Packers Audition Three
- Defensive backs Kevin Peterson and Jeremiah McKinnon, as well as running back Brandon Burks, worked out for the Packers today, according to Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Chris Hubert
- Cut: OT Martin Wallace
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Dobson Collins
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Gerald Christian, WR Mose Frazier, CB Joe Powell
- Cut: WR Corey Washington
Cleveland Browns
- Cut: OL Mike Liedtke
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Matt Rotheram
- Cut: RB Mike James
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Keith Baxter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Doran Grant (Twitter link via Howard Balzer), DT Louis Nix
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Bobby Richardson
- Cut: LB Deion Barnes
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Sterling Bailey, OT Austin Shepherd, DB Cedric Thompson
- Cut: TE Kyle Carter, TE Brian Leonhardt, QB Joel Stave
New England Patriots
- Signed: S Shamiel Gary, DT Anthony Johnson (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OT Keavon Milton
- Cut: TE Rashaun Allen
Seattle Seahawks
- Cut: RB Zac Brooks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Donteea Dye
Washington Redskins
- Signed: WR Matt Hazel
Packers Try Out Eight Free Agents
- Cornerbacks Darryl Morris, Shaun Prater, Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Melvin White auditioned for the Bears, tweets Caplan. Chicago is on the hunt for defensive back help after getting torched by the Packers on Thursday Night Football.
- The Packers worked out six receivers – Mario Alford, Dez Stewart, Harvey Binford, Da’Ron Brown, Marcus Johnson and Wendall Williams – according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Stewart ended up signing with their practice squad. Guard Josh Walker and quarterback Keith Wenning were also among Green Bay’s tryouts Monday. Walker was previously with the Packers, who waived/injured him in training camp.
Packers Promote Two From Practice Squad
- The Packers have promoted receiver Geronimo Allison and cornerback Jermaine Whitehead from their practice squad, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. They’ll take the places of wideout Jared Abbrederis and corner Chris Banjo, both of whom landed on injured reserve Monday.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/16
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Arturo Uzdavinis (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Leon McFadden (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Dez Stewart (Twitter link via Wilson)
New England Patriots
- Cut: S Vinnie Sunseri (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN)
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Brandin Bryant
Packers’ Damarious Randall To Have Surgery
Bad news for the Packers as cornerback Damarious Randall underwent surgery over the weekend to repair a groin injury, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. After going under the knife, Randall will be out for several weeks. 
An exact timetable for his return is not yet known. However, the surgery is not expected to be season-ending for the 2015 first-round pick. Had they lost Randall for the year, the Packers would have been in some serious trouble. Already, they have been forced to place Sam Shields on IR with concussion symptoms while Quinten Rollins is dealing with a groin injury of his own (though, Rollins’ injury is believed to be less serious).
The injuries have left Green Bay with LaDarius Gunter and Demetri Goodson as their top cornerbacks. With any luck, the Packers will get Rollins back in time for Sunday’s game against the Falcons, but it sounds like they’ll still need reinforcements at the position.
In other Packers injury news, safety Chris Banjo is headed to the IR with an undisclosed injury, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Banjo will be healthy in three or four weeks, but the team wanted to free up a roster spot so that they could properly address their issues at cornerback.
Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis is also headed to IR with a thigh contusion, as Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.
Packers Worried About Jordy Nelson?
The Packers are expressing growing concern about wide receiver Jordy Nelson as he continues his slow start after recovering from a torn ACL during the 2015 preseason, a team source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Specifically, Green Bay is worried that Nelson has not regained his “speed and explosiveness” thus far this year.
[RELATED: Packers Place Eddie Lacy On IR]
As Cole’s report suggests, Nelson hasn’t been quite the offensive force in 2016 that he’s been in seasons prior. After averaging 16.1 yards per reception from 2011-14, Nelson is averaging only 11.9 yards per catch so far this year, indicating that he hasn’t yet posted the kind of chunk plays the Packers have come to expect. Nelson, 31, does the lead the league in touchdown receptions with five, but all of those have come from inside the red zone.
Green Bay’s offensive struggles since the beginning of the 2015 campaign have been well-documented, as last year marked the first time since Aaron Rodgers‘ first season as a starter that the Packers ranked outside the top-10 in offensive DVOA. Much of that dropoff was attributed to Nelson’s absence, but even with the veteran receiver back in the fold, Green Bay sits at just 14th in offensive DVOA six weeks into the 2016 season.
Eddie Lacy Had Regained Weight
- Packers running back Eddie Lacy had ballooned back up to 255 to 265 pounds before being placed on injured reserve today, report the ESPN scribes. Lacy worked all offseason to get his weight down, but apparently the pounds had come back. Lacy will undergo ankle surgery and is likely out for the year, although he could conceivably return late in the season.
Packers To Place Eddie Lacy On IR
Running back Eddie Lacy‘s season is over. Lacy will have surgery performed on his injured ankle, likely ruling him out for the remainder of the season. Taking his place will be running back Don Jackson who is being promoted from the practice squad today. The team has confirmed both moves via press release.
If Lacy is able to return, he would be eligible to come back for Week 15 of the regular season. Jackson will serve as Green Bay’s primary tailback tonight. In the longer term, it remains to be seen how the Packers will fill the void while Lacy is sidelined. The Packers acquired Knile Davis from the Chiefs earlier this week and they’ve also taken to using wide receiver Ty Montgomery in the backfield. While Montgomery offers great pass catching ability, they would like to have a more traditional runner available at times.
Lacy recently received a second opinion on his foot from Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte. Initially, the belief was that Lacy suffered a sprain, but it now looks like he is dealing with something more severe. Lacy, a powerful yet inconsistent tailback, suffered the injury in the Packers’ Week 5 win over the Giants. He toughed it out, running for 65 yards on 17 rushes the following week against Dallas.
The Packers will test out their makeshift backfield tonight against the 1-5 Bears. The Bears are allowing an average of 107.7 rushing yards per game this season, putting them roughly in the middle of the pack.
Pack Could Move On From Sam Shields
- The Packers have to consider moving on from Sam Shields next year, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com opines. Shields, a talented cornerback, recently suffered his second concussion in nine months and his fourth in the last six seasons. The soon-to-be 29-year-old plans to continue playing football, but it’s fair to wonder if he can return to his old form and stay on the field. By cutting Shields, the Packers could recoup some of the four-year, $39MM deal they gave him in 2014.