The Unkindest Cuts of All Are on Offense

I still have 20 players to cut from the offense and here they are. Brett Hundley has done so well he won the battle with Matt Blanchard for the No. 3 quarterback position and so well he can’t be cut and stashed on the practice squad, so like last year Thompson will have to keep three quarterbacks, unless he can pull off a trade. If he can’t then either Hundley or Tolzien will be traded next year like Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Brunell and Aaron Brooks since it wouldn’t be fair to make either sit for five or six more years behind Aaron Rodgers.

 

#34 Rajion Neal & #19 Myles White seemed to have won a job

It was a spirited battle for the No. 3 running back spot behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks with Rajion Neal, Alonzo Harris and John Crockett all having played well. I think Neal won the job taking up where he left off before being injured last year. Hopefully, Harris and/or Crockett will be signed to the practice squad.

John Kuhn has really come on with his blocking and he can catch out of the backfield if needed, so he will retained for one more season. The first of three sixth round drafts picks Aaron Ripkowski has done so well on special teams I don’t see how he can be cut or signed to the practice squad. So for the first time since 2010 when Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson made the team for the second year in a row Thompson will keep two fullbacks.

 

Because Ripkowski is taking up a spot that translates to the tight end position I feel Thompson will keep only three tight ends for the first time since 2009. Richard Rodgers and Andrew Quarless are locks and I think the third sixth round pick Kennard Backman has taken advantage of Justin Perillo’s injury and won the third spot. So I would cut Perillo, Mitchell Henry and Harold Spears. Hopefully Perillo will end up back on the practice squad, if that is still possible, because he had won the job before he was hurt.

 

The offensive line always gets short sheeted, but I think despite the injuries and bad play Thompson will again keep just three reserves. McCarthy seems to think the starters will all be ready for the Bears game, so I would cut tackles Jeremy Vujnovich, Vince Kowalski and Fabbians Ebbele leaving left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), right tackle Bryan Bulaga (ankle), and Don Barclay.

 

Big Josh Walker may have beat out Lane Taylor on the line

At guard I would keep big Josh Walker as the only true guard behind T. J. Lang (concussion) and Josh Sitton (ankle) and cut Lane Taylor from last year’s squad and Matt Rotheram. At center I would keep former would-be starting center J. C. Tretter behind Corey Linsley and cut Garth Gerhart and Andy Phillps.

 

Finally we’re down to six more cuts and they all have to come from the wide receivers. First, Jordy Nelson will go on injured reserve and possibly Jared Abbrederis will join him. If not Abbrederis gets cut along with Javess Blue, Larry Pinkard, Jimmie Hunt, James Butler and Ed Williams, despite the fact he is wearing Paul Hornung’s No. 5.

 

That leaves Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, No. 3 draft pick Ty Montgomery, Jeff Janis and Myles White as the receiving corps for 2015.

 

The final numbers on offense are 3 quarterbacks, 2 fullbacks, 3 running backs, 5 wide receivers, 3 tight ends and 8 offensive linemen for a total of 24.

 

The final three roster spots are, of course, placekicker Mason Crosby, long snapper Brett Goode and punter Tim Masthay, despite his struggles since there is no alternative. Heaven help us if Masthay continues to be hit and miss.