Building The 53 - Roster Moves From 90 to 75

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson made a series of moves over the last three days to trim the roster from 90 to 75 players by 3 pm CDT on Tuesday, August 27, 2013 in order to comply with NFL rules.  Here is a breakdown of the moves made by Thompson:

- Placed on PUP list (4): Sean Richardson (S), Derek Sherrod (T), JC Tretter (OC/G), and Jerel Worhty (DL) so once the regular season starts those players cannot practice with the team for at least the first six games of season.

- Placed on injured reserve (4): Bryan Bulaga (T), Kevin Dorsey (WR), DuJuan Harris (RB), and Jarvis Reed (OLB) thus ending their 2013 season.

- Released (8): Alex Gillett (WR), Graham Harrell (QB), Omarius Hines (WR), Angelo Pease (RB), Gilbert Peña (DT), Zach Ramirez (K), Giorgio Tavecchio (K), and Justin Wilson (WR).

If you add up the players above it equals 16 but the roster moved from 90 to 75, which is only 15 so let me explain how one player was "double counted".  The oddest move made by Thompson in a long time was signing Ramirez on Sunday and cutting him on Tuesday, which must mean he kicked horribly in practice on Monday and is how we have 16 people listed above.

None of the players placed on the PUP list or injured reserved were a surprise other than Harris.  After missing most of the preseason, Harris got a couple carries against the Seattle Seahwawks where he re-injured his knee.  Head coach Mike McCarthy maintained throughout the preseason that when healthy, Harris was the starting running back.  I thought that was lip-service by McCarthy to light a fire under the other running backs on the roster because let's not forget that the Packers signed Harris last year while he was trying to sell cars after getting cut from the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars so take the loss of Harris with a grain of salty.

The injury to Harris means rookie Eddy Lacy, if healthy, will open the season as the starting running back.  If Lacy looks like he did in week 2 of the preseason as opposed to week 3 of the preseason, the Packers should have an every down back for the first time since Ryan Grant in 2009.

None of the players cut were a surprise other than possibly Harrell.  Given the fact that Harrell had to play the preseason game of his life last year just to make The 53, no one should be that surprised that Harrell was cut.  Cutting Harrell opens the door open for Vince Young to claim the backup quarterback spot behind Aaron Rodgers unless B.J. Coleman has the game of his life in the preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.  No matter how Young and Coleman play against the Chiefs, the Packers should keep former Wisconsin Badger quarterback Scott Tolzien in mind since he was recently cut from the 49ers.

Besides Young and Coleman, there are a number of other players that need to play well against the Chiefs to make The 53 because the Packers need to trim 22 more players from their roster by August 31st at 5 pm CDT.

Check back on Friday for my thoughts on the Packers/Chiefs preseason game where I also will give my thoughts on how I would choose The 53.

Building The 53 - 2013 Preseason Week 2 - Packers/Rams Review

After a lackluster performance last week getting shutout at home by the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason opener, the Green Bay Packers righted the ship with a strong performance on the road to beat the St. Louis Rams.  The Packers were pitching a shutout for 59 minutes but Brandon Smith got beat on a predictable "go" route to help the Rams avoid their first shutout since 1978 losing to the Packers 19-7.

Player that hurt his stock most - Giorgio Tavecchio: There has been an "intense" two-way kicking battle between veteran Mason Crosby and Tavecchio.  Going into the Packers/Rams game, Tavecchio held the upper hand but went 1 for 2, missing a 49-yarder while Crosby went 3 for 3 (one was a 48-yarder).  One miss should not mean the Packers cut Tavecchio but since it has been such a tight competition between Crosby and Tavecchio, neither player can afford any misses.  I view kickers much like closers in baseball, ride the hot performance and when they start to struggle, move onto the next option.  It is popular to bash Crosby but I am not sure Tavecchio is the answer either so I support the Packers cutting both in favor of s strong-legged, young kicker.

Player that helped his stock most - Johnny Jolly: There is no question that rookies Lacy, cornerback Micah Hyde, and defensive tackle Josh Boyd looked good against the Rams but given where they were drafted in the 2013 NFL Draft all three are virtual locks to make The 53.  Strong performances by undrafted rookie free agents like tight end Jake Stoneburner and outside linebacker Andy Mulamba make them virtual locks for the practice squad with an outside chance to make The 53 at some point this season.  The inspired play of defensive lineman Johnny Jolly against the Rams made me think we were watching the 2009 version of Jolly, which was a disruptive defensive force for the Packers.  If Jolly stays healthy and continues to play this way, he is a lock to make the roster.

Position to Watch - Backup Quarterback: Heading into the second preseason game the depth chart behind starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers went like this: Graham Harrell, Vince Young, and B.J. Coleman.  Fortunately all three played fairly well against the Rams with Coleman playing the best so there is no real separation between the three after two preseason games.  If I were in charge, I would flip the playing order script to give Coleman then Young and finally Harrell snaps because I actually think Coleman has the highest upside of the three backup quarterbacks.

Final Note: I don't want to overreact to one preseason performance but the spin moves put on defenders by rookie running back Eddy Lacy were some of the most nimble runs I've seen from a big Packer running back in the last decade.  With all due respect to Ahman Green and Najeh Devenport, if Lacy can stay healthy I actually think he has a chance to be better than both.  If Lacy can keep that up, it is going to be fun watching him as the lead back for the Packers for the next few seasons.  At the very least it looks like Lacy falls forward to finish runs, which will give the Packers the options to actually run for a first down on 3rd and 1 or at least provide the illusion that they can pickup that yard on the ground to make a pass in that situation more effective.  I supported the Packers drafting Lacy in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft so when they got Lacy at the end of the second round I thought that was the steal of the draft.  One night does not make a career but if Lacy's power and spin move continues, we might be looking Ahman Green 2.0 sans the ridiculous Batman obsession.

For the second week in a row only one player was injured in the game with tight end Mike Mulligan suffering an arm injury.  Unless the Packers make any significant roster moves before their next preseason game at home this Friday against the Seattle Seahawks, check back next Saturday for my review of how the Packers/Seahawks preseason game impacts Building The 53.

Building The 53 - 2013 NFL Draft Day 2 Packers Review

New broke as the second day of the 2013 NFL Draft was about to start that Aaron Rodgers signed a five-year, $110 million contract.  Even if the Packers get a franchise player in the 2013 NFL Draft, I will always remember this draft as the one that Rodgers signed essentially a lifetime contract with the Packers. As always, Rodgers sent out this classy tweet:

Big thanks to the Organization, our coaching staff, my teammates, and packer nation for the last 8 years!Excited about 7 more!#extension
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 26, 2013

After agreeing to the largest contract in NFL history with Rodgers, Day 2 of the 2013 NFL Draft must have felt like small potatoes for Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson.  As usual, Thompson traded back sending the 55th pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the 61st and 173rd picks.

Seems like the Packers got swindled by the 49ers when you look at a similar trade in the second round.  Remember that for the 55th pick the Packers got the 61st and 173rd picks.  Conversely for the 56th pick the Seattle Seahawks got the 62nd, 165th, and 199th picks from the Baltimore Ravens.

Here are the guys that went from 55 to 60: Vance McDonald (TE, Rice), Arthur Brown (ILB, Kansas State), D.J. Swearinger (S, South Carolina), Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin), Aaron Dobson (WR, Marshall), and Robert Alford (CB, SE Louisiana).  I am salty about missing out on drafting either Swearinger or Ball but that is mitigated by the fact that I absolutely love the guy the Packers drafted with the 61st pick.

With the 61st pick, the Packers choose Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama).  In my first round "mock draft" of what I would do if I were every general manager I gave Lacy to the Packers with the 26th pick.  Here is what I said about Lacy:
"The Packers inability to run the ball is a little bit of a chicken and the egg problem for me.  Clearly the Packers do not commit to the run but it seems like they should be able to run at least a little bit given how much defenses have to respect their passing game.  I would like the Packers to at least have the threat of a three-down back, which they haven't had since Ahman Green left town for the first time sans a couple above average years for Ryan Grant." (Source)

Immediately after the Packers drafted Lacy, I sent out this tweet:

Happy to welcome @lil_eazy_ana_42 to #Packers, will be interesting to see how he compares to @m_ball28 b/c #Packers could have had either.
— CheeseheadSportsNut (@CheeseheadSN) April 27, 2013

If I signed off on the Packers drafting Lacy 26th overall then you know I am downright ecstatic that they got him at the end of the second round.  Things were plugging along fine with the Packers set to select someone with the 88th pick but two trades were made in quick succession that both resulted in the Packers moving back in the draft.

Instead of taking a player with the 88th pick, the Packers traded back in the draft with the 49ers for the second time today.  The Packers traded the 88th pick to the 49ers for the 93rd and 216th picks.  Almost immediately the Packers shipped the 93rd pick they acquired from the 49ers to the Dolphins for the 109th, 146th, and the 224th picks.  That means that for the 88th pick the Packers got the 109th, 146th, 216th and 224th picks.

From 88 to 97 (the end of the 3rd round) a few guys went that I would have loved to see the Packers draft: Brennan Williams (OT, North Carolina), Stedman Bailey (WR, WVU), and Brandon Williams (DT, Missouri Southern State).

With all the patented trading back by Thompson it will be interesting to watch Day 3 of the 2013 NFL Draft because the Packers currently have 10 picks so make sure to check back for my Day 3 Packers Preview of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Building The 53 - 2013 NFL Draft Day 1 Preview for Ted Thompson

Happy NFL Draft Day! As I said in my preview of the first round for the Packers in the 2012 NFL Draft, the first round of the NFL Draft is one of my ten favorite days of the year.  At this point, Green Bay Packer general manager Ted Thompson is scheduled to make the 26th pick in the first round in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Much like I said in my preview of the first round for Packers in the 2011 NFL Draft, we know that Thompson likes to trade back in the draft to amass more picks so there is no guarantee that the Packers will hold onto the 26th pick.  If no quarterbacks are picked in the first half of the first round, there are a handful of teams that have quarterback needs with early picks in the second round that will want to jump back into the end of the first round so they can selected the player they deem to be the "quarterback of the future" for their franchise.

In case you missed it yesterday, I posted my 3rd annual first round mock draft of what I think every GM's should do in the first round if used their current pick (or picks).  I did not deem a single quarterback worthy of drafting in the first round but I still think a few teams will panic and reach for a quarterback in the first round this year anyhow.

The Packers have no glaring needs but they could still use an every down running back, a left tackle of the future, depth along the defensive line, another edge pass rusher, and a safety.  Before I preview the players that I am targeting for the Packers with the 26th pick, keep in mind these guys will most likely be off the board:

QB: Geno Smith (West Virginia) and Ryan Nassib (Syracuse)

WR: Tavon Austin (West Virginia) and Keenan Allen (California)

TE: Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame)

OT: Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M), Eric Fisher (Central Michigan), Lane Johnson (Oklahoma), and D.J. Fluker (Alabama)

OG: Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) and Chance Warmack (Alabama)

DE: Ziggy Ansah (BYU) and Barkevious Mingo (LSU)

DT: Shariff Floyd (Florida), Star Lotulelei (Utah), Sheldon Richardson (Missouri), and Sylvester Williams (North Carolina)

MLB: Alec Ogletree (Georgia) and Manti Te'o (Notre Dame)

OLB: Dion Jordan (Oregon) and Jarvis Jones (OLB, Georgia)

CB: Dee Milliner (Alabama), Desmond Trufant (Washington), and D.J. Hayden (CB, Houston)

S: Kenny Vaccaro (Texas)

Some of my biggest draft crushes will most likely go in the Top 10 (Joeckel, Fischer, Johnson, Floyd, Lotulelei, and Jordan).  After the Top 10 rated players in the draft, most draft pundits think there is not much of a difference between having the 11th pick and the 41st pick.  Leaving aside almost sheer locks for being picked in the Top 10, my biggest draft crushes from above are: Richardson, Williams, and Vaccaro.  If any of those guys just mentioned fall to 26, I totally support the Packers drafting those guys and will explain my affection in more detail as I review the draft.

With all of that foreplay out of the way, here are some guys that I would realistically like to see Thompson draft with the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft:

John Jenkins (DT, Georgia, 6'4", 346 lbs): Some people have Jenkins rated as a second or third round prospect but I view Jenkins as a wider, taller version of B.J. Raji so suffice to say I absolutely love Jenkins.

Menelik Watson (OT, Florida State, 6'5", 310 lbs): Has a really interesting back story that is tailor made for TV pundits to gush about.  Although Watson played right tackle at Florida State, he projects as a left tackle in the NFL given his large hands (10 3/8") and long arms (34").  If the Packers picked Watson it would mark the second consecutive draft they've taken an offensive tackle from Florida State because last year they drafted Andrew Datko in the 7th round.  Given Datko's injury history, on Day 1 of training camp, Watson would have a better chance of playing meaningful snaps for the Packers than Datko.

Justin Pugh (OT/OG, Syracuse, 6'4", 307 lbs): Feels like the second coming of Marhsall Yanda, a guy I wanted the Packers to sign heading into the wacky 2011 NFL season courtesy of the labor unrest the previous off-season.  Pugh seems to project as more of a guard or right tackle in the NFL and the Packers are already set at guard (Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang) and right tackle (Bryan Bulaga and Don Barclay) so this would be more of a value than need pick.

Datone Jones (DE, UCLA, 6'4", 283 lbs): Put up big numbers last season at UCLA but that was his only real productive season in college because he missed the entire 2010 season with a foot injury and had a lackluster 2011 season.  His ceiling and floor are the highest of the players discussed so far but based on my study of Jones so far, there is much better chance Jones turns out to be the next Cullen Jenkins than the next Justin Harrell.

Kawann Short (DT, Purdue, 6'3", 299 lbs): Given how much of a headache defensive lineman Mike Neal has been for Packer fans since they drafted him out of Purdue in 2010, the Packers better think long and hard about taking another Purdue defensive lineman so soon.  That said, I see Short as a much better version of Neal so I totally support the Packers drafting Short with the 26th pick if he is still available.

Kyle Long (OL, Oregon, 6'6", 313 lbs): I am contractually obligated by the NFL to point out that Kyle is the son of Howie Long and brother of Chris Long before I can mention anything else about him.  With that out of the way, Long had some trouble early on in his college career at Florida State but got things back on track at Saddleback Junior College before going to Oregon.  Long's arms are a little short (33 3/8") for a left tackle but he makes up for that with his height and large hands (11").

Eddy Lacy (RB, Alabama, 5'11", 231 lbs): The Packers desperately need a three-down back, which is exactly what Lacy would be for the Packers.  This feels a little like the 2007 NFL Draft when all the signals pointed towards the Packers drafting Marshawn Lynch.  Unfortunately Lynch went 12th and the Packers took the aforementioned bust Justin Harrell 16th.  Despite the running back position being devalued in the NFL, Lacy is the best back in the draft, so I would not be surprised if he went in the late teens or early 20's.

Matt Elam (S, Florida, 5'10", 208 lbs): After the Packers were physically man-handled by the 49ers there was all of this talk of the Packers adding "tough guys" to their team and Elam fits that bill.  Although diminutive for a safety, Elam is a physical presence at safety that could do more of the dirty work to free up Morgan Burnett to be more of a ball hawk in the secondary in 2013.

Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International, 6'0", 217 lbs): Thompson likes small school guys and Cyprien might be the best small school prospect after offensive tackle Eric Fischer.  Although Cyprien is not the tallest or fastest guy, he is a physical presence in the mold of former Packers safety Atari Bigby.

Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama, 6'3", 323): It might be a reach to take Williams in the first round but his combination of size and strength is just what the Packers need along the defensive line.  That is even more of a need given that the Packers will be without the services of Jerel Worthy, one of their two second round picks in the 2012 NFL Draft for most if not all of 2013 as Worhty rehabs a serious knee injury suffered at the end of 2012.

Jonathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State, 6'3", 320 lbs): Even though Hankins had a decorated college career, some thought he should have returned for his senior year to refine his pass rushing skills.  If Hankins can occupy defenders in the NFL like he did in college, I could care less how much he gets after the quarterback because he will open a ton of lanes for other defenders to make plays.

Whether or not Thompson actually makes a pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, check back for my quick thoughts as well as some guys that I hope Thompson targets in the second and third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.