Packers offensive lineman surprisingly retires from football

The Green Bay Packers have announced on Monday that rookie offensive lineman Trente Jones has been placed on the reserve/retired list. That was a surprising move, since Jones had just signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent.

A 4-star recruit coming out of high school, Trente Jones played college football at Michigan. He had around 1,000 offensive snaps, mostly at right tackle. He was expected to move to guard in the NFL.

By placing Jones on the reserve/retired list, the Packers retain the player’s NFL rights. Therefore, if he decides to return to football at some point, Green Bay can have him back if it wants to — and if it doesn’t, the team would have to waive him.

Overview, by NFL Network's Lance Zierlein:

"Jones has limited starts and relatively few offensive snaps by NFL offensive line standards but he’s put outstanding flashes on tape. He lacks the size and length teams look for at tackle or guard, but he’s talented enough to play at either spot. He loses reps due to poor positioning or overstepping his landmarks, but is rarely beaten by an opponent's quickness or power. Jones is highly athletic, with the ability to bend and drive opponents off the spot or stall the rush with his punch and cinch. He has the talent to play in all blocking schemes, but there might be concerns about why he failed to establish himself as a full-time starter at Michigan."

The reason behind his decision to retire from football has not been disclosed yet.

The Packers made a strong effort to reinforce the offensive line with younger options. The team drafted Jordan Morgan, Jacob Monk, and Travis Glover, but also signed Trente Jones and Donovan Jennings as undrafted players.

Even without Jones, though, the depth seems to be in good shape. Over the last month, general manager Brian Gutekunst also signed veterans Andre Dillard and Lecitus Smith.

Moving Trente Jones to the reserve/retired list left the Packers with an open roster spot.