The Cuts Are In (At Least Mine Are)

Here’s my prediction for the roster cutdown (just to show how good I am I’m also a picker (not like Mike and Frank of American Pickers) for the paper I work for on the high school games in our region and I went 13-6 last week leaving me tied for second to last out of eight pickers), so give my picks the grain of salt they deserve since I have found the Packers management doesn’t listen to me.

Quarterback: (3) Aaron Rodgers, DeShone Kizer, Tim Boyle.

I would normally cut Boyle and re-sign him to the practice squad, but it seems General Manager Brian Gutekunst is afraid the Saints will pick him up (they signed Joe Callahan and Tysom Hill when Ted Thompson cut them) and will carry 3 quarterbacks. I think the Packers need that 3rd quarterback spot for another position, but, like I said, nobody listens to me.

Fullback: (1) Joe Kerridge.

I like Ripper (Aaron Ripkowski), but he regressed last year and Kerridge looked good. Neither had much to do this preseason, so it comes down to special teams I guess and it’s hard to tell, but I had to cut someone.

Running Back: (3) Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones (after his 2-game suspension) and Joel Bouagnon.

I would cut Ty Montgomery because he is Nick Perry on the offense. Always hurt. I would cut Davante Mays because he is Nick Perry III and didn’t show anything last year. The rest LaShun Daniels and Bronson Hill were just injury replacements and others are better than they are.

Tight End: (3) Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan.

Lance Kendricks hasn’t shown much. Emanuel Byrd fell from the media’s favorite when Tonyan got playing time. The rest Kevin Radar and Ryan Smith are the rest.

Wide Receiver: (6) Davante Adams, Randall Cobb, (Jordy Nelson), Jake Kumerow, J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantlilng, Geronimo Allison.

Allison was kept just because he was great two years ago and Equaniemous St. Brown cut because nobody will pick him up, so he can be re-signed. Trevor Davis is a mystery. He hasn’t caught on as a wide receiver and hasn’t progressed much as a returner. He is a wild card. If I find I need to keep someone else when I’m done cutting he is it. The other pre preseason media favorite DeAngelo Yancy never made a splash. He might end up on the practice squad for the 2nd year. The others Adonis Jennings (despite his two great names) and Kyle Lewis didn’t do enough to stay. OBYW: Me and Aaron Rodgers still like Jordy Nelson. I hope he has a big season.

Tackle: (4) David Bakhtiari, Bryan Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Kyle Murphy.

Spriggs is playing better, but he will never be a starter and Murphy deserves another year to recover from his knee surgery. Alex Light might end up on the practice squad.

Guard: (3) Lane Taylor, Justin McCray, Adam Pankey.

 Just because. None are future All-Pros. I would keep 4, but like inside linebacker Ted Thompson doesn’t like guards and the rest Byron Bell and Kofi (Annan, Don) Amichia didn’t show enough to be kept although Bell is a veteran and I like a veteran as a backup.

Center: (2) Corey Linsley, Lucas Patrick

Patrick is the 4th guard, but he can play center. Dillon Day got a lot of playing time at both center and guard, but he was ordinary at best.

The total at the moment is 25 on offense.

Special Teams: (3) Mason Crosby, J.K.Scott, a long snapper.

The kickers were preordained and I didn’t watch the long snappers so either undrafted free agent Zach Triner or 7th pick Hunter Bradley. In a normal year Bradley wins the job, but a lot of people are picking Triner. One gets signed and the other gets cut. Either or.

The total is now 28 with 25 to go.

Cornerback: (5) Tramon Williams, Davon House, Josh Jackson, Kevin King, Demetri Goodson.

House has played well enough to remain. Goodson has too I think. King won’t be cut and neither will be Jackson. Josh Hawkins regressed, Herb Waters never gressed and Donatello Brown can go back to his day job with the Ninja Turtles.

Slot Corner: (2) Jaire Alexander, Quinten Rollins

Alexander won’t be cut and Rollins deserves a chance to prove himself for one more year. Rollins is also the kick returner if Davis gets cut.

Safety: (4) Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Josh Jones, Kentrell Brice, Raven (Tiger) Greene

Clinton-Dix won’t get cut and maybe he should be worried to put some fire under his butt. Jones won’t get cut, but Brice seems to have won the strong safety job replacing Morgan Burnett when Jones should have. Greene got a lot of playing time and normally that means he will be cut, but he did some good things. Marwin Evans was an up-and-comer last year, but leveled out or regressed some. Jermaine Whitehead played a lot too, so I think he will be cut although he seems to be good on special teams.

Inside Linebacker: (4) Blake Martinez, Oren Burks, Ahmad Thomas, Antonio Morrison.

This is one more than the Packers normally keep at the red-headed stepchild position of the defense. Greer Martini is the odd man out only because Ted/Brian traded for Morrison. The rest Naashon Hughes, James Crawford and Marcus Porter were the rest.

Outside Linebacker: (5) (Khalil Mack-Clay Matthews), Nick Perry, Reggie Gilbert, ?, ?

Matthews and Perry won’t be cut although I hope Matthews is traded for Mack. Gilbert has made the team and might beat out Matthews or Perry or both, but I doubt it. Kyler Fackrell was No. 3 last year and he was beat out by Gilbert. He will probably make the team. Vince Biegel might also make the team because the Packers hate to cut draft picks before they play out their rookie contracts. Chris Odom, was he playing this preseason?, James Hearns, who?, and Kendall Donnerson, the last draft pick, are the rest. Donnerson will probably be re-signed to the practice squad.

Defensive Line: (5) Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, Muhammad Wilkerson, Montravius Adams, Joey Mbu

Daniels, Clark, Wilkerson and Adams won’t get cut. It came down to Mbu and Dean Lowry and I went with the nose tackle because only Clark is a real nose tackle out of the others. The rest defensive ends Connor Sheehy and James Looney and defensive tackle/end Tyler Lancaster are the rest. Lancaster might be re-signed.

Defense Total is 25, so that fills out the 53. I hope I have a better percentage (.684) than I had my first week of high school football.

Now to Aaron Jones’ position for the first 2 games. I guess Ty Montgomery makes the team for the first game, unless he’s put on injured reserve. Then it would be……………either LaShun Daniels or Ripper because I think Mays might not be healthy enough to be any help if needed.