Building The 53 - Changes Galore at Center

Unfortunately work got in the way of the rest of my five-part preview of the 2014 Green Bay Packers season getting posted before the Packers open the season on the road against the Seattle Seahawks this evening.  For those that are clamoring for the rest of the series (see table below), I promise to have it all posted before the regular season home opener next weekend when the Packers host the New York Jets, which I will be attending with Gaber, Sug, and UP.

Review of The 53

Initial Review of the Roster Initial Review of the Practice Squad Five Most Overpaid Five Most Underpaid Initial Rankings of the Roster

In the meantime, I had to write a quick post because Packers general manager Ted Thompson made an interesting move to The 53 yesterday. Thompson placed center JC Tretter on injured reserve - designated for return, which opened up a spot on The 53.  Thompson filled that spot on The 53 with center Garth Gerhart off the practice squad.  That move opened up a spot on the practice squad that Thompson filled with guard Josh Allen.

Since Tretter was placed on injured reserve - designated for return, he cannot practice with the team for six weeks and cannot be placed on The 53 for eight weeks.  Given that the Packers have a bye Week 9, the earliest Tretter can return is Week 10 when the Packers host the Chicago Bears.  Also NFL teams are only allowed to use the injured reserve - designated for return once per season so that ship has already sailed for 2014 before the regular season even started.

In my off-season advice for Thompson I said that he should offer center Even Dietrich-Smith a four-year, $16 million contract with $8 million guaranteed.  As the off-season progressed, I went on record again saying that Thompson was going to regret the decision not to resign EDS.  As it turns out EDS signed a four-year, $14.25 million deal with $7.25 million guaranteed with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers not the Packers.  Clearly I value EDS more than the Bucs, which value EDS more than the Packers.

That means instead of EDS or even Tretter, the Packers are now forced to start rookie center Corey Linsley for at least half the season, which I am sure is not what Thompson had in mind when he drafted Linsley in the 5th round of the 2014 NFL Draft.  Sure you can never predict that injuries would claim backup offensive lineman Don Barclay's entire season and at least half of Tretter's season but let's not forget that Barclay was dinged up last season and that Tretter missed almost his entire rookie season due to injury so seeing them both injured again this year is by no means shocking.  If Linsley struggles this season, instead of playing Gerhart at center, my guess is that right guard T.J. Lang moves to center and the Packers insert Derek Sherrod at right guard.

This post has been a complete downer so far so let's try to find the silver lining in all of this.  The Packers used the injured reserve - designated for return last year on wide receiver Randall Cobb when Cobb was injured by Baltimore Ravens safety Matt Elam.  That worked out pretty well given that Cobb return for the regular season finale on the road against the Chicago Bears.  For those that forgot the outcome of the game, the Packers trailed the Bears 28 to 27 with 46 seconds to play and faced a 4th and 8 from the Bears' 48-yard line. Rodgers and Cobb connected on a 48-yard touchdown pass to seal not only a win but the NFC North crown and most importantly a spot in the playoffs.  Oh and that play also ended the season for the Bears, which is always nice.

Back to Tretter, even if he is able to return Week 10 against the Bears, I have no grand illusions that he is going to be the savior against the Bears this season the way Cobb was last season.  I just hope in EDS and Tretter's absence that the offensive line does not crumble due to their inexperience at center.

One more macro NFL injury thought.  Given the physicality of your average NFL game, the NFL should really consider changing their injury policy.  MLB has a 15-day disabled list, which provides a nice way for MLB teams to deal with in-season injuries.  I am not positive that is the solution for the NFL but there should be an interim injury designation that lets teams open roster spots for healthy players but allows them to do that without having to place players on injured reserve.  For those that do not understand the intricacies of injured reserve in the NFL, when a team places a player on injured reserve that means they lost that player's services for the rest of the season.  Sure there there is injured reserve - designated for return but that can only be used once a season per team.

In terms of my solution, I would allow unlimited two game and four game injured reserve - designated for return.  You can only use the two game or four game designation once a season for each player but can use it on every player on The 53.  The NFL claims to care about concussions so it seems like the two game injured reserve - designated for return would be a great way to encourage teams to hold out players that suffered a concussion.  The pitch for the four-game injured reserve could again be concussions or significant sprains (e.g. high ankle, hamstring, etc.) that necessitate time off but should not claim a player's entire season.  Without those interim designations available, teams are essentially encouraged to rush players at the bottom of The 53 back because they can threaten the specter of placing them on injured reserve.

One final pitch for my two game and four game injured reserve - designated for return.  For the seven games that quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed last season, it was a weekly discussion of will he play or not.  The Packers knew Rodgers wasn't going to play the first few weeks but would not come clean.  Please don't tell me the threat of the other team having to prepare for Rodgers is worth having him on The 53 because most NFL teams are over prepared.  They know the type of gum the 53rd guy on The 53 likes to chew. If the Packers could have placed Rodgers on the four game injured reserve - designated for return they could signed another veteran quarterback for those four weeks and it would have cut down on the rampant speculation on whether Rodgers was going to play.

My expectations for the NFL adopting the injury rules I just outlined are about as high as my expectations for the game tonight, which are very low (see me trying to reserve jinx a Packer win).  No matter the outcome, make sure to check back in this space over the next week as I finish my five-part preview of the 2014 Green Bay Packers with my look at the most overpaid on The 53, the most underpaid on The 53, and my first rankings (1-53) of The 53.

The 53 - 2014 Green Bay Packers Initial Practice Squad

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson finalized the first incarnation of The 53 for the 2014 NFL season. 

Review of The 53

Initial Review of the Roster Initial Review of the Practice Squad Five Most Overpaid Five Most Underpaid Initial Rankings of the Roster

As I discussed in my initial look at the practice squad last year, after Thompson picked The 53, he had to sift through all the other practice squad eligible players to put together the initial practice squad.  Those that follow the NFL closely know that the NFL increased the size of the practice squads from eight to ten this season.  The rule change is very helpful for the Packers given that I've always thought Thompson could fill three practice squads with how well he identifies undrafted rookie free agents that could play in the NFL down the road.  As a preview of how The 53 post is going look each week, whenever I rank players, I am going to only write about the most notable from the group.  Here are my thoughts on a couple of the players on the initial 10-man practice squad for the 2014 Green Bay Packers:

1. Chris Banjo: This might feel like a slap in the face to Banjo given that he was on The 53 for the Packers all last season but in just a few months the Packers went from thin to flush at safety after they moved Micah Hyde from cornerback to safety and drafted Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. 

Practice Squad

1. Chris Banjo (S) 2. Myles White (WR) 3. Jumal Rolle (CB) 4. Michael Hill (RB) 5. Garth Gerhart (C) 6. Adrian Hubbard (LB) 7. Kevin Dorsey (WR) 8. Justin Perillo (TE) 9. Luther Robinson (DE) 10. Jeremy Vujnovich (OT)

Early this season I could see a safety needy team attempting to scoop Banjo off the practice squad, which will present a tough choice for Thompson.  Whether to add Banjo to The 53 or let him leave.

3. Jumal Rolle: What a 24 hours it has been for Rolle.  Some were surprised that cornerback rookie Demetri Goodson made The 53 over Rolle given how well Rolle played in the preseason and the fact that Goodson is dealing with a concussion.  After Rolle was cut, somehow Thompson did not sign him to the original practice squad.  Thankfully Thompson rectified that error by releasing wide receiver Alex Gillet from the practice squad after less than a day to make room for Rolle.  If Goodson is out long with a concussion, look for Thompson to place Goodson on injured reserve and promote Rolle from the practice squad.

5. Garth Gerhart (C): The Packers went into training camp with JC Tretter as their starting center and Don Barclay as their backup at all five offensive line positions.  Early in camp the Packers lost Barclay for the season with a torn ACL.  Towards the end of camp the Packers lost Tretter for up to a month.  With Tretter and Barclay out, the Packers turned to rookie center Corey Linsley.  If Linsley gets hurt, the Packers will be forced to add another center to The 53.  Since Thompson cannot travel back in time to resign center Even Dietrich-Smith, instead of letting him leave via free agency.  Gerhart is the logical choice if they are going to promote from within.  If Grehart is taking first team snaps in the regular season then the Packers in trouble.

With my initial look at The 53 and ten player practice squad out of the way, make sure to check back soon for my look at the five worst contracts on The 53.

Building The 53 - How to Handle Players on 8-Man Practice Squad

I know the 2013 season is barely in the books for the Green Bay Packers following their 23-20 home playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers but Packers general manager Ted Thompson already has to starting planning The 53 for 2014.  Thompson currently has 76 players spread across The 53, 8-man practice squad, and 15 players on injured reserve under control until at least early March.  Although all 76 players do not have a contract with the Packers in 2014, I will do my best to advise Thompson on what players should stay and what players should go.  When you add in the draft and Thompson actually dabbling in the free agency if he wants the Packers to be a Super Bowl contender in 2014, there are a ton of decisions to make to put together The 53 for 2014.  In the past I wrote one long post about how Thompson should approach the off-season (2011, 2012, and 2013) but given all the moving parts, I am going to breakdown my advice into seven-parts.

Advice for Ted Thompson

How to Handle Players on 8-Man Practice Squad How to Handle Players on Injured Reserve How to Handle 2014 RFA's on The 53 How to Handle 2014 UFA's on The 53 Potential Salary Cap Casualties on The 53 First Look at the 2014 NFL Draft Locks for The 53 for 2014

Thompson did not extend any players before the end of the regular season, which means the Packers will carry over roughly $9.8 million of cap space from 2013 to their 2014 salary cap.  The Packers have 48 players under contract for 2014 for a little more than $100 million.  Initial reports are that the salary cap will be roughly $127.5 million in 2014.  That sounds like the Packers will have a ton of salary cap space but they have 20 players that are set to either become restricted (3 players) or unrestricted (17 players) free agents in early March unless the Packers sign them to a contract extension, which makes every decision about The 53 for 2013 crucial.

8-man practice squad

1. Tyrone Walker (WR) 2. Garth Gerhart (C/OG) 3. Andrew Tiller (OG) 4. Antonio Dennard (CB) 5. Alex Gillett (WR) 6. Orwin Smith (RB) 7. Aaron Adams (OT) 8. Lanier Coleman (OG)

Without further adu, here are my thoughts on the final 8-man practice squad.  I am sure Thompson is going to sign all of the guys on the practice squad to future contracts.  That is essentially a cheap way to keep those players for the off-season on the cheap.

The guys with the best chance to make The 53 next season are Walker, Gerhart, and Tiller.  I am a huge fan of Walker's game so assuming he can contribute on special teams, I could see him as a cost-effective 5th wide receiver for the Packers in 2014.  The Packers have quality players at guard (T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton) and center (Evan Diretrich-Smith and JC Tretter) currently on The 53 but starting center EDS is set to become a free agent.  As I will discuss later this week when I breakdown how to handle the unrestricted free agents on The 53, I expect Thompson to re-sign EDS, but expect him to hedge with Gerhart and Tiller.  Although Gerhart is slightly undersized, I like his upside a little more than Tiller.

I know a discussion of the practice squad is not very sexy but make sure to check back tomorrow for my thoughts on how Thompson should handle the 15 players currently on injured reserve.