The Green Bay Packers released 18 players and placed four on season-ending injured reserve to cut down their roster to the 53 man mark to open the 2014 regular season.
It’s that awful day when a knock on the door or a call to your cell could mean the Turk is looking for you.
The following players have been released or placed on IR, according to the Packers team website and various sources.
CB Ryan White – Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, White has been released and is a candidate for the practice squad.
T John Fullington-Also according to Demovsky, the Packers have released Fullington. The undrafted rookie out of Washington State also is eligible for the practice squad.
RB Michael Hill – Per Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Wes Hodkiewicz, Hill is released and the Packers will stick with four running backs, including fullback John Kuhn. Hill could be a practice squad candidate after spending time on last year’s squad for the Packers. Hill was also promoted to the active roster for a short stint last season as well.
G Jordan McCray – According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette, McCray has been released and was told he will be placed on the practice squad once he clears waivers. This would be a move to shore up depth on the Packers’ offensive line
RB LaDarius Perkins – Perkins has been released per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Another practice squad possibility, and it could come down to Perkins and Hill for a spot.
LB Jake Doughty – Doughty was released according to Demovsky but could also be another possibility for the practice squad per the ESPN reporter.
WR Alex Gillet – Per Bill Huber of Packer Report, the Packers have parted ways with Gillet. Gillet raised fans’ eyebrows with a fourth quarter touchdown catch against the Raiders, but apparently that wasn’t enough to keep him around. He improved greatly over 2013 so the practice squad is a good possibility if he doesn’t get claimed by another team.
S Tanner Miller – per Tom Silverstein, Miller has been released and no word yet on whether the Packers may try to add him to the practice squad. Miller fell victim to a number’s game, with the team proving to have strong safety depth throughout camp.
CB Jumal Rolle – per Tom Silverstein. This one is a bit surprising. He performed well in camp practices, but wasn’t able to carry it over to the preseason games. Packers may have deferred to sixth rounder Demetri Goodson.
S Chris Banjo – Tom Silverstein says a source has told him Banjo has been informed he was let go. Packers to go with only 4 safeties. Banjo is PS eligible under the new rules.
WR Myles White – Bill Huber of Packer Report says Myles White has been informed of his release. He belongs on an NFL roster, but not in the Packers’ loaded WR group.
DL Carlos Gray – Bill Huber of Packers Report sites a source as saying Carlos Gray has been released. Gray was a camp underdog that nonetheless opened some eyes.
LB Adrian Hubbard – The Packers team website is listing Hubbard as one of those who were released and did not indicate an injured-reserve designation, as was earlier reported. Hubbard wasn’t able to crack a crowded position group but may be back on the team’s practice squad if he can clear waivers.
WR Kevin Dorsey – per Bill Huber of Packer Report. Dorsey had issues with drops and couldn’t make an impression this summer. This signals that the Packers are sticking with five receivers this year, with Jeff Janis being the fifth.
C Garth Gerhart – per team website. Gerhart spent last season on the Packers practice squad. With J.C. Tretter likely to return from a knee injury and rookie Corey Linsley stepping in while Tretter is out, there was no room for a third center on the roster.
DE Luther Robinson – per team website. Robinson wasn’t able to show enough to crack the defensive line rotation, despite the trade of Jerel Worthy and season-ending injury of B.J. Raji. The team opted to keep undrafted free agent Mike Pennel in this group.
OT Jeremy Vujnovich – per team’s website. Vujnovich was another victim of the numbers game as the Packers already seemingly had their three rotational offensive linemen chosen in Derek Sherrod, Corey Linsley and Lane Taylor.
TE Justin Perillo – per team’s website. With the designation of Stoneburner on IR and with Brandon Bostick likely to be out several weeks, there was a thought that Perillo may be kept on the active roster. He was one of the last cuts made and he would seem to be very high on the Packers’ list of players they’d like to add to their practice squad.
OT Aaron Adams (IR) – The first of the moves announced. He has been placed on season-long injured reserve.
TE Jake Stoneburner (IR) – per Wes Hodkiewicz. The undrafted free agent from Ohio State was a bubble player during camp and saw his value rise slightly when Bostick went down with an injury. Still, tight end was one of the most competitive positions on this roster. The Packers team website is listing Stoneburner as one of four players recently placed on injured reserve.
DL Khyri Thornton (IR) – per the Packers team website, Thornton was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Thornton suffered a hamstring injury during Thursday’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. A third-round selection, Thornton was a huge disappointment during the Packers offseason and preseason. He won’t be permitted to practice with the team for the remainder of this season so his future with the team is in question.
LB Nate Palmer (IR) – per Wes Hodkiewicz and the Packers team website. He has been placed on season-long injured reserve.
For those looking for which quarterback is released, you can end your search. Tom Silverstein just reported the Packers will keep three quarterbacks this season and we have to assume that Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn are the other two.
Rolle cut is a big surprise. Also surprised by comment that he did not carry over performance to preseason games. Were you not actually watching?
Rolle will likely get picked up on waivers. He showed real promise in a very crowded position on this roster. Would be great to get him back on PS.
Chris Banjo released
Rolle and Banjo are mild surprises. Banjo was a tough guy and at 21, Rolle would seem to have a bright future. OAK will pick him up. Keeping Goodson over Rolle, if that is what they do, is a real head scratcher. I guess they will be keeping extras at DL/LB.
Banjo to be released??? What??? I know he’s a candidate for the practice squad, but damn, I thought he would be a great contributor on special teams this year, the man hits like a truck!
I read on jsonline that they are now leaning towards keeping Flynn and Tolzein with no word on who is actually 2nd string.
Cutting Rolle is more than a mild surprise. Are they going to keep just 5 CBs, especially considering that House, Williams, and Bush are in contract years? I thought it clear that Rolle was better than Goodson at this time, and it should be no problem to put Goodson on the PS.
Banjo was on my bubble, but I thought he could help more this year than several prospects who might develop into starting level players if given time. Banjo I saw as a trade-off between this year and the future.
“Cutting Rolle is more than a mild surprise.”
To you maybe but not me. Sure he’s better than Goodson and maybe Bush but they must see more long-term potential in Goodson. And Bush is Bush, he knows the system and is great on ST. IMO, there were no major surprises other than keeping Flynn.
I don’t think there were any major surprises. There were several on the bubble and the Packer brain trust made their decisions. Mild surprises: Bradford and Goodson making the 53 man. The end of the roster is all about development for the future and apparently TT saw enough to justify keeping them. A few wink wink IR guys in Thornton and Palmer.
I would not be surprised to see Flynn get traded for a pick or for a backup linemen. IMO Tolzein showed enough to be #2. Better to free up that roster spot for someone else.
Agreed on all points. Had TT cut Tolzein I would have had a difficult time remaining a Packer fan. That’s how clear cut of a choice I saw it as. Am I OK w keeping Flynn and Tolzein? I guess since I can live with all the cuts. Banjo was impressive on ST – he will be missed. Funny TT kept Bush and Taylor for that purpose but not Banjo. If Goodson can catch the ball, I’d like to see him become a returner.
Pack bringing in a few players it sounds like.
Vujnovich, Gerhart, Perillo and Robinson now gone
Thornton and Adams on IR
Official cuts have been announced. Goodson and Bradford on the 53. http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-roster-moves/article-1/Packers-keep-three-QBs-Heres-the-53-man-roster/2bf603e7-0424-4f92-a42e-99c135c79fb9?campaign=social_20140830_30774616
Packers did a great job with the final 53. I hope that they get a chance to sign Banjo, Gerhart, Hubbard, Gray and Gillet to the PS. The other released players would be marginal contributors. The IR players get another shot next season. Go Pack GO! Thanks, Since ’61
Bottom-line, if TT didn’t cut Brian Brohm following his first TC, he isn’t going to cut any high draft pick after one TC. Even lower draft picks have to totally bomb not to make the 53 in year 1.
So who on the team had the best preseason?
(1) DuJuan Harris – was electrifying
(2) Eddie Lacy – looked even better than rookie year
(3) AROD – looks ready to have a monster season
(4) B Bostick – ready to replace Finley as 2-way starter (Rodgers can’t block)
On defense:
(1) Jay Elliott – possible star pass rusher
(2) Mike Pennell – another UDFA that showed he belonged at this level
Defense was generally effective but more as a team than any individual dominating. We will see the real CMIII/Peppers duo Thursday night. My major concern with this team is the NT-ILB triangle is weak. I am afraid teams will exploit that big time, causing us to shade help in that direction, setting us up to get beat on the perimeter as well. You could argue GB doesn”t have a competent NFL quality starter at any of those three positions. And they sit right at the heart of our defense – the middle. We should have three bulls in those positions. Then we would have legitimate SB aspirations. At best, this team is a repeat of last few years – win teh division and go home early in teh playoffs. With the improvement in the division, it will be a much tougher division to win. AROD always gives us a chance but nobody goes too far in this league with a weak defensive middle. That should be priority #1 for 2015. Ryan Shazier would have been a good start this year but TT would have had to give up his top R3 pick to get there and in retrospect (Thornton), he should have. That’s not to say Dix isn’t a fine player for the future as well.