Packers Announce Cuts

[Partial]

Because Kuhn is a good special teams player. Morency and Herron are not. The reports are that Jackson has improved. Hell, he improved last year. His missed assignment in week one of the preseason notwithstanding. I didn't see Lumpkin enough to know if he can get the job done. If all we need Morency and Herron for is pass blocking, we can get away with putting a FB or TE in the backfield.

The reports are that Jackson is still a liability on in pass protection and 3rd downs. I don't know where you've seen good things like that he's improved.

Lumpkin looked like a skilled runner. No doubt.

I'd rather have a good third down back and average special teams player than an average-below average third down back and good special teams player.

Agree to disagree. Hopefully somebody can handle the job.

[pbmax]

Its a good thing its after the draft or that would be the kiss of death right there.

Bretsky endorses Lumpkin as he does Meachem for 2008

[pbmax]

I cannot vouch for reports this preseason (except he blew two protections in the first game) but Jackson was good enough to take this role last year, and while he wasn't Payton back there blasting LBs, he held his own. He'll need to be better this year as Rodgers, with less experience will hold onto the ball too long a few times. As a second year player, its reasonable to expect improvement.

The reports are that Jackson is still a liability on in pass protection and 3rd downs. I don't know where you've seen good things like that he's improved.

Lumpkin looked like a skilled runner. No doubt.

I'd rather have a good third down back and average special teams player than an average-below average third down back and good special teams player.

Agree to disagree. Hopefully somebody can handle the job.

[Guiness]

But 8 OL make me nervous especially with Wells and Sitton's injury.

I'll say. They kept 9, but Giac isn't going to see the field except in an emergency. Sitton is out for a bit, and Wells is week to week. They could forseably go into week 1 with 6 linemen? Scary thought.

[Guiness]

Yeah, in terms of pass pro both of our FBs were better than any of our RBs last year. I'd rather have Kuhn or Hall in for blitz pickup than Morencey. Plus hall has pretty good hands out of the backfield (exceptional hands for a converted LB).

Colour me as also surprised that Morency got tossed - because from what I saw and heard, BJack and Lumpkin weren't cutting it as 3rd down backs. But if what your saying it right, that Hall is doing a good job of blitz pickup, and it catching some passes, this makes a lot more sense.

Did Hall play that role during this preseason?

Most surprising guy to me on the roster is Kuhn. Not a guy I noticed. Is he just around for special team contributions? What else does he bring to the table? I don't see a lot of 2 FB sets in our future.

[Guiness]

Practice Squad might look something like:

Haynos TE
Babers CB
Swain WR
J. Allen WR
Carvalho C
Keenan G
Porter CB
T. Smith WR

A little heavy toward WR with 3. Not sure if Bolston, Malone or Muir are eligible.

Nah, I'd be surprised if you're half right. These guys might be deserving, because they showed something, but in the past part of our PS has been other team's castoffs. Basically auditioning guys.

I don't think T. Smith will make it through waivers. And we generally carry a QB and an RB on the PS, don't we?

[boiga]

Why not keep Morency/Herron for week 1 and then go for the FB if they determine someone else is capable of playin halfback.

Here's what JSO said about Morency:

Nevertheless, Morency also was seen apparently bickering with some of his teammates on the sidelines Thursday night against Tennessee. He wasn't as powerful a runner as Lumpkin or as effective on special teams as Kuhn.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=789335

That seems like enough rationale to cut him, right?

JSO also says that DT's are too rare of a commodity and we won't be able to find one.

[Tarlam!]

As far as the DT situation goes, I think they're banking on Harrell coming back and contributing, especially if one of the 3 DTs suck. That will mean someone goes to accommodate him. If he can't go, or if he's not as good as the DTs they have it's off to the IR for Harrell.

Why trade Hodge or Bishop? For yet another pick?

They have been practicing 4-5 LB sets during camp. My guess is they saw the missing DT situation coming, saw their LB corps improving and did the math. I am thinking that we'll see a whole new, blitz heavy defense.

I am with those saying White goes for a LS.

Totally stoked with the RB situation. sorry P, I never shared your man-crush on Morency.

[Tarlam!]

Practice Squad might look something like:

Haynos TE
Babers CB
Swain WR
J. Allen WR
Carvalho C
Keenan G
Porter CB
T. Smith WR

I don't think T. Smith will make it through waivers.

I hope Haynos makes it to our PS. I have become indifferent on Swain, but as far as us getting Taj, I would be thrilled. I fear, though, Guiness is correct. Think Dallas.

[Brohm]

Most surprising guy to me on the roster is Kuhn. Not a guy I noticed. Is he just around for special team contributions? What else does he bring to the table? I don't see a lot of 2 FB sets in our future.

I would guess we will see more of the inverted wishbone until it gets figured out like the U-72 (or whatever it was called) Sherman used to run .

I also think we try to keep Haynos, Swain, Smith and Lansanah on the PS. Maybe Malone if they think he can develop or even White as a RB/FB combo in case of injury if eligible. Otherwise fill out with some fresh meat (OT, DT, CB, S). I think we are young enough at QB so pass on one for the PS.

[SnakeLH2006]

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

Running backs (5): Ryan Grant, Bradon Jackson, Lumpkin, Korey Hall, John Kuhn

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

Tight end (3): Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Humphreys

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

Defensive line (8): Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Michael Montgomery, Jason Hunter, Jeremy Thompson, Ryan Pickett, Johnny Jolly, Colin Cole

Linebackers (7): Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brady Poppinga, Bradon Chillar, Abdul Hodge, Desmond Bishop, Tracy White

Defensive backs (10): Al Harris, Charles Woodson, Atari Bigby, Nick Collins, Aaron Rouse, Tramon Williams, Will Blackmon, Patrick Lee, Charlie Peprah, Bush

Specialists (3): Mason Crosby, Jon Ryan,

I'm glad Lumpkin made it, but sad to see that Breno (OL), Cole (DT) before Muir??, Bush, and White (great ST but lacking otherwise) made it...hope we put some off them on waivers esp. since Kuhn is a ST ace and we can shed White for some good players....

My take...get a QB maybe, a deece DT, a better OL, and anyone with better upside than Bush (he may know Safety and CB in practice but gets torched in games...he's been in the league for 4 years and sucks ass). My only sad cut was Muir...he looks the player.

[Partial]

Because Kuhn is a good special teams player. Morency and Herron are not. The reports are that Jackson has improved. Hell, he improved last year. His missed assignment in week one of the preseason notwithstanding. I didn't see Lumpkin enough to know if he can get the job done. If all we need Morency and Herron for is pass blocking, we can get away with putting a FB or TE in the backfield.

Herron missed all of '07 following arthroscopic knee surgery. His value was as a utility back, plus he fared well on special teams in '06.

"I always thought Herron was solid," one scout said. "Not real flashy. Just can do anything you need him to do. That will leave them a little vulnerable."

Morency, who was acquired from Houston in September 2006 in exchange for Gado, played 235 regular-season snaps in '06 and then 182 in '07, primarily as the third-down back replacing Ryan Grant. The coaches raved about Morency's pass blocking, and said he had regained some of the burst and explosiveness lost to that knee injury on the first day of '07 training camp.

Nevertheless, Morency also was seen apparently bickering with some of his teammates on the sidelines Thursday night against Tennessee. He wasn't as powerful a runner as Lumpkin or as effective on special teams as Kuhn.



----

For everyone saying Jackson did fine last year, it just goes to show that he wasn't even the third down back. All off-season we've heard about how abysmal his pass blocking is and how he is a liability. Here we've heard about how the coaches rave about Morency's talent as a third down back. He's one of the best in the biz at that.

Also Harv, not that Herron is a good special teams player.

I'm guessing his bickering is the reason he is gone. It's a shame. He's a good player.

[HarveyWallbangers]

It's neither a shame that Morency and Herron are gone nor does it prove the "arrogance" of Ted Thompson.

[Partial]

We'll see. All off-season we've had pass protection problems, and now we went ahead and let go our best blocking, receiving, and shifty back. It's a bad move. No denying it. If A-Rod gets drilled by a blitzer that Jackson fails to pick up and is knocked out for the season, it will look incredibly bad.

[Bretsky]

I'm kosher because we aren't winning a SB this year IMO and maybe this was the best move for the future.