Packer Cuts

[packerbacker1234]

Havner got cut? What the hell else does he need to do? He caught TD passes like a crazed man last year, plays an okay LB,a nd is great on special teams. How can we just let a guy like that go?

Havner was a guy who was pretty good at a whole lot of things. At some point, though, if you fill your roster with guys who are pretty good at a lot of things you end up with a roster that's just "pretty good". Eventually you have to go with guys who are or have a chance to be great at what they are asked to do.

Finley has a reasonable shot to be as good as it gets, Lee provides hardworking veteran depth, Quarless is every bit the athlete that Finley is (and is nearly as raw as Finley was), and Crabtree has the potential to be, down the line, a TE that blocks the living heck out of people. We don't have one of those, and we could use one of those.

If you predict down the line a year,Finley, Quarless, and Crabtree is a much better TE corps than Finley, Quarless, and Havner; since Finley doesn't block all that well, Quarless doesn't lcok all that well, and Havner doesn't block all that well. Lee is a guy you're looking to replace at this point in his career, but we weren't yet ready to replace him this year.

So what did Havner do wrong? Nothing. But sometimes you do everything you can, and work as hard as you can, and you still end up on the wrong end of the numbers game. Havner was never going to be a star, but he should land somewhere.

The entire issue with this logic is saying that havner's base value was as an average at best TE - ignoring the fact that he is a stellar special teams player (you know, the weakest point of our team) and is a solid backup LB, and you would be hard pressed to say guys like Poppinga have a much higher value at the position than havner.

Bottom line is, he is a specialty player who plays all facets of the game, adn originally made the roster due to stellar special teams play, something we still need. I am not saying you needed to "cut" a TE, but one of the extra LB's? One of the safteys being kept around just for special teams?

There were always other options to cut outside of the TE position to keep him around. I think you are merely undervaluing the type of player havner is. He wont ever be a better TE then the 4 ahead of him, he wont ever be a better LB then who is ahead of him, and there may be better special teams players in the league - but he was one of the best special teams guy we had, and ultimately, he should of made the team just for that value alone.

[digitaldean]

I got 'interviewed' in the parking lot by the janitor the last time I was fired. Turns out he just wanted to know why security dragged me out kicking and screaming.

When I got "downsized" a little over a year ago (after 16 years of service), I tried talking to a couple of friends before leaving and had to be "escorted" out. Would have minded a mike in my face then to vent a little.....

[mraynrand]

VERY, VERY shocked at Havner mainly due to the versatility factor.

Former Packers cut:
Javon Walker, David Martin (fins TE), Jake Allen (WR Browns), Samkon Gado (Titans).

Don't quit your day job, Samkon!

[falco]

Havner got cut? What the hell else does he need to do? He caught TD passes like a crazed man last year, plays an okay LB,a nd is great on special teams. How can we just let a guy like that go?

Havner was a guy who was pretty good at a whole lot of things. At some point, though, if you fill your roster with guys who are pretty good at a lot of things you end up with a roster that's just "pretty good". Eventually you have to go with guys who are or have a chance to be great at what they are asked to do.

Finley has a reasonable shot to be as good as it gets, Lee provides hardworking veteran depth, Quarless is every bit the athlete that Finley is (and is nearly as raw as Finley was), and Crabtree has the potential to be, down the line, a TE that blocks the living heck out of people. We don't have one of those, and we could use one of those.

If you predict down the line a year,Finley, Quarless, and Crabtree is a much better TE corps than Finley, Quarless, and Havner; since Finley doesn't block all that well, Quarless doesn't lcok all that well, and Havner doesn't block all that well. Lee is a guy you're looking to replace at this point in his career, but we weren't yet ready to replace him this year.

So what did Havner do wrong? Nothing. But sometimes you do everything you can, and work as hard as you can, and you still end up on the wrong end of the numbers game. Havner was never going to be a star, but he should land somewhere.

The entire issue with this logic is saying that havner's base value was as an average at best TE - ignoring the fact that he is a stellar special teams player (you know, the weakest point of our team) and is a solid backup LB, and you would be hard pressed to say guys like Poppinga have a much higher value at the position than havner.

Bottom line is, he is a specialty player who plays all facets of the game, adn originally made the roster due to stellar special teams play, something we still need. I am not saying you needed to "cut" a TE, but one of the extra LB's? One of the safteys being kept around just for special teams?

There were always other options to cut outside of the TE position to keep him around. I think you are merely undervaluing the type of player havner is. He wont ever be a better TE then the 4 ahead of him, he wont ever be a better LB then who is ahead of him, and there may be better special teams players in the league - but he was one of the best special teams guy we had, and ultimately, he should of made the team just for that value alone.

I know Havner played on special teams, but why are you saying he was one of the best?

Does it matter that the guy he beat out (Crabtree presumably) started in all facets of special teams?

[pbmax]

One other team I saw kept two Running Backs, and that was San Diego. They are also relying on a FB or two to be able to run in case of injury.

Behind starter Ryan Mathews and third-down back Darren Sproles, the Bolts do have ball-carrying-capable fullbacks Jacob Hester and Mike Tolbert.

[RashanGary]

McDonald is the one guy who made it that I wasn't expecting at all.

[packers11]

to put the 4 TE's and 6 CB's into perspective...

pft... talking about the cowboys...

The team kept only two tight ends and three cornerbacks, indicating they aren't done making moves.

3 cbs?! lol

[get louder at lambeau]

to put the 4 TE's and 6 CB's into perspective...

pft... talking about the cowboys...

The team kept only two tight ends and three cornerbacks, indicating they aren't done making moves.

3 cbs?! lol

Kinda puts our CB problems in perspective, huh? We have 6 plus one on PUP.

[retailguy]

McDonald is the one guy who made it that I wasn't expecting at all.

Yup. Havner getting cut and McDonald making it were the big surprises.

Nobody had either.

[RashanGary]

I don't think our TC depth was quite as good as we thought. There wen't many good players cut, on the surface anyway. It seemed like it sort of shook it self out pretty well. CB is the big worry right now. Other than that, it's a nice roster I think.

[KYPack]

McDonald is the one guy who made it that I wasn't expecting at all.

Yup. Havner getting cut and McDonald making it were the big surprises.

Nobody had either.

I noticed that Havner had a pretty weak Pre-season at both LB & TE. Won't claim to have seen him a lot on ST, but you'd think Zombo whipped him there. Frankenbacker was a jack of all trades, but master of nada. I don't think his little scooter wreck in the off-season helped him much, either.

[mission]

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

[Lurker64]

McDonald is the one guy who made it that I wasn't expecting at all.

I think the logic here was that of the OL, the eight game day actives were going to be the five starters, Bulaga (backs up LT and LG), Lang (backs up RG and RT), and Spitz(backs up all three interior positions). So anybody beyond those eight wasn't going to be on the 45 game-day actives (OL usually aren't), so if you're going to keep more than 8 OL you lose nothing on keeping a purely developmental prospect or two. Apparently they liked McDonald's power and his footwork, so he got the pass as "the rawest guy with the most potential." Who knows if it'll work out, but I think that's the logic.

[get louder at lambeau]

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.

[bobblehead]

and is a solid backup LB, and you would be hard pressed to say guys like Poppinga have a much higher value at the position than havner.

I think you would be hard pressed to find any scout in the entire NFL that thinks Havner is equal to Popp as an LB