbell, Walker, McDuffie, Carpenter
EDGE (6) Gary, Smith, Van Ness, Enagbare, Hollins, Cox
CB (5) Alexander, Ballentine, Douglas, Nixon, Valentine
S (5) Ford, Gaines, Johnson, Leavitt, Savage

ST (3) Carlson, O'Donnell, Orzech

Pup: Stokes

Traded: Newman

Practice Squad:

McGough
Tyler Goodson, Emanuel Wilson
Jadakis Bonds, Grant DuBose, Cody Chrest
Austin Allen
Cole Schneider, Kadeem Telfort, Luke Tenuta
Chris Slayton
Eric Wilson
Kiondre Thomas
Tarvarius Moore, Jonathan Owens
Daniel Whelan

[texaspackerbacker]

The only changes I would make are:

OBVIOUSLY 4 RBs including Emanuel Wilson

No 4th TE

Jonathan Owens over I wish Leavitt but more likely Gaines)

Add William Hooper to the PS

[Fritz]

The only changes I would make are:

OBVIOUSLY 4 RBs including Emanuel Wilson

No 4th TE

Jonathan Owens over I wish Leavitt but more likely Gaines)

Add William Hooper to the PS

It may seem obvious to you, Tex, but it's just your opinion.

I think Joe's waiver-wire pickup of a TE is very interesting. I was thinking along these lines in terms of guards/centers - if someone cuts a guy who's a notch above Rolled Royce, I could see the Packers grabbing him.


I also think one or maybe two of the rookies will magically have sustained a season-ending injury and will be placed on IR. I'm thinking maybe the safety, Johnson, and/or Wicks.

[run pMc]

My stab at the 53/69 man roster:

Mostly agree with a few differences:
I think they keep 2 RBs. I could see them keeping 10 OL.
Agree on a waiver pickup at TE, Kraft isn't ready and they will want a blocking TE who can play ST.

I think Owens makes it over Gaines at safety, but just barely. Could also be a spot where they pickup a roster cut.

Agree Heath, Brenton Cox and big Johnathon Ford probably make the roster but are game day inactives.

I think they will IR or come to an injury settlement with Goodson and Tenuta and (if injury settled) sign them to PS later in the season.
Royce Newman is really on the bubble. It depends on what they think of their IOL depth, which is not great. I think Njiman is more likely to be traded than Newman. Newman doesn't have a lot of trade value IMO -- his starting experience as a rookie is important, but he's regressed since then and that recent film is not good.

I'd probably pick a few different players for PS, but that's kind of a crapshoot based on if they can get people resigned there. They'll sign 2 RBs to PS, I'd think Taylor and Wilson. Goodson has an AC joint injury and that could keep him out most/all of the season if it's serious.

[Joemailman]

A tough call was Cox/Carpenter/Wilson. I think 2 out of 3 make it. I went with Cox and Carpenter. However if the Mad Italian gets his way, it will probably be Carpenter and Wilson.

[smuggler]

I expect Eric Wilson to make the team. He leads the team in ST snaps in preseason AND he has been decently rated in defensive duties (admittedly, against lower competition).

Leavitt is another guy that somewhat fits that mold, but I don't think he's been as impressive in either ST duty or as a safety.

[Fritz]

I expect Eric Wilson to make the team. He leads the team in ST snaps in preseason AND he has been decently rated in defensive duties (admittedly, against lower competition).

Leavitt is another guy that somewhat fits that mold, but I don't think he's been as impressive in either ST duty or as a safety.

I like that special teams is actually a consideration when building the roster. God that sucked watching those special teams shit shows of years past.

[texaspackerbacker]

I sorta disagree with that. A decent Special Teams coach ought to be able to take the back up O and D players and make them good on special teams, no lame-assed special team specialists needed (I'm looking at you, Leavitt).

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I sorta disagree with that. A decent Special Teams coach ought to be able to take the back up O and D players and make them good on special teams, no lame-assed special team specialists needed (I'm looking at you, Leavitt).

Agreed. Not sure why the incompetent NFL GMs don’t look for kickers who can also punt (and vice versa). Would open up a roster spot by not having both a kicker and a punter on the 53. And the overpaid Italian ST coach is telling us he can’t train the 4th TE, the 4th ILB, the 4th safety or the 3rd RB to long snap? Long snapping is as easy as flipping burgers, I am sure.

Folks like Ted Thompson, Leavit, Jarett Bush and Matthew Slater are/were able to play eons in the NFL cos NFL coaches love special team “aces.” They love the aces’ blue-collar work ethic. While I was pissed at Thompson for not retaining ace Jeff Janis, I am with you regarding the notion that any special team coach worth his salary outta be able to make chicken salad outta chicken shit.

[Fritz]

I sorta disagree with that. A decent Special Teams coach ought to be able to take the back up O and D players and make them good on special teams, no lame-assed special team specialists needed (I'm looking at you, Leavitt).

I think the Bisaccia story disproves your point. The Packers hired him because he was that special teams ace of a coach - and what did he do once he got here? He pushed Guter to acquire Bisaccia's ST guys - thus, the players make the coach.

On a different topic, now that the cuts happen all at once, the days of cutting a vet early so he had a chance to catch on with another team are over. That's tough for the fringe guys, who work so damn hard to get a chance to play in the NFL.

[run pMc]

Kickers and Punters are specialized these days to where they usually focus on just the one skill at the expense of the other, so you get a really good punter but iffy kickoff/kicker or vice versa (at the pro level). Who was the last dual K/P who was even league average at both?

Kickers these days make 47-52 yard FGs routinely. 40 years ago those were longshots.

Many of the players who have to make it on ST didn't play a lot of ST in college because they were the stars. That's changed a bit more and GB has started drafting some players who have ST experience in college, but that's part of what makes it tough. Injuries to starters cause ST players to get promoted, and those players have to get backfilled by PS players who might not be as in tune with the ST responsibilities they are taking on, etc. Coaching ST is not easy because there are a lot of moving parts. There are also a number of bad ST coaches (turns out Maurice Drayton was not good at it). Having ST mainstays who can get guys lined up and following their assignments are valuable to ST coaches because they are like on-the-field coaches, and sometimes players take that better from another player who can explain it to them. Keeping one or two ST aces shouldn't wreck your roster, assuming they can at least competently play a handful of emergency snaps at their non-ST position. Jarrett Bush and Jeff Janis mostly could. Rudy Ford can. Dallin Leavitt can't.

[bobblehead]

My stab at the 53/69 man roster:

QB (2) Love, Clifford
RB (3) Jones, Dillon, Taylor
WR (6) Watson, Doubs, Toure, Reed, Wicks, Heath
TE (4) DeGuara, Musgrave, Kraft, Waiver Pickup
OL (9) Bakhtiari, Jenkins, Myers, Runyan, Tom, Walker, Nijman, Rhyan, Jones

DL (6) Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Wooden, Brooks, Ford
LB (4) Campbell, Walker, McDuffie, Carpenter
EDGE (6) Gary, Smith, Van Ness, Enagbare, Hollins, Cox
CB (5) Alexander, Ballentine, Douglas, Nixon, Valentine
S (5) Ford, Gaines, Johnson, Leavitt, Savage

ST (3) Carlson, O'Donnell, Orzech

Pup: Stokes

Traded: Newman

Practice Squad:

McGough
Tyler Goodson, Emanuel Wilson
Jadakis Bonds, Grant DuBose, Cody Chrest
Austin Allen
Cole Schneider, Kadeem Telfort, Luke Tenuta
Chris Slayton
Eric Wilson
Kiondre Thomas
Tarvarius Moore, Jonathan Owens
Daniel Whelan

Near consensus here. Places I disagree. I think they go 2 RB and use the PS rotation again for the gameday 3rd. Wagner was so bad this summer I don't think we get 7th even. MIGHT go with the cheaper punter for upside.

I won't speculate a ton on the PS as its a living breathing changing beast. I will say this. Owens won't be on a PS this year. He put a good season on tape last year and will get claimed if we don't keep him. I think they find a way to roster him. Probably at the expense of the 3rd RB is my guess. Although we are already imbalanced to the D with Leavitt being a non factor other than ST.

Edit: Also, someone above pointed out Wilson's ST value (smuggler after further review...props). That is very valid. He makes this team as well somehow. Gaines is a "tweener" and Douglas can likely play S as well. Maybe Ballentine is the victim here. So my conclusion is that I change 2 things on the roster, plus the Newman/Owens outcomes.

In: Wilson and Owens. Out: Taylor and Ballentine.

I can't honestly remember when 49 or so of the 53 were so black and white.

[texaspackerbacker]

Kickers and Punters are specialized these days to where they usually focus on just the one skill at the expense of the other, so you get a really good punter but iffy kickoff/kicker or vice versa (at the pro level). Who was the last dual K/P who was even league average at both?

Kickers these days make 47-52 yard FGs routinely. 40 years ago those were longshots.

Many of the players who have to make it on ST didn't play a lot of ST in college because they were the stars. That's changed a bit more and GB has started drafting some players who have ST experience in college, but that's part of what makes it tough. Injuries to starters cause ST players to get promoted, and those players have to get backfilled by PS players who might not be as in tune with the ST responsibilities they are taking on, etc. Coaching ST is not easy because there are a lot of moving parts. There are also a number of bad ST coaches (turns out Maurice Drayton was not good at it). Having ST mainstays who can get guys lined up and following their assignments are valuable to ST coaches because they are like on-the-field coaches, and sometimes players take that better from another player who can explain it to them. Keeping one or two ST aces shouldn't wreck your roster, assuming they can at least competently play a handful of emergency snaps at their non-ST position. Jarrett Bush and Jeff Janis mostly could. Rudy Ford can. Dallin Leavitt can't.

True on pretty much all counts. If you had a combo K/P, if he got hurt, you're out to positions. The way it is now, they can back up each other. I recall Mason Crosby being an emergency punter at least once. And Craig Hentrich was a punter who could and did place kick if needed.

Of course, you could go back to the Hornung and Jerry Kramer days and save a couple roster spots hahahaha.

[ThunderDan]

Dan Pasterini QBed and punted for the Houston Oilers back in the 70s.

[run pMc]

Dan Pasterini QBed and punted for the Houston Oilers back in the 70s.

More recently, Tom Tupa did (well, he could but rarely did) for the Jets. Point being those are outliers and we haven't seen one in a long time. I don't think the way the game is now really allows for it, and as tex mentioned, you'd risk being out two positions if your P/K got injured on a kick return or pulled a hammy in warmups.

[King Friday]

I don’t see the team looking externally for help at TE. I think Allen may make the final 53. He’s the kind of blocking TE the team needs. I’m guessing they could fear that he would be nabbed off the practice squad.

Taylor is a lock at RB3. His value on special teams is oversized at this point.

[Fosco33]

Packers cut ODonnell for a rookie - Whelan.

https://twitter.com/byryanwood/statu..._JZOHZFOGLClCw

[Fritz]

Packers cut ODonnell for a rookie - Whelan.

https://twitter.com/byryanwood/statu..._JZOHZFOGLClCw

I've been rooting for this kid. Apparently the team felt his holding skills were good enough.

O'Donnell was good - they needed someone steady who could hold and punt well enough - but this kid has a big leg. I think this is the year they ride out some of the young guys in hopes they'll develop. I wonder if Bisaccia gets Leavitt and Taylor in exchange for being asked to put up with a rookie punter.

[ThunderDan]

I've been rooting for this kid. Apparently the team felt his holding skills were good enough.

O'Donnell was good - they needed someone steady who could hold and punt well enough - but this kid has a big leg. I think this is the year they ride out some of the young guys in hopes they'll develop. I wonder if Bisaccia gets Leavitt and Taylor in exchange for being asked to put up with a rookie punter.

Whalen hit two bombs on Saturday. Both into the wind. First was 58 yards but out kicked the coverage. The 2nd was 67 and landed on the 4 and skipped into the endzone for a touch back.

[Joemailman]

I just hope his leg doesn't shatter like an icicle when the weather turns cold. I remember JK Scott with some booming punts in warm weather.