Packer Cuts

[falco]

He has his own site with a working homepage and everything.

how long til his user count exceeds PR active poster count?

[pbmax]

Vikings Practice Squad:

The team also announced seven of the eight members of the practice squad.

Here goes: safety Colt Anderson, guard Thomas Austin, wide receiver Freddie Brown, fullback Ryan D'Imperio, defensive tackle Tremaine Johnson, wide receiver Logan Payne, and cornerback Marcus Sherels.

[Fred's Slacks]

Waiver claims and practice squad rosters are coming in....

Cyril Obiozor has been claimed by the Cardinals.

Does anyone else find it strange that after the way they dismantled our starting Defense last year, that they would be interested in our castoffs.

[pbmax]

Packers sign LB Robert Francois to Practice Squad.

[imscott72]

Spencer Havner has been claimed by the Lions.

You just know this one is going to come back to bite us. Looks like the Lions will be pilfering info from Spencer's brain about our offense.

[vince]

Toribio claimed by the Chiefs.

[pbmax]

Nose Tackle Anthony Toribio was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs.

I can understand that, he looked all world against their 3rd string.

[imscott72]

Chery not signed to the PS? That's a bit surprising..

[vince]

Ted to take the podium in 4 minutes. Watch him deflect questions live at Packers.com.

[rbaloha1]

Waiver claims and practice squad rosters are coming in....

Cyril Obiozor has been claimed by the Cardinals.

Bummer -- liked him.

[imscott72]

Thompson, "We didn't claim anyone", and as far as kick returns, "We'll use the guys we have."

[packers11]

Thompson, "We didn't claim anyone", and as far as kick returns, "We'll use the guys we have."

Can I tryout? :lol:

[vince]

Practice squad will officially be announced tomorrow morning.

[rbaloha1]

Nose Tackle Anthony Toribio was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs.

I can understand that, he looked all world against their 3rd string.

Another good one lost. Daniel Muir is a very good starter for Colts. Maybe the new collective bargaining agreement expands the roster.

[vince]

Giacomini has cleared waivers and been signed to the practice squad, according to Bedard.

[mission]

How the hell does McDonald make the team??? Did I read that right on twitter?? What a joke.

More importantly, mission- Jarrett Bush made the roster. :bump: :alc: :wave: :bclap: :clap: :cow: :glug:

Ok, ok... I'm almost willing to concede but I'll take the flyer that something happens between now and opening day of the season before sending the money. PM me with your paypal info.

This sucks :( :lol:

[vince]

How the hell does McDonald make the team??? Did I read that right on twitter?? What a joke.

More importantly, mission- Jarrett Bush made the roster. :bump: :alc: :wave: :bclap: :clap: :cow: :glug:

Ok, ok... I'm almost willing to concede but I'll take the flyer that something happens between now and opening day of the season before sending the money. PM me with your paypal info.

This sucks :( :lol:
If it's any consolation mission, I'd have lost that bet too.

[imscott72]

Giacomini has cleared waivers and been signed to the practice squad, according to Bedard.

Sounds like the Vikings came after him hard..On a another note Bedard was very surprised the Packers couldn't find anyone at all to claim..

[mission]

How the hell does McDonald make the team??? Did I read that right on twitter?? What a joke.

More importantly, mission- Jarrett Bush made the roster. :bump: :alc: :wave: :bclap: :clap: :cow: :glug:

Ok, ok... I'm almost willing to concede but I'll take the flyer that something happens between now and opening day of the season before sending the money. PM me with your paypal info.

This sucks :( :lol:
If it's any consolation mission, I'd have lost that bet too.

Doesn't really help, but thanks... :cry:

[gbpackfan]

What the hell is going on in here? People questioning TT's moves? How dare you! Im getting killed in another thread for doing so, in a more respectful way mind you. I thought everyone on this site had gone insane. Thank God some of you see what I do.

[vince]

Giacomini has cleared waivers and been signed to the practice squad, according to Bedard.

Sounds like the Vikings came after him hard..On a another note Bedard was very surprised the Packers couldn't find anyone at all to claim..
Came hard for him? For what, their practice squad? :lol: This is the JSO grasping at straws trying to save face for the stupid article claiming multiple teams wanted to actually trade for this guy.

[imscott72]

Giacomini has cleared waivers and been signed to the practice squad, according to Bedard.

Sounds like the Vikings came after him hard..On a another note Bedard was very surprised the Packers couldn't find anyone at all to claim..
Came hard for him? For what, their practice squad? :lol: This is the JSO trying to save face for their stupid article claiming multiple teams wanted to deal for this guy.

Just passing along Bedard's tweet.

"Breno Giacomini has signed to the Packers practice squad. Vikings came after him hard, but in the end got a better deal w/Packers."

"While not surprising, I don't understand how the Packers couldn't find one player worth claiming across the league. Not a one?"

[vince]

Giacomini has cleared waivers and been signed to the practice squad, according to Bedard.

Sounds like the Vikings came after him hard..On a another note Bedard was very surprised the Packers couldn't find anyone at all to claim..
Came hard for him? For what, their practice squad? :lol: This is the JSO trying to save face for their stupid article claiming multiple teams wanted to deal for this guy.

Just passing along Bedard's tweet.

"Breno Giacomini has signed to the Packers practice squad. Vikings came after him hard, but in the end got a better deal w/Packers."

"While not surprising, I don't understand how the Packers couldn't find one player worth claiming across the league. Not a one?"
Yeah, I wasn't mocking you. Just the JS. More scoop from Giacomini's agent no doubt.

[vince]

Anthony Levine has been signed to the practice squad.

That makes 4 of 8 I believe.

Giacomini
Levine
Francois
Harrell

[Patler]

What the hell is going on in here? People questioning TT's moves? How dare you! Im getting killed in another thread for doing so, in a more respectful way mind you. I thought everyone on this site had gone insane. Thank God some of you see what I do.

I think we all see the problems, where the roster is thin, etc. In fact, I really haven't seen anyone dispute that there are weaknesses. The difference is in what our expectations are. Some are of the opinion that every roster will have weaknesses. Others are of the opinion that a GM can improve any position he wants to if he really tries.

[Patler]

Anthony Levine has been signed to the practice squad.

That makes 4 of 8 I believe.

Giacomini
Levine
Francois
Harrell

I'm glad they were able to keep Levine. Several observers have opined that there is a lot to work with from Levine; that with some work, he could be a good player.

[Pugger]

What the hell is going on in here? People questioning TT's moves? How dare you! Im getting killed in another thread for doing so, in a more respectful way mind you. I thought everyone on this site had gone insane. Thank God some of you see what I do.

I think we all see the problems, where the roster is thin, etc. In fact, I really haven't seen anyone dispute that there are weaknesses. The difference is in what our expectations are. Some are of the opinion that every roster will have weaknesses. Others are of the opinion that a GM can improve any position he wants to if he really tries.

I'd put myself in this group. Every team has weaknesses. It is the team that is lucky enough to overcome/cover these and is healthiest in the end is the one that usually wins it all.

[vince]

Packers practice roster: Harrell, Francios, West, Campbell, Simpkins, Levine, Giacomini and someone else that wasn't in camp, says source

[Patler]

Packers practice roster: Harrell, Francios, West, Campbell, Simpkins, Levine, Giacomini and someone else that wasn't in camp, says source

I kind of expect them to sign a running back to the PS. That way they can have a guy handy and somewhat up to speed if something should happen to Grant or Jackson.

[vince]

EDS was claimed by Seattle, according to Adam Schefter.

[falco]

Wow, a lot of our cast-offs are going to be playing somewhere else this year.

[RashanGary]

Havner, EDS and Blackmon were the obvious ones that we knew could play.

[Smidgeon]

Simpkons made the practice squad? Did I miss something? I thought he was just the closest healthy body when all the OLBs started dropping like flies.

[Fritz]

Wow, a lot of our cast-offs are going to be playing somewhere else this year.

Ginger is playing the red room in Vegas this week...

Oh wait, you said cast-offs, not cast-aways.

[pbmax]

OK, judging from the paper's web sites and their Twitter accounts, somehow its becoming conventional wisdom that the Packers are short on D lineman with six on the roster.

They have one more PS slot that has not been announced, if I am reading correctly. If that is filled with a D lineman, are they not in the same situation as last year when Toribio was on the PS?

Or is Justin Harrell making people nervous?

[Lurker64]

OK, judging from the paper's web sites and their Twitter accounts, somehow its becoming conventional wisdom that the Packers are short on D lineman with six on the roster.

They have one more PS slot that has not been announced, if I am reading correctly. If that is filled with a D lineman, are they not in the same situation as last year when Toribio was on the PS?

Or is Justin Harrell making people nervous?

We are not short on D Linemen, on the roster at least. 3-4 teams conventionally keep 6 on the roster, and dress 5 on game days. Last year we kept Jenkins, Pickett, Jolly, Raji, Montgomery, and Jarius Wynn. Generally either Wynn or Montgomery was inactive. This year, we're keeping Jenkins, Raji, Pickett, Neal, Harrell, and Wilson. Presumably Wilson will be inactive on game days.

We could add a guy to the practice squad, to fill the role that Talley had last year. Toribio was on the PS as an NT, and I think we need to stockpile DEs more than we need to stockpile NTs.

People might be thinking that we have less depth than last year because last year we had Harrell on IR and this year he's playing... but this year we have Jolly on the Reserved/Suspended list, and he's just as available as Harrell was last year!

Totally irrational that people are worrying about the defensive line depth. It's just fine.

[Fritz]

I sense the usual media hand-wringing over Thompson's choices as I read the articles in the JSO and GBPG today. It's not a perfect roster, for sure, but I don't quite understand the panic over having "only" two running backs. To my mind, Kuhn is the third running back. He's played that position in college and has practiced there.

Since I've been reading all summer about the vast improvements of Jones and Nelson at wide receiver, I'm willing to give Nelson the chance to show he's improved on kickoff and punt returns, too. Hang on to the ball, go straight upfield, and take it from there.

We'll see. Ted kept some young, inexperienced bucks for sure. But somebody's got to be inactive on game day. How about this for a partial list of who that might be this year, barring injury:

Newhouse
Quarless
McDonald
Lee or Underwear

??

And by the way, what's up with the intense, sudden Giaco love? Both teams, the Packers and Vikings, want him more than I want Drew Barrymore....yet neither one was willing to give the dude a roster spot. What the heck is this about?

[pbmax]

We'll see. Ted kept some young, inexperienced bucks for sure. But somebody's got to be inactive on game day. How about this for a partial list of who that might be this year, barring injury:

Newhouse
Quarless
McDonald
Lee or Underwear

??

And by the way, what's up with the intense, sudden Giaco love? Both teams, the Packers and Vikings, want him more than I want Drew Barrymore....yet neither one was willing to give the dude a roster spot. What the heck is this about?
Tackles are hard to come by and if you can pickup a backup and weaken a rival, I think the Vikings like that strategy. But the odds of Breno making have to be slim after 3 years.

As for inactives, I cannot say for the rest of the team, but I do remember eight O lineman being the game day actives. So Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Sitton, Tauscher plus Bulaga (LT,LG), Spitz (G,C) and Lang (RT, G). So I think Newhouse and McDonald are definitely the inactives there.

[Lurker64]

Yeah, the 8 inactives are definitely going to contain 2 OL (presumably McDonald and Newhouse) and 1 DL (presumably Wilson). The other five are going to come down to special teams responsibilities. There'll probably be one TE on there (Crabtree or Quarless), but I wouldn't bet on it.

[Patler]

I thought Bedard's article was a bit over board in subtle criticism of the cuts made and TT's "performance" at the press conference.

I watched the video replay, and sensed none of the "attitude" that Bedard attributed to TT. He was his usual guarded self, but he made several jokes about their questions and comments.

As to Bedard's article:

The tile is just stupid (I know, Bedard is likely not responsible for the title, so this is not directed at him, but JS generally.) "Thompson Defends Packers' Choices". Did they expect him not to? By using "defends" it implies something was wrong with the choices and needed to be "defended". Why not "discusses", "explains", "analyzes" or some other such description?

He states that with Super Bowl aspirations, "Thompson and Co. better be right about the roster decisions they made." Isn't This always the case?

The article would make more sense if it then discussed proven contributors being released in favor of new, inexperienced players. But are we really supposed to wring our hands over losing the experience that Barbre provided? He proved he can't play anywhere. Beside, he's injured. Or Giacomini? what was lost there? If the criticism was that neither was traded, like Moll was last year, that's easy to understand with just a little thought. Who would give anything for Barbre when he's hurt? Would anyone even give anything for him when healthy? Simply put, Moll was better so a trade was possible. As to Giacomini, the Packers didn't want to give him a way cheaply, they seem interested in giving him more time via the PS. They preferred to keep him.

Next we are to worry about the loss of Havner, a 3rd string TE. Where better to give a young player a chance to develop than by replacing a 3rd stringer?

My God, they cut a marginal performer at #3 RB. How ever will they replace Lumpkin if Jackson or Grant go out for an extended time? The experience he has from those two games he played two years ago, and that 1 carry he had certainly will be missed!. You can't find any old FA with that background!

He comments about Quinn Johnson not being active last year for late season games, after recounting TT's comments about the usefulness QJ can have late in the season. Two things - Might not Johnson have improved as a second year player? Using Kuhn as the #3 RB allows MM to carry all 3 FBs on the game day roster, something they didn't always feel they could afford to do last year.

Those wily old veterans, Cyril Obiozor and Evan Dietrich-Smith were let go in favor of Zombo and McDonald. As to the linemen, with Bulaga, Spitz and Lang; McDonald, Newhouse, EDS nor anyone else will not be active on game days anyway, and if injuries necessitate making them active, it will take four injuries to get them into a game. I have a hard time worrying about the loss of EDS.

Obiozor? Mostly a PS guy from last year? Am I really supposed to worry about the loss of him for anyone? I don't dislike the guy, but should I be concerned that Zombo is such a risk compared to Obiozor?

Toribio? Sounds like a great guy. Might have been a good guy to have around. But he has no experience, seems to be strictly a NT, and you can keep only 53.

Blackmon? He's hurt and can't help you anyway right now. I'm sure TT would have been glad to keep him had he been healthy. But what good does it do to have a returnman who isn't active on game days? TT is criticized for keeping Justin Harrell around, and for letting Blackmon go. While he has played more games, Blackmon's injury history is no better than Harrell's.

He concludes with comments about the age and inexperience of the team, but who was cut that had experience? Blackmon and Barbre, both injured. The rest were basically one year guys or rookies anyway (except Havner). Besides, this age/experience thing is a bit of a red herring. The difference between "young" and "old" teams amounts to a few months, and while overall young, the Packers last year had one of the more experienced starting lineups.

[hoosier]

Bedard claims not to be a Packer fan, and he is absolutely right that fan-dom and professional journalism are incompatible. But then why do his journalistic pieces increasingly sound like the comments of an anti-TT Packer fan?

[falco]

Bedard claims not to be a Packer fan, and he is absolutely right that fan-dom and professional journalism are incompatible. But then why do his journalistic pieces increasingly sound like the comments of an anti-TT Packer fan?

Hmm, good point. Almost seems as though some of the people here could be writing those articles.

Perhaps Bedard is in our midst?

[Fritz]

When I read the coaches' comments on Toribio, I was reminded of another thread here - about those NFL players who can carve out a career as a permanent backup due to their willingness to do anything and their excellent attitudes. And while that's nice, nothing in the coaches' comments suggested that Toribio would develop into a player. He is what he is - a backup, a nice guy who works hard.

Some of the angst over TT not making a claim might be the grass-is-always-greener complex. The Pittsburgh return guy who was let go seemed enticing - but first the Lions picked him up anyway, and second, return guys often don't need too too much development - and Pittsburgh cut him. Not like cutting a defensive tackle like Gilbert Brown was cut - he needed seasoning.

Maybe the disappointment was in the lack of a trade. You know Ted and his reluctance to give up future picks....(Ryan Grant, please).

I'm still puzzled by the border war over Giaco. He seems to have sucked butt regularly in the pre-season. My first thought was that I'd love to see the guy in a purple uni, playing right tackle lined up against Pickett or Neal or whomever on a third-and-twelve.

As for the "Thompson better be right" I'm curious as to whom he'd be wrong about. Is Spencer Havner going to become a star linebacker or tight end? Will Lumpkin become a 1200 yard rusher now? (And is Kuhn that much worse as a #3 halfback?). Weird, weird article. The tone of it, at least, is odd.

[imscott72]

I think Bedard was more puzzled by the lack of claims than anything else. I'd be interested in seeing how many claims Ted has made over the years, but it does seem odd he wouldn't even make one claim. Really there isn't one single player that is an upgrade over what we have from all the cuts?

[vince]

Chris Bryan signed with the Bucs and is on their 53-man roster.

RB James Johnson fills out the Packer practice squad.

[Brando19]

The Packers reached a settlement and officially released RB Porter and S Blackmon.

[vince]

Fritz and Patler

+1

[Lurker64]

The Packers reached a settlement and officially released RB Porter and S Blackmon.

What exactly is the reason for teams to reach injury settlements for guys on IR? The guys on IR don't occupy roster spots, after all. Is it just an issue of "we're totally done with you, we don't want you hanging around using up our resources" or do teams do it because a guy you put on IR for an injury that will not cost him the entire season that you later cut with an injury settlement can be resigned mid-season once healthy?

[falco]

The Packers reached a settlement and officially released RB Porter and S Blackmon.

What exactly is the reason for teams to reach injury settlements for guys on IR? The guys on IR don't occupy roster spots, after all. Is it just an issue of "we're totally done with you, we don't want you hanging around using up our resources" or do teams do it because a guy you put on IR for an injury that will not cost him the entire season that you later cut with an injury settlement can be resigned mid-season once healthy?

Hmm... I wonder if there a risk that if you put them on IR when they could play later in the year, the player could make noise about it and cause issues. In this case, you are giving them the chance to re-sign somewhere else.

[Fred's Slacks]

The Packers reached a settlement and officially released RB Porter and S Blackmon.

What exactly is the reason for teams to reach injury settlements for guys on IR? The guys on IR don't occupy roster spots, after all. Is it just an issue of "we're totally done with you, we don't want you hanging around using up our resources" or do teams do it because a guy you put on IR for an injury that will not cost him the entire season that you later cut with an injury settlement can be resigned mid-season once healthy?

Not stating as fact here but I think its purely financial. A player on IR still recieves their whole salary. But if you can reach an injury settlement, you only pay them a portion and then the player will be free to go elsewhere after the length of the settlement is complete.

[Brohm]

If they reach an injury settlement, they can be resigned during the season. The length of time until a team can resign someone after settlement is the amount of weekly pay they received + 6 weeks (I believe the +6 is so it's not abused and PUP still has meaning/use). I read somewhere that Blackmon got ~2weeks pay so he would be able to be resigned after week 8 (or something like that). Otherwise IR is out for the year and Blackmon is a FA after this year. The risk is losing the player outright as he becomes a FA.

[retailguy]

If they reach an injury settlement, they can be resigned during the season. The length of time until a team can resign someone after settlement is the amount of weekly pay they received + 6 weeks (I believe the +6 is so it's not abused and PUP still has meaning/use). I read somewhere that Blackmon got ~2weeks pay so he would be able to be resigned after week 8 (or something like that). Otherwise IR is out for the year and Blackmon is a FA after this year. The risk is losing the player outright as he becomes a FA.

Can the team that placed him on IR resign him? I know other teams can resign him, but I thought the team that placed him on IR is not able to resign for the year? Is this true, anybody know?

[Brohm]

If he reaches a settlement, he can be resigned after 6 weeks + the length of the settlement. The risk is that with the settlement, the player can sign elsewhereafter the initial settlement time is done (for Blackmon ~2weeks, whereas GB cannot resign until after the 2+6). The way I understand it, Blackmon is going to have a window there where he can not sign with the Packers but can still play for another team (between week 3-7).

Bit convoluted, anyone have a rulebook handy for the exact language :lol:

Edit: This was done with Peprah last year and he ended up in Atlanta for the last 5 games.

[Patler]

I think Bedard was more puzzled by the lack of claims than anything else. I'd be interested in seeing how many claims Ted has made over the years, but it does seem odd he wouldn't even make one claim. Really there isn't one single player that is an upgrade over what we have from all the cuts?

Don't forget, waiver claims are awarded in the reverse order of last year's record, so the Packers are pretty low on the priority list. When the Packers had bad seasons, TT put in a lot of claims. As TT mentioned yesterday, a few years ago they made their final cuts down to 50, because they knew they would make a bunch of claims.

TT general brings in a couple guys each week for tryouts, and I suspect he will starting this week. He might want to actually see what is available in person before giving up what he has for a guy he knows mostly on film only. Most of the players he might have been awarded on Sunday via a waiver claim are probably still available now anyway.

[falco]

Chris Bryan signed with the Bucs and is on their 53-man roster.

RB James Johnson fills out the Packer practice squad.

Wow, either TT found 2 starting quality punters this offseason, or he found 1 (and somebody is screwed at P this season).

Or I guess he could have found none... :(

[vince]

Chris Bryan signed with the Bucs and is on their 53-man roster.

RB James Johnson fills out the Packer practice squad.

Wow, either TT found 2 starting quality punters this offseason, or he found 1 (and somebody is screwed at P this season).

Or I guess he could have found none... :(
GBPG jumped the gun a bit on their reporting of the Bryan signing. He has a tryout scheduled this week with the team, but hasn't yet been signed.

[vince]

No. of players claimed (initial wave):

Packers 5;
Steelers, Vikings, Cowboys, Chicago 3;
Dolphins, Jets, Browns 2.

[vince]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.

[imscott72]

With us having the most players claimed out of all teams, I wonder if it means we're extremely deep or if we just parted ways with some good talent to remain one of the youngest teams. I guess we won't know until the season gets going.

[pbmax]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.
I wish he would make up his mind. Seven months ago, they had abandoned the youth strategy when they re-signed Clifton, Collins and Tauscher.

[imscott72]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.

Why is he a buffoon? Would you have kept guys like Johnson or McDonald over Havner?

[vince]

With us having the most players claimed out of all teams, I wonder if it means we're extremely deep or if we just parted ways with some good talent to remain one of the youngest teams. I guess we won't know until the season gets going.
The notion that Thompson is more interested in having a young team than winning is preposterous in my opinion.

[vince]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.

Why is he a buffoon? Would you have kept guys like Johnson or McDonald over Havner?
Yes. You can only dress 45 on game day anyway. Run the numbers. Havner was the least talented TE on the roster and no team can afford to dress five of them on Sunday.

[hoosier]

He is a buffoon for two reasons (to my mind). First, because his criticisms of Thompson are inconsistent and he seems to forget one week what he had written the previous week. Sometimes the inconsistencies show up between articles (re-signing Clifton and Tauscher means TT has abandoned his "obssession" with youth; cutting Barbre, Giacomini and Havner in favor of McDonald and Crabtree is evidence of TT's "obsession" with youth. Second, because he is focusing on parts of the machine that are relatively minor if not downright irrelevant in the big picture. Havner vs. Crabtree and McDonald vs Giacomini or Barbre: we're talking about fringe players at the bottom of the roster here, none of which are going to make or break a season. If TT feels that McDonald has a higher ceiling than Giacomini and might someday transform himself into a starting RT, all the more power to him. We know Giacomini won't become that, at least not on this team and not with this coaching staff. Same for tight end: if Crabtree can provide elite level performance at just one task, that makes him more valuable than Havner, who is adequate or worse at everything. But Bedard doesn't go into any kind of substantial analysis of the cuts; he just insinuates--without showing what ground he's standing on--that Thompson might be leaving the Packers flank uncovered.

[Patler]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon. Yup, Lumpkin, Toribio, Obiozor and Dietrich Smith have SO much experience and were SO good in the fake games. Havner himself doesn't have that much experience.

[vince]

Adam Schefter is now reporting that the Bucs did in fact sign Chris Bryan so there appears to be some confusion there.

[RashanGary]

When you count Harris, Blackmon and Starks. . . . It looks like we had about 60-62 players on our roster that would play elsewhere in the NFL.

I'd say that was a deep roster.

[Fritz]

I was puzzled by the Crabtree-over-Havner choice, but If Havner is the 3rd best tight end and the 5th best inside linebacker, and if Crabtree has more tight end upside and is the equal on ST, well, I suppose I understand.

But what is it that Bedard is upset about? That TT didn't keep Blackmon, whose knee appears to be acting up weekly? What grizzled vets did TT let go of that were instrumental to the Packers' hopes? Lumpkin? Barbe? Havner? Who?

[Patler]

I was puzzled by the Crabtree-over-Havner choice, but If Havner is the 3rd best tight end and the 5th best inside linebacker, and if Crabtree has more tight end upside and is the equal on ST, well, I suppose I understand.

But what is it that Bedard is upset about? That TT didn't keep Blackmon, whose knee appears to be acting up weekly? What grizzled vets did TT let go of that were instrumental to the Packers' hopes? Lumpkin? Barbe? Havner? Who?

In retrospect, Havner may not have had a position. He was moved to TE in the hopes of finding a way for him to contribute other than just ST, because he wasn't a factor in their thinking at LB. Injuries leading to shorthandedness and him playing LB doesn't mean a whole lot.

As a TE, it was said that he had no clue about blocking or route running, which were to be his emphasis this off-season. He took care of that on his bike.

There really isn't room for both Crabtree and Havner on the game day 45. I expected they would keep Havner and try to PS Crabtree. They went another way. I can't be too concerned, especially since it sounds like Crabtree is better on ST and at least can block as a TE.

[Guiness]

What grizzled vets did TT let go of that were instrumental to the Packers' hopes? Lumpkin? Barbe? Havner? Who?

Me! They let me go!

Signed
Torrence Marshall

ps Lori says hi

[rbaloha1]

I was puzzled by the Crabtree-over-Havner choice, but If Havner is the 3rd best tight end and the 5th best inside linebacker, and if Crabtree has more tight end upside and is the equal on ST, well, I suppose I understand.

But what is it that Bedard is upset about? That TT didn't keep Blackmon, whose knee appears to be acting up weekly? What grizzled vets did TT let go of that were instrumental to the Packers' hopes? Lumpkin? Barbe? Havner? Who?


Crabtree is supposedly the best blocking te -- MM loves power packages (kept 3 fbs). IMO its not a big deal.

[pbmax]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.

Why is he a buffoon? Would you have kept guys like Johnson or McDonald over Havner?
Johnson, yes. Because even if everyone is healthy, he has an important role. Havner got his chances when other TEs and WRs went down. Credit to him for delivering on those opportunities. But with four other TEs and 4 healthy WRs ahead of him, his snaps on offense (and defense) would be limited. His contribution on ST is hard for me to compare, at first glace, neither Johnson not McDonald are his replacement there. But since I do not know exactly who that will be, I can't say how much he would be missed on ST.

McDonald is the developmental guy, but I don't think he was battling Havner for the spot.

[retailguy]

When a tweeter replied suggesting the number of players claimed indicates that the Packers were deeper this year than other teams, Bedard suggested that it means that they let go of better players in favor of younger ones.

That guy is an incorrigible buffoon.

Why is he a buffoon? Would you have kept guys like Johnson or McDonald over Havner?
Johnson, yes. Because even if everyone is healthy, he has an important role. Havner got his chances when other TEs and WRs went down. Credit to him for delivering on those opportunities. But with four other TEs and 4 healthy WRs ahead of him, his snaps on offense (and defense) would be limited. His contribution on ST is hard for me to compare, at first glace, neither Johnson not McDonald are his replacement there. But since I do not know exactly who that will be, I can't say how much he would be missed on ST.

McDonald is the developmental guy, but I don't think he was battling Havner for the spot.

I think Havner was battling Crabtree, Swain & Johnson.

[Travbrew]

What grizzled vets did TT let go of that were instrumental to the Packers' hopes? Lumpkin? Barbe? Havner? Who?

Me! They let me go!

Signed
Torrence Marshall

ps Lori says hi

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Fritz]

Torrance! How the heck are ya? And how's your girlfriend? She still posting over at JSO? :D