Cutdown to 75 Had Some Surprises

It was cutdown day in the NFL when all 32 teams had to get down to 75 and end of the day there were a few surprising moves by the Packers.

Hometown Boy Peter Mortell Was Living The Dream Until Monday - His Grandfather Hunting With Vince Lombardi And With His Dad At Lambeau Field

First, General Manager Ted Thompson cut Green Bay native Peter Mortell. I thought Mortell had won the battle with Tim Masthay for the punting job. He seemed to be a gamer and I was ready to move on from Masthay, who has been mired in a year and a half slump. But what do I know?

Tim Masthay Was Relieved In The Morning and Then Relieved Of His Duties In The Afternoon

Then later in the day the second shoe fell when Thompson claimed second-year pro Jacob Schum from the Bucs and cut Masthay. Better late than never I guess.

 

While Jacob Schum Was Depressed In The Morning And On A Plane North In the Afternoon, But Can He Hold For Crosby

Schum was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Browns in 2013, but was cut after OTAs. He was signed by the Bucs in 2014, but again was cut after OTAs. The Jets signed him before training camp and they cut him in the cutdown to 75. In November the Bucs signed him to the practice squad, but he was cut three days later. The Jets re-signed him two days after the season.

 

Last season the Jets cut him in training camp and the Bucs signed him for the third time 8 days later, but this time he won the job. Schum punted 56 times with a 41.9 gross average and a 38.0 net average with 15 inside the 20 and 4 touchbacks and a long of 60.

 

Last season Masthay punted 81 times (43.9 gross/40.2 net) with 18 inside the 20 and 6 touchbacks and a long of 62. It looks like Masthay had a better season, but he shanked too many punts in crucial situations and he seemed to have forgotten how to hit the coffin corner, which used to be forte.

 

During the first 3 preseason games this year Masthay punted 9 times with an average of 42.8 gross/31.8 net with 3 inside the 20, one touchback and a long of 51 while Mortell also punted 9 times (45.1 gross/42.0 net) with 5 inside the 20 and a long of 62.

 

Masthay was more consistent during practice, but like I said Mortell seemed to be a gamer. But his downfall came last week against the 49ers when he punted 4 times with an average 33.5, including a low punt that resulted in a 17-yard return while Masthay punted 3 times for a gross and net average of 43.0.

 

Mortell was the feel-good story of training camp being a Green Bay native whose grandfather served as the Packers' clock operator, a job he later passed on to Mortell's father. As a kid he took part in the bicycle tradition and when he was in high school, he worked for the team as a stats runner in the press box.

 

In The Great Collapse Jon Ryan Throwing The First Postseason TD Tossed By A Punter Since They Started Keeping Track Of The Statistic In 1966

Now that the change has been made let's hope it doesn't turn out like the last time Thompson made a late change at punter. Don't get me wrong I think Masthay has lost it, but flash back to September 1, 2008 when Thompson suddenly and without any warning cut Jon Ryan, who was signed by the Seahawks and is still their punter.

 

Derrick Frost

Thompson signed Derrick Frost, who was cut during the season, and replaced by Jeremy Kapinos, who lasted the remainder of the year and the next before being replaced by Masthay in 2010.

 

Jeremy Kapinos

The next surprise came with a rare trade. Thompson traded 1 of his 2 free agent signees outside linebacker Lerentee McCray to the Bills for - an this is also rare - a 2018 conditional draft pick. I don't remember the last time a future draft pick was traded. That used to happen back in the 60's, 70's and 80's.

 

The rest of the cuts were no surprise with newcomers DT Demetris Anderson, CB Randall Jette, WR Jamel Johnson, LB Derrick Mathews and WR Harvey Binford released. WR Ed Williams, who on the practice squad and activated late last year, was also released.

 

Placed on injured reserve were TE Kennard Backman (right hamstring), RB John Crockett (shoulder), C Jacob Flores (knee), TE Mitchell Henry (broken finger) and G Josh Walker (right knee). It is expected maybe all of them will be given injury settlements, except for maybe Crockett, who had seemed to win the third running back job until he got injured against the 49ers.

 

EX-PACKERS TRANSACTIONS:

 

Cullen Jenkins Has A Chance To Play In His 13th Seasons After The Redskins Picked Him Up After The Giants Didn't Re-sign Him

At the beginning of the week here were 59 ex-Packers around the league after the signing of defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins by the Redskins, cornerback Ryan White with the Falcons, tackle Cory Tucker with the Browns and wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield by the Vikings.

 

After The Chargers Cut Him James Jones' Last Chance Might Be With The Packers-East Otherwise Known As The Vikings

When the dust settled Tuesday 16 ex-Packers were cut or waived/injured. Cut were WR James Jones and DT Bruce Gaston by the Chargers; T William Campbell by the Titans; DE Ray Drew by the Panthers; TE Matthew Mulligan by the Lions; DT C. J. Wilson by the Saints, TE Jake Stoneburner by the Rams; PK Giorgio Tavecchio by the Raiders; WR Myles White by the Giants; S Brandian Ross by the Broncos; and C Patrick Lewis by the Seahawks along with White, Tucker and Sinkfield.

 

Waived injured were G Justin Renfrow by the Bills and WR Dennis Parks by the Browns. Both were then put on injured reserve and are expected to be released with injury settlements.

 

SECOND CHANCE:

 

What A Difference A Year Makes - Patrick Lewis Was Seattle's Starting Center Last Year But Was Cut in the 75 This Year

Gaston, Lewis and Wilson weren't unemployed long. Gaston was picked up off of waivers by the Eagles, Lewis was picked up off of waivers by the Bills and Wilson was re-signed by the Saints the next day.

 

ON THE WATCH LIST:

 

Tramon Williams Might Be Spending More Time With His Wife Starting Next Weekend

An ex-Packer to watch is one of our favorites Tramon Williams in his second year with the Browns. He lost his starting position to Jamar Taylor, a 4-year corner the Browns traded for during the off-season from the Dolphins, and may be in danger of being cut Saturday because he has a starters salary and doesn't play special teams.