Friday, November 24, 2017

Ex-Packers Dropping Like Flies

With 6:57 remaining in the 1st quarter of the Minnesota Vikings game on October 15, 2017 the Green Bay Packers season ended. With the exception of the inept Da’ Bears the Packers lost to the Vikings, the Saints, the Lions, (thank god for Da’ Bears) and the Ravens to drop 3 games behind the Vikings, 1 game behind the Lions for the North title and 1 game behind the Lions, Seahawks and Falcons for the last wildcard spot with 6 games remaining. UPDATE: The Vikings beat the Lions on Thanksgiving.

So technically the Packers could right the ship by “running the table” to finish 11-5, but no one thinks that’s going to happen, so for the 1st time since 2008 the Packers will not be playing in the playoffs snapping a string of 8 straight seasons, which tied an NFL record, but that was because Rodgers was quarterback for all of 9 games out of 128 games. He missed 1 game with a concussion in 2010. He missed 1 game in 2011 because Mike McCarthy was afraid Ndomukong Suh was going to hurt him. He then missed 7 games in 2013 with a broken collarbone. He had started 55 straight games when the Vikings cut him down.

His highly qualified replacement Brett Hundley has gotten worse instead of better. Last week was probably the worse quarterback performance by a Packer since T.J. Rubley on November 5, 1995 against the Vikings. The shutout orchestrated by Hundley was also the 1st since Mike McCarthy’s first game ever as the Packers coach against Da’ Bears on September 10, 2006. The Packers had gone 184 games without being shutout until the man Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy stubbornly believe in and won’t bench because the only other quarterback on the roster they evidently don’t believe in at all did the honors. On any other team Hundley would have been benched 2 weeks ago, but not in Green Bay. Hundley must have naked pictures of Thompson or McCarthy or both or both together to keep his job because it can’t be his play on the field, but I digress.

However, since the unmasking of the Packers former Packers have lost their luster. Since October 15 eight former Packers have been cut in the 7 weeks since and one former No. 1 draft pick has been cut twice and 3 times since the beginning of the season


This week alone the Lions cut 2014 #3 pick Khyri Thornton and the 49ers cut 2013 #1 pick Datone Jones. However, to be fair the Lions activated 2015 #6 Christian Ringo to replace Thornton.

The week before the Lions cut 2014 #5 pick Jared Abbrederis and the Bills cut 2012 #2 pick Jerel Worthy, while the Jaguars activated former Packer (2015) Larry Pinkard from the practice squad.

The week before that the Calgary Stampeders cut former Packer (2014-15) Tay Glover-Wright, who had also been cut by the Giants in the final cutdown, and the week before that the Eagles cut former Packer (2015) Justin Hamilton and then re-signed him to the practice squad.

The week after Rodgers was hurt the Lions cut Datone Jones, who had also been cut by the Vikings in the final cutdown, and the Jaguars cut former Packer (2017) Max McCaffrey. The following week Da’ Bears cut 2014 #4 Carl Bradford from the practice squad and the Lions eagerly snapped up Don Barclay to go with T.J. Lang.

So since Rodgers went down Datone Jones, Khyri Thornton, Jared Abbrederis, Jerel Worthy, Tay Glover-Wright, Carl Bradford and Max McCaffrey were cut.

On the plus side Justin Hamilton was cut and re-signed to the practice squad and McCaffrey was picked up again by the Packers. Larry Pinkard and Christian Ringo were activated from the practice squad and Don Barclay was picked up by the Lions after being cut by the Packers.

At the beginning of training camp there were 84 ex-Packers around the NFL and now there are still 38 active in addition to 5 on the practice squad and 2 on injured reserve.

Lions (3): #76 T.J. Lang (RG), #62 Don Barclay (G), #55 Christian Ringo (DT).
Bears (1): #71 Josh Sitton (LG).
Panthers (3): #73 Greg Van Roten (G), #44 J.J. Jansen (LS), #90 Julius Peppers (RDE).
Saints (2 + 1PS): #47 Thomas Gafford (LS), #37 Chris Banjo (S). Practice Squad: #77 John Fullington (G).
Bucs (1): #62 Evan Smith (C).
Cowboys (1 + 1IR): #23 Bené Benwikere (CB). Injured Reserve: #92 Brian Price (DT)’
Eagles (1 + 1PS): #45 Rick Lovato (LS). Practice Squad: #66 Justin Hamilton (DT).
Cardinals (1): #37 Tramon Williams (CB).
Seahawks (2): #27 Eddie Lacy (RB), #9 Jon Ryan (P).
Bills(1): #23 Micah Hyde (SS).
Jets (2 + 2PS): #98 Mike Pennel (DE). Practice Squad: #63 Geoff Gray (G), #35 Terrell Sinkfield, Jr. (CB).
Patriots (2): #93 Lawrence Guy (DE), #94 Ricky Jean Francios (DT)
Ravens (1): #41 Anthony Levine, Sr. (ILB)
Steelers (+1PS): Practice Squad: #65 Levon Hooks (DE)
Browns (1): #64 J.C. Tretter (C)
Bengals (1): #46 Clark Harris (LS)
Colts (2 + 1IR): #16 Scott Tolzien (QB), #67 Jeremy Vujnovich (T). Injured Reserve: #38 Christine Michael (RB).
Texans (1): #68 Breno Giacomini (T)
Jaguars (2): #55 Lerentee McCray (WLB), #18 Larry Pickard (WR)
Titans (1): #50 Nate Palmer (ILB)
Raiders (3): #87 Jared Cook (TE), #73 Marshall Newhouse (T), #2 Giorgio Tavecchio (K).
Chiefs (1): #51 Frank Zombo (OLB)
Chargers (1): #26 Casey Hayward (RCB)
Broncos (1): #73 Allen Barbre (LG)

There were 25 ex-Packers in the Canadian Football League and 10 are still employed with 2 on a practice squad and 2 on injured reserve.

Calgary Stampeders (2 +1PS +1IR): #4 Micah Johnson (DL), #98 James Vaughters (DL). Practice Squad: #66 Josh Allen (OL). Injured Reserve: #64 Justin Renfrow (G).
Edmonton Eskimos (2 +1IR): #13 Mike Reilly (QB), #45 Korey Jones (LB). Injured Reserve: #22 LaDarius Perkins (RB).
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1 + 1PS): #15 Alex Green (RB). Practice Squad: #36 Ross Scheuerman (RB).
Montreal Alouettes (2): #20 Tyrell Sutton (RB), #64 Cory Tucker (OL).
Ottawa Redbacks (1): #68 Tommie Draheim (C).
Toronto Argonauts (1): #69 William Campbell (OL).
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1): #14 Myles White (WR).

There were also 16 ex-Packers in two indoor football leagues. However, only 3 active remain in the AFL with the Packers right tackle Justin McCray listed as reserve in case he gets cut and returns.

Cleveland Gladiators (1 inactive): #63 Jordan McCray (OL)
Philadelphia Soul (2): #62 Brennen Carvalho (C), #7 Darius Reynolds (WR)
Tampa Bay Storm (1 + 1 reserve): #99 Jordan Miller (DL). Reserve: #64 Justin McCray (OL/FB)

In addition, 5 of the 7 ex-Packers made it to the end of the IFL season.

Arizona Rattlers (1): #12 Diondre Borel (WR).
Green Bay Blizzard (2 + 1IR): #15 Josh "Road Closed" Francis (LB), #10 J.D. Roussell (DB). Injured Reserve: Chris Malott (WR).
Nebraska Danger (1): #5 Demetruce McNeal (DB).

Wichita Falls Nighthawks (2): #6 Angelo Pease (RB).

No comments:

Post a Comment