Final Cuts

[Deputy Nutz]

I could honestly see Chillar getting cut. I think there is more upside with Hodge and certainly Bishop.

[CaliforniaCheez]

22 have to be cut. Here are my 22 with possible practice squad guys marked with asterisks.

1) Tai Smith WR
2) Johnny Quinn WR
3) Ryan Keenan OG
4) Orrin Thompson OT**
5) Breno Giacomini OT **
6) Brennan Carvalho C
7) Joey Haynos TE**
8) Jake Allen WR
9) Noah Herron RB
10) Greg Lumpkin RB**
11) Corey White FB**
12) Conrad Bolston DT
13) Rodney Allen DT
14) Alfred Malone DT
15) Spencer Havner LB
16) Danny Lansanah LB
17) Joe Porter CB **
18) Scorpio Babers CB
19) Tyrone Culver S
20) Jarret Bush S
21) Brett Swain WR **
22) Junius Coston IR??

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/PKR07/80828160/1058/PKR01

Quarterbacks (3): Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Brian Brohm

Receivers (5): Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Jordy Nelson

Running backs (5): Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, Vernand Morency, Noah Herron, Korey Hall

Tight ends (3): Donald Lee, Tory Humphrey, Jermichael Finley

Offensive linemen (9): Chad Clifton, Daryn Colledge, Scott Wells, Jason Spitz, Mark Tauscher, Josh Sitton, Allen Barbre, Tony Moll, Breno Giacomini

Defensive linemen (10): Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Jason Hunter, Michael Montgomery, Jeremy Thompson, Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly, Colin Cole, Daniel Muir

Linebackers (6): Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brady Poppinga, Brandon Chillar, Abdul Hodge, Desmond Bishop

Defensive backs (9): Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Will Blackmon, Jarrett Bush, Pat Lee, Nick Collins, Atari Bigby, Aaron Rouse

Specialists (3): Mason Crosby, Jon Ryan, J.J. Jansen (or Rob Davis)

[Joemailman]

I didn't state this in this thread, but did in another. I think they'll keep 7 LBs after the initial cuts, and then try to trade one. Or, if they see a player they like (perhaps at DT), they'll cut one after the initial cuts. The Packers roster is always unbalanced right after the initial cuts.

Also, I should have said that rookie OL (not Sitton) also has a shot.

Yes, either Giacomini or Coston have to make it. With Sitton hurt and Wells in and out of the lineup, I don't think they can go into the regular season with only 8 OL.

[texaspackerbacker]

I sincerely HOPE they don't keep Morency over Lumpkin.

And they damn well better not bring in a "Simms-like veteran" at the expense of losing either Brohm or Flynn.

I think one of the LBs on that list has to go--Chillar or White, probably Chillar. Give Hodge some credit for really turning things around this preseason.

[boiga]

I think Bishop and Hodge both stick. Bishop showed he could play well at WLB tonight and with Hawk's injury they'll likely need him. Hodge takes over at back up at MLB.

I disagree only in that we might trade one of them to a team for a young 2nd string Defensive Tackle. We have more quality LB'ers than we can use out on the field, so the most efficacious use of that talent would in the trade market.

Both of those guys deserve a spot on the roster, but they might be worth more to someone else than they are to us.

[Fritz]

Ironically, "Orange" Junius may have extended his career by getting hurt. If he goes on IR, he gets one more chance next summer. But he definitely loks like "just a guy."

Giacomoni looks like practice squad material. Moll's going to make it. Sitton, too.

I think they keep all seven lb's.

I think the rb's will be Grant, Jackson, and Morency.

I think Bush may make it due to ST play and versatility. Culver and Peprah may well be gone.

Flynn looks like your number two.

The defensive line is a mess. And for all the "Why did TT trade Corey Williams" people, Williams has been injured most of training camp.

[prsnfoto]

This is encouraging compared to several years ago, when it seemed like there were many options for players to cut. Now there are some tough decisions to make.

Agreed but it also says to me that TT should trade up a couple times next year and go for more impact players several of "our" guys are going to make our opponents better after cuts are made the LB's really look like the backups could start on a lot of teams. Oh well I guess it is a good problem to have.

[RashanGary]

3 Rodgers Flynn Brohm
5 Grant Jackson Herron Lumpkin Hall
5 Driver Jennings Jones Martin Nelson
3 Lee, Humphry, Finley
8 Clifton Colledge Spitz Sitton Tauscher Wells, Barbre, Moll
10 Kampman, Jenkins, KGB, Hunter, Montgomery, Thompson Pickett, Jolly, Cole, Muir
7 Barnett, Hawk, Poppinga, Bishop, Chillar, Hodge, White
9 Woodson Harris, Williams, Lee, Blackmon, Bush Bigby, Collins, Rouse
3 Crosby, Ryan, ??


Maybe Peprah over Bush and Kuhn over Herron or Lumpkin, but this is the general roster that I see.

EDIT: I took Giacomini off becuase I had 54, not 53.

[pbmax]

Does anyone think Chillar will be more likely to stay given that Hawk is injured? I think his coverage skills will keep him on the roster if Hawk still needs time to mend.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Some interesting stuff.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=789076

McGinn likes Quinn, Haynos, Giacomini for practice squad, and perhaps Lansanah also.

The Packers took a hit Thursday when Junius Coston suffered what appeared to be a significant knee injury when defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth fell on him. NFL sources said the Packers told teams early in the week that Coston was available, and one personnel director said it was quite possible Green Bay could have gotten a conditional seventh-round pick for such an athletic guard with seven starts under his belt.

But those chances are gone now.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Revised guess:

QB Rodgers, Flynn, Brohm
RB Grant, Jackson, Morency, Lumpkin
FB Hall
WR Driver, Jennings, Jones, Martin, Nelson
TE Lee, Humphrey, Finley
OL Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Spitz, Tauscher, Sitton, Barbre, Moll
DE Kampman, Jenkins, KGB, Montgomery, Hunter, Thompson
DT Pickett, Jolly, Cole, Muir
LB Barnett, Hawk, Poppinga, Chillar, Bishop, Hodge, White
CB Woodson, Harris, Williams, Lee, Blackmon
S Bigby, Collins, Rouse, Bush
ST Crosby, Ryan, Jansen

Personally, I like Peprah more than Bush, so I wouldn't mind if they kept him. The Lumpkin, Morency, Herron, Kuhn should be the other interesting battle. I say they keep Morency as a veteran third down RB type, and then decide to take a chance on Lumpkin over Kuhn--mainly because I think Humphrey could play FB in a pinch. FBs are easy to find on the waiver wire. I like Kuhn a bit though. The final battle probably comes down to White vs. a 9th OL. I say they keep White because he's a better player, but his spot is precarious because an OL prospect may become available after cuts.

[bobblehead]

This is encouraging compared to several years ago, when it seemed like there were many options for players to cut. Now there are some tough decisions to make.

Agreed but it also says to me that TT should trade up a couple times next year and go for more impact players several of "our" guys are going to make our opponents better after cuts are made the LB's really look like the backups could start on a lot of teams. Oh well I guess it is a good problem to have.

It just doesn't work that way in the NFL, for every trade up that worked I can show you 5 that didn't. The NFL draft is a crap shoot and accumulating 3 seconds gives you a better chance of getting a stud than trading up 8 spots in the draft. guys like TO, Gore, Kampman, JAllen, Jennings, FAVRE, were all picked after the first round. The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

[vince]

My stab (at least what I'd like to see):

QB Rodgers, Flynn, Brohm
RB Grant, Jackson, Herron, Lumpkin
FB Hall, Kuhn
WR Driver, Jennings, Jones, Martin, Nelson
TE Lee, Humphrey
OL Clifton, Colledge, Wells, Spitz, Tauscher, Sitton, Barbre, Moll
DE Kampman, Jenkins, KGB, Montgomery, Hunter, Thompson
DT Pickett, Jolly, Cole, Muir
LB Barnett, Hawk, Poppinga, Chillar, Bishop, Hodge, White
CB Woodson, Harris, Williams, Lee, Blackmon
S Bigby, Collins, Rouse, Peprah
ST Crosby, Ryan, Jansen

Practice Squad: Finley, Giacomini, Jake Allen, Porter, Haynos, Malone, Lansanah, Someone cut from another roster

Finley might be tough to stash on the PS, so I might even be tempted to dump Humphreys altogether. Haynos has shown enough and has the size to be an interesting prospect. Havner could also land on the PS, but there are only so many LB's that you can have... Havner could replace Lansanah because of the overload at MLB...

I'm thinking that McCarthy likes his reverse wishbone set too much to keep just one FB, and both FB's are also good special teamers.

[RashanGary]

I think Finely is almost a developmental lock. He's a trim 250 lbs and could easily be a ripped 260 and still run. He's a somewhat rare athlete with how he carries weight and moves. When this guy develops he has a chance to be a dynamic weapon on offense. Through all of camp and preseason I don't remember hearing about him dropping the ball. He's got two things going for him, his body and his hands. Those are two important things for a TE.

I don't know how he's fitting in with the team, but if he's getting along well and workign hard I see no reason to cut him. I'd rather cut a guy like Herron, who is a luxury as a 3rd down pass blocker but not a very promising long term running back.