FINAL ROSTER PREDICTION - after Colts game

[mraynrand]

Explain to me how Underwood makes the team?

Will Jones make the team because he is safely mediocre at OLB and ILB or do they take a chance on the deSoto?

Same for Peprah - he knows what to do out there, but he does it all a step slower - can they do better?

Who the hell are they counting on to pick up the blitz on third down?

[vince]

I think Francois is a given since he has stayed on the 2nd team all camp and can play OLB in a pinch.

I can see that. Francois is more of a thumper and Jackson appears like he could be more active and disruptive in the middle. My thinking is that they may value that dimension but I do agree that all appearances favor Francois.

[Fritz]

Explain to me how Underwood makes the team?

Will Jones make the team because he is safely mediocre at OLB and ILB or do they take a chance on the deSoto?

Same for Peprah - he knows what to do out there, but he does it all a step slower - can they do better?

Who the hell are they counting on to pick up the blitz on third down?

Underwood, if nothing else, is athletic and supposedly fluid. He knows the defense by now, and he plays ST. If Capers and MM think he can play the safety spot better than Charllie Peprah, and if they think he can be reliable ("Hey, Brandon, don't be hiring prostitutes anymore or punching your wife") they might see him as an upgrade over Peprah.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Explain to me how Underwood makes the team?

underwood was playing well before injury, he will come back

[SkinBasket]

Jennings MD makes the team. He has to.

[gbpackfan]

Great input. Some of the cuts really are too close to call. I just have no desire to see Brad Jones, who is regressing, make this team. I would rather they pick up a cut if they dont trust So'oto there.

I just don't see how West doesn't make this team. The Packers have proven time and time again that they will promote from within, after a year on the PS and this kind of performance, he's earned it.

I also think the Packers are in love with Peprah. They know he is limited but they also know he stepped up big time last year when they needed him to. It's nice to have a veteran back-up there if needed.

[pbmax]

Special Teams participation from practice, no Colts game info:

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Lattimore on No 1 kickoff cover presumably because Jones is out.
22 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
No. 1 punt return: Bush, Peprah, Lee, Shields jammers. Lattimore, RTaylor, Crabtree, Smith, A. Green, Kuhn inside. West the returner.
23 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
K. Taylor, Borel, Nelson and Tramon Williams also taking returns off the machine.
23 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Brett Swain, perennial ST standout, is working with the No. 2 punt return team.
23 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Four tight ends on No 1 kickoff return: Crabtree, Quarless, Taylor and Williams.
23 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Quinn Johnson makes a rare appearance on a No. 1 special teams unit. He's in kickoff return
24 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Correction on the block punt. It was Saine not Gurley. Gurley had one earlier this week
24 Aug

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
RT @packers: Packers release three players from roster - TE Spencer Havner, T Theo Sherman and WR Brett Swain: pckrs.com/nc4t"
46 minutes ago

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
RT @packers: Packers release three players from roster - TE Spencer Havner, T Theo Sherman and WR Brett Swain: pckrs.com/nc4t"
46 minutes ago

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Just because they released Swain doesnt necessarily mean West or Gurley is making it. No guarantee they're keeping a 6th WR
46 minutes ago

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Gurley with another blocked punt. That's at least three this camp
15 minutes ago

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Cobb and Smithson are both back and catching punts
14 minutes ago

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Josh Gordy is not practing. That's a new one.
13 minutes ago
Rob Demovsky

[pbmax]

Jennings MD makes the team. He has to.

If not, I look forward to his TV show: Dr. Jennings, Medicine DB

[denverYooper]

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
Just because they released Swain doesnt necessarily mean West or Gurley is making it. No guarantee they're keeping a 6th WR
46 minutes ago

I think they'll go the 5 TE/5 WR route, especially since 3 of the TE's are practically WR's.

I like West but I think that McCarthy, being a TE in his playing days, has designs on slowly phasing out the WR position altogether in his offense in favor of a 10 TE attack.

[pbmax]

RobDemovsky Rob Demovsky
MM: Gordy has a shoulder injury, Collins back injury.
5 minutes ago

BTW, that's Nick Collins with the injury. Sat out all practice.

[pack4to84]

QBs (3) - Rodgers, Flynn, Harrell

RBs (4) - Grant, Starks, Green, Nance

FBs (1) - Kuhn

TEs (4) - Finley, Quarless, Taylor, Williams

WRs (6) - Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson, Cobb, West

OL (8) - Clifton, Lang, Wells, Sitton, Bulaga, Newhouse, Sherrod, McDonald

DL (6) - Neal, Raji, Pickett, Wilson, Green, Wynn

LBs (8) - Matthews, Hawk, Bishop, Walden, Smith, Francois, Zombo, So'oto

CBs (6) - Woodson, Shields, Williams, House, Bush, Gordy

S (4) - Collins, Burnett, Peprah, Bush

K (1) - Crosby

P (1) - Masthay

LS (1) - Goede

[Joemailman]

QBs (3) - Rodgers, Flynn, Harrell

RBs (4) - Grant, Starks, Green, Nance

FBs (1) - Kuhn

TEs (4) - Finley, Quarless, Taylor, Williams

WRs (6) - Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson, Cobb, West

OL (8) - Clifton, Lang, Wells, Sitton, Bulaga, Newhouse, Sherrod, McDonald

DL (6) - Neal, Raji, Pickett, Wilson, Green, Wynn

LBs (8) - Matthews, Hawk, Bishop, Walden, Smith, Francois, Zombo, So'oto

CBs (6) - Woodson, Shields, Williams, House, Bush, Gordy

S (4) - Collins, Burnett, Peprah, Bush

K (1) - Crosby

P (1) - Masthay

LS (1) - Goede

You like Bush so much you included him twice?

[hoosier]

Underwood, if nothing else, is athletic and supposedly fluid.

Brandon "Fluid" Underwood. Man, that is both smooth and borderline risque. With a moniker like that how could TT possibly cut the guy?

[MJZiggy]

Brandon "Fluid" Underwood. Man, that is both smooth and borderline risque. With a moniker like that how could TT possibly cut the guy?

Reminds me too much of fluid on the knee. When my dad's knee started looking like a soccer ball, the doctor would say he had fluid and then something disgusting would happen.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think this is how it will shake out after week one (when he can sign a veteran without guaranteeing the contract and after other teams make their cuts), but Thompson often goes with an unbalanced roster with the our final cuts. He likes to keep players that deserve to be on the roster over strict roster rules, but then will look to see who becomes available to better balance the roster. So, with that in mind, here's what I'm presently thinking:

QBs (3) - Rodgers, Flynn, Harrell
RBs (3) - Grant, Starks, Green
FBs (2) - Kuhn, Johnson
TEs (5) - Finley, Quarless, Taylor, Williams, Crabtree
WRs (6) - Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson, Cobb, West
OL (8) - Clifton, Lang, Wells, Sitton, Bulaga, Newhouse, Sherrod, McDonald
DL (6) - Neal, Raji, Pickett, Wilson, Green, Wynn
LBs (8) - Matthews, Hawk, Bishop, Walden, Smith, Francois, Zombo, So'oto
CBs (5) - Woodson, Shields, Williams, House, Gordy
S (4) - Collins, Burnett, Peprah, Bush
K (1) - Crosby
P (1) - Masthay
LS (1) - Goode

I think these guys most deserve a roster spot. I see him keeping 3 safeties at cut time--with an eye out for a safety prospect cut by another team and the thought that Bush could fill in there. He could cut So'oto if he finds a better OLB prospect. He could cut/trade Crabtree or West if a decent OL prospect becomes available.