The Cuts and Signings: The Aftermath

The NFL cut down day was Saturday and the Packers made those cuts and I was wrong on 11 of them. The first day after the Day was Sunday and Ted Thompson/Brian Gutekunst was silent on adjusting the lineup, but, of course, they signed 8 of those cuts to the practice squad and 3 of those signings were 3 players I had kept, but were cut (running back Joel Bouagnon, fullback Joe Kerridge and guard/tackle Adam Pankey).

The other practice squad signees signed on Sunday were center Austin Davis, outside linebacker Kendall Donnerson, defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster, defensive tackle James Looney and inside linebacker Greer Martini leaving two spots open. Other moves were waiving running back Devante Mays, tackle Kyle Murphy and cornerback Quinten Rollins from injured reserve with injury settlements even though those moves haven't been officially announced yet and may never be.  

Monday Ted Thompson/Brian Gutekunst filled out the practice squad with the signing of safey Marwin Evans and cornerback Tony Brown formerly with the Chargers. They then cut cornerback Herb Waters, who I cut in the first batch, and added a third running back like I suggested by signing Darius Jackson off the Cowboys practice squad. (NOTE: I know Jackson. He played for Sparta High School from the River-to-River Conference in Southern Illinois. He was a 1,000 yard rusher for Sparta and a 1,000 yard rusher for Eastern Michigan setting a season record for touchdowns scored his senior year with 16 (14 rushing and 2 receiving).

The practice squad is fine, I guess. The players who scribes liked, but were cut were brought back (Pankey, Martini). In total two were draft picks (Looney (#7-232) and Donnerson (#7-248), three were undrafted rookies (Martini, Lancaster, Davis), one was a street free agent formerly with the Bears and the first signee by BG (Bouagnon), one was a cut by the Chargers (Brown) and the rest (Kerridge, Pankey, Evans) played for the Packers last year.

Finally, TT/BG put preseason standout wide receiver Jake Kumerow on injured reserve. Kumerow was on his way to being the No. 3 wide receiver at least when he decided to dive into the end zone after an 82-yard touchdown pass in the second preseason game and injured his shoulder. He hasn’t played since and will now not play until Game 9 at least. STUPID. I wager he never regains the momentum and buzz he had and because of that STUPID move ruined his career. STUPID. I hope he thinks about that.

Now on to the Ex-Packers around the league. At the end of last season to before the cuts there were 70 ex-Packers around the league.

After the cuts and the practice squad acquisitions there were 28 released and not picked up: WR Malachi Dupre (Bills), P Jon Ryan (Seahawks & Bills), WR Charles Johnson (Jets),  S Robertson Daniel (Ravens), RB John Crockett (Ravens), LB Carl Bradford (Bengals), WR Jeff Janis (Browns), P Justin Vogel (Browns), G Geoff Gray (Browns), CB Lenzy Pipkins (Colts), WR Montay Crockett (Jags), CB Makinton Dorleant (Chiefs), LB Frank Zombo (Chiefs), G Ethan Cooper (Chiefs), T Breno Giacomini (Raiders), PK Giorgio Tavecchio (Raiders & Falcons), CB Raysean Pringle (Raiders & Lions), QB Joe Callahan (Eagles), G Darrell Greene (Eagles), RB Knile Davis (Bears), DT Christian Ringo (Lions), CB LaDarius Gunter (Panthers), OLB Jayrone Elliott (Saints), G John Fullington (Saints), G Andrew Tiller (Saints), G Don Barclay (G), C Josh Allen (Cardinals) and WR Max McCaffrey (49ers).

There were also 2 who was cut and then signed with another team: T Marshall Newhouse (cut by the Raiders and signed by the Bills) and G Jeremy Vugnovich (cut by the Colts and signed by the Seahawks).

That left 33 ex-Packers on the active rosters around the league: Bills (SS Micah Hyde, Newhouse), Dolphins (G Josh Sitton), Patriots (DT Lawrence Guy), Jets (DT Mike Pennel), Ravens (SS Anthony Levine, Jr.), Bengals (LS Clark Harris), Browns (S Damarious Randall, C JC Tretter), Steelers (FS Morgan Burnett), Jaguars (DE Lerentee McCray, G Josh Walker), Chiefs (DE Justin Hamilton), Chargers (CB Casey Hayward), Raiders (TE Jared Cook, WR Jordy Nelson, DT Brian Price), Cowboys (DE Datone Jones, MLB Joe Thomas), Eagles (LS Rick Lovato), Lions (G T.J. Lang, DT Ricky Jean Francois), Panthers (LS J.J. Jansen, DE Julius Peppers, G Greg Van Roten), Saints (SS Chris Banjo, QB Taysom Hill), Bucs (C Evan Smith, DE Jerel Worthy), Cardinals (CB Bene' Benwikere, Vugnovich), Seahawks (QB Brett Hundley) and Rams (CB Sam Shields).

In addition there were 6 others who were cut and then signed to a practice squad. DE Lavon Hooks (cut and re-signed to the practice squad by the Steelers), ILB Ahmad Thomas (cut by the Packers and signed to the practice squad by the Colts), TE David Grinnage (cut and re-signed to the practice squad by the Jaguars), CB Terrell Sinkfield (cut by the Jets and signed to the practice squad by the Raiders), RB Jhurrell Pressley (cut and re-signed to the practice squad by the Giants) and LB Vince Biegle (cut by the Packers and signed to the practice squad by the Saints).

There were 4 others who were put on injured reserve: T Ulrick John (Patriots), LB Nate Palmer (Titans), TE Richard Rodgers (Eagles) and LB Erik Walden (Seahawks).

So at the end of Monday there were 43 ex-Packers either on active rosters (33), on the practice squad (6) and on injured reserve (4).

The big names cut were Jeff Janis, Frank Zombo, Jon Ryan, Breno Giacomini, Joe Callahan, LaDarius Gunter, Jayrone Elliott and Don Barclay. I like Janis, but he may not be the player I thought he was. I always liked Zombo. I hope they catch on with somebody.

The most recognized Ex-Packers are Micah Hyde, Josh Sitton, Damarious Randall, Morgan Burnett, Casey Hayward, Jared Cook, Jordy Nelson, Datone Jones, T.J. Lang, Julius Peppers, Chris Banjo, Brett Hundley and Sam Shields on the active rosters with Vince Biegle on the Saints practice squad and Ahmad Thomas on the Colts practice squad and Richard Rodgers on the Eagles injured reserve.

There are 15 ex-Packers who are starters: Hyde at strong safety for the Bills, Sitton at left guard for the Dolphins, Guy at nose tackle for the Patriots, Harris at long snapper for the Bengals, Randall at safety for the Browns, Tretter at center for the Browns, Burnett at strong safety for the Steelers, Hayward at right corner for the Chargers, Cook at tight end and Nelson at wide receiver for the Raiders, Jones at left defensive tackle for the Cowboys, Lovato at long snapper for the Eagles, Lang at right guard for the Lions and J.J. Jansen at long snapper and Peppers at left defensive end for the Panthers.

Sam Shields was a very good undrafted rookie free agent for the Packers. He was eventually released after sitting out most of the 2016 season with a succession of concussions and then the entire 2017 season in part by being suspended by the league for two counts of marijuana possession. I don’t care about the suspension. I hope Sam the best like I do for Jordy Nelson.

Here’s an article about Sam on July 29 by Lindsey Thiry of ESPN:

IRVINE, Calif. -- Sam Shields' comeback continued Sunday when the Los Angeles Rams cornerback practiced in full pads for the first time since a concussion sidelined him in 2016.

"It's hard mentally for anybody to come back and put these pads on," Shields said after the workout. "But like I said before, I'm just happy to be here with my brothers. That's the most important part."

Shields, 30, sat out last season after he was released from the Green Bay Packers in February 2017 following his fourth known concussion.

The Rams signed the former Pro Bowl selection as an unrestricted free agent in March, and through four days of training camp, Shields has been among the standouts in a position group that includes Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Nickell Robey-Coleman.

"He's just getting back into the groove and you can see why he was making the plays," Peters said. "That's why we call him ball-skills Shields."

Rams coach Sean McVay also has been impressed.

"He's doing a great job," McVay said. "Elite man-to-man skills, unbelievable lateral agility and just short-space quickness. He's a great guy. ... We're hoping he's able to stay healthy."

Shields last played in a season opener on Sept. 11, 2016, with the Packers, when he suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter and was sidelined for the remainder of the season. It was his second concussion in less than nine months.

Shields also missed four games in 2015 because of concussions.

On Sunday, Shields said he had to eliminate any fear of suffering another head injury before returning to the field, a decision he pondered for a year and a half.

"I think I made the right choice," he said. "You've got to be mentally strong."

The Packers signed Shields out of Miami as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He has 23 career interceptions (including playoffs).

The Rams will have their second padded practice on Monday.