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The Biggest Takeaways from Packers Cutdowns
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 53 is set. Mostly. Definitely won’t change based on any potential trades or additional signings. The Packers released their first roster for the season yesterday and there were definitely some surprises and things to note as we approach the regular season. What were the biggest takeaways now that camp and the preseason are finished?

Also, there have been rumors of a certain trade that picked up steam last night. Won’t name any names, but should it happen it immediately becomes the biggest surprise, not just of this offseason, but probably in over a decade.

Packers UDFA Streak Continues

It looked dicey for a little bit, but Nazir Stackhouse making the team kept a now 21 year old streak of at least one UFDA making the opening day roster for the Packers. This fit made too much sense. The Packers lost TJ Slaton to the Bengals in free agency and were in need of a large body to handle run stuffing duties. Stackhouse fits the bill perfectly, and between him and fellow rookie Warren Brinson, the Packers have done a great job shoring up the middle of what has become a much improved run defense.

Gutekunst Strikes out on Reclamation Projects

To be clear – this is not a criticism of the moves or the GM. Since taking over the Packers GM has done a great job of turning other teams trash into treasure. Players like De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas are great examples.

This year the Packers tried to make something of castoffs Mecole Hardman and Isaiah Simmons. Both players showed flashes in the early days of training camp that suggested they had a path to making the roster. Hardman as a returner and Simmons as LB4. Unfortunately both players failed to impress once the pads went on.

Hardman had a brutal opening preseason game that he just never really seemed to bounce back from, and the team ultimately decided to rely on the better pure receiver with Malik Heath, and will figure out the return spot later.

Like Hardman, Simmons did not impress during the first two preseason games. While he bounced back with a decent showing in the final game against Seattle, it wasn’t enough to make room for him on the roster. Especially with last years third round pick Ty’Ron Hopper seemingly making a leap.

Injuries Shape Early Decisions

MarShawn Lloyd seemingly can’t catch a break. After finally returning to field after injuries ruined his rookie season, Lloyd immediately flashed the kind of skill set that the Packers coveted in the third round pick. Unfortunately after his most impressive preseason play he immediately reinjured himself. Lloyd was looking to be the clear backup to Josh Jacobs, and instead will miss the first four games of the season.

His bad luck is another’s fortune however. With Lloyd on IR to begin the season, the path was set for both Emmanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks to make the roster. Wilson is the better of the two as a pure running back and likely would have edged out Brooks if not for the Lloyd injury. The team does like Brooks ability as a pass blocker, and would have likely tried to get him back to the practice squad had things gone differently.

On that same note, Donovan Jennings is another player that made the roster almost certainly due to injury. With Jacob Monk joining Lloyd on IR the team had one more space for an additional lineman. That the team choose Jennings over a player like Kadeem Telfort is a bit of a surprise. The Packers must have felt that Jennings had more room to grow as a player moving forward.

Last Thoughts on the Packers Roster

  • – The Packers not keeping Simmons or Kristian Welch was a surprise. Both players have real special teams value. I would suspect they try and get Welch back to the practice squad.
  • – Green Bay cut both Sean Clifford and Taylor Elgersma. Neither impressed in extensive action in the preseason, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Packers looked to the waiver wire for a practice squad arm.
  • – Micah Robinson over Kalen King was an interesting decision. Like the players above I suspect King is brought back to the practice squad, but he showed real flashes that make him a risk on waivers. He is almost certainly a slot corner exclusively and Green Bay must have felt that they already had an abundance at the position given the skill sets of Hobbs, Nixon and Bullard.

Overall there weren’t any decisions the team made that would qualify as shocking. A couple of spots that could have gone either way and a few spots where injuries made the decisions a little easier. This is likely close to the roster we see against the Lions next week. Unless a trade happens. It probably won’t. Probably.

This article first appeared on PackersTalk.com and was syndicated with permission.

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