2012 Green Bay Packers Initial Practice Squad

Just like every other team in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers signed eight players to their practice squad the day after finalizing their initial 53-man roster.  Much like I did last year, here are my rankings of the initial 2012 Green Bay Packers eight player practice squad

#8) Marc Tyler (RB) - Looked like a bruising, physically imposing running back cut from the same cloth as Michael Bush early in training camp but that performance has to be taken with a grain of salt since it was against a bunch of 3rd stringers.

#7) Brandon Bostick (TE) - The Packers and Patriots are roster trend setter for the NFL.  Keeping a guy like Bostick allows Thompson to keep continue to chase his roster dream of having more tight ends than wide receivers on the active roster.

#6) Lawrence Guy (DE) - Landed on IR last year and the practice squad this year so hopefully Guy can get some practice reps under his belt to challenge for a roster spot next year since he looks to have the right body-type to play any position along the defensive line in a 3-4 defense.

#5) Chris Scott (G/T) - Not often do the Packers add players to their practice squad that spent time on other practice squads since usually they usually have to get so many quality players cut.  Scott sure looks the part of an imposing NFL offensive lineman at 6'5" and 332-pounds but whether the former Tennessee Volunteer and Pittsburgh Steelers draft pick (151st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft) is a roster filler or something more is hard to say until Scott actually practices with the team.

#4) Greg Van Roten (G) - Had a great camp and if Don Barclay didn't make the final 53-man roster, there is a good chance that Van Roten would have been the last offensive lineman kept on the active roster.  Look for Van Roten to get promoted to the active roster between Week 2 and Week 6 if the Packers suffer any serious injuries along the offensive line.  I say Week 2 through Week 6 because Derek Sherrod is scheduled to come off the PUP last after Week 6, if his leg continues to heal properly.

#3) B.J. Coleman (QB) - The whole coaching staff loves Coleman's attitude but it is way too early to tell if Coleman will be another successful backup quarterback that progresses through the system to earn big dollars from another NFL franchise along the lines of Matt Hasselback or Matt Flynn.

#2) Andrew Datko (T) - Injuries are always going to be the issue for Datko so spending some time on the practice squad might allow him the chance to recover but he needs to show that he can string together a number of healthy weeks otherwise the Packers might as well add a different offensive lineman to the practice squad because I would be shocked if at least one offensive lineman wasn't promoted from the practice squad to the active roster this season.

#1) Diondre Borel (WR) - It turns out that the three-horse race between Borel, Jarrett Boykin, and Tori Gurley for the illusive 6th wide receiver spot saw Boykin winning and Gurley signing with the Minnesota Vikings so that left Borel to sign with the Packers.  Borel had the least impressive training camp of the three but I still suspect another team will try to poach Borel off the practice squad to their active roster before the end of the season.

Check back Wednesday for my thoughts on the Most Overpaid and Most Underpaid 2012 Green Bay Packers and next Sunday for my ranking of the initial 53-man roster for the 2012 Green Bay Packers.