Packers set their initial 53-man roster
The Green Bay Packers initial 53-man roster is set.
General manager Brian Gutekunst and his staff got down to the player limit in advance of the 3 p.m. deadline on Tuesday. They did so in a variety of ways, including cutting 32 players. Among them were two draft picks — wide receiver Grant DuBose and running back Lew Nichols (waived-injured). It meant that 11 of the 13 picks from April made the roster.
Three undrafted players also made the squad in wide receiver Malik Heath, running back Emanuel Wilson and outside linebacker Brenton Cox Jr.
Interestingly, the team did not keep a long snapper, releasing Matt Orzech. According to Packer Report’s Bill Hueber, he is expected to re-signed tomorrow after the team puts another player on injured reserve.
One of Green Bay’s free agent additions — safety Tavarious Moore — was placed on injured reserve and is expected to reach an injury agreement with the team that will make him a free agent.
At the beginning of training camp, there was a report that cornerback Eric Stokes would be cleared to take part at some point in the preseason. That never materialized as he returns from foot and leg injuries that ended his season early last year. Instead, he’s staying on the physically unable to perform list and will miss at least the first four games of the season.
Here are all the moves the Packers made to get down to the 53-man limit:
Released:
TE Austin Allen
CB Corey Ballentine
LB Keshawn Banks
WR Jadakis Bonds
WR Cody Chrest
T Jean Delance
WR Grant DuBose
C James Empey
CB Tyrell Ford
S Innis Gaines
CB Elijah Hamilton
CB William Hooper
CB Shemar Jean-Charles
DL Jason Lewan
RB Nate McCrary
QB Alex McGough
WR Bo Melton
WR Dre Miller
LB Arron Mosby
DL Antonio Moultrie
LB Kenneth Odumegwu
LS Matt Orzech
FB Henry Pearson
LB Jimmy Phillips Jr.
LB Marvin Pierre
S Benny Sapp III
C Cole Schneider
DL Chris Slayton
RB Patrick Taylor
T Kadeem Telfort
CB Kiondre Thomas
WR Duece Watts
Reserve/physically unable to perform:
CB Eric Stokes on reserve/physically unable to perform,
Injured reserve:
S Tarvarius Moore
Waived/injured:
RB Tyler Goodson
LS Broughton Hatcher
RB Lew Nichols