Packers Bring Roster Down To 53
The Packers have announced the cuts that will bring their roster down to 53. The club has made the following moves:
Cut:
- G Josh Sitton (story)
- TE Casey Pierce (Twitter link via Michael Cohen of the Journal-Sentinel)
- DL Brian Price (Twitter link via Cohen)
- FB Alstevis Squirewell (Twitter link via Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette)
- OL Lucas Patrick
- RB Brandon Ross (Twitter link via Cohen)
- ILB Carl Bradford (Twitter link via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- OLB Reggie Gilbert (Twitter link via Ryan Wood of Green Bay Press-Gazette)
- CB Robertson Daniel (Twitter link via Wood)
- WR Herb Waters (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
- TE Kennard Backman (waived/injured; Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- LB Sam Barrington (Twitter link via Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
- WR Geronimo Allison
- LB Beniquez Brown
- CB Warren Gatewood
- LS Rick Lovato
- S Jermaine Whitehead
- QB Marquise Williams
Placed On IR:
- C Kyle Steuck
- DT Tyler Kuder
Reserve/Suspended:
- DT Mike Pennel
- CB Demetri Goodson
North Notes: Browns, Buckner, Packers
Before the draft, the Browns indicated they had zeroed in on a player with the No. 8 pick. Of course, during the draft, Cleveland traded down to No. 15 where they selected Baylor’s Corey Coleman. In today’s mailbag, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer wonders aloud if the team could have been targeting Oregon pass-rusher DeForest Buckner, who went to San Francisco at No. 7. Some have wondered if Ezekiel Elliott could have been Cleveland’s target, but that’s not likely considering all of the positive things coach Hue Jackson has said about the team’s current stable of running backs.
Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC North:
- University of Texas-San Antonio defensive tackle Brian Price battled through injuries in college and shoved an official to the ground in a fit of rage, but he still had more than 20 teams interested in signing him after the draft, agent Daniel MacNeil tells Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel. Ultimately, Price says he chose to sign with the Packers because of the opportunity they could provide. “I just heard the Green Bay Packers had a reputation for developing guys through free agency and having them play in the starting lineup whether a game down the road or a year down the road,” Price said. “I felt like they were a better choice because of the developmental aspect they put their guys through.”
- Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com made some early wide receiver depth chart predictions for the Ravens. At the end of the day, Brown sees Baltimore keeping seven WRs: Steve Smith Jr., Breshad Perriman, Kamar Aiken, Mike Wallace, Chris Moore, Keenan Reynolds, and Michael Campanaro. That would leave Daniel Brown, Marlon Brown, Jeremy Butler, Kaelin Clay, and Chris Matthews on the outside looking in.
- Last week ex-Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel appeared in the news again as he was booked in his domestic violence case.
Packers Sign 19 Undrafted Free Agents
The Packers have announced their undrafted rookies, confirming in a press release that they’ve added 19 college free agents to their 90-man roster. The team has added four wideouts to its already-crowded receiving corps, and also signed three cornerbacks. Here’s the full breakdown of the 19-man UDFA class for Green Bay:
- WR Geronimo Allison (Illinois)
- S Kentrell Brice (Louisiana Tech)
- LB Beniquez Brown (Mississippi State)
- QB Joe Callahan (Wesley)
- CB Makinton Dorleant (Northern Iowa)
- C Jacob Flores (Dartmouth)
- LB Reggie Gilbert (Arizona)
- TE David Grinnage (North Carolina State)
- CB Josh Hawkins (East Carolina)
- RB Don Jackson (Nevada) ($5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- T Josh James (Carroll) ($1K bonus, per Wilson)
- CB Randall Jette (Massachusetts)
- DT Tyler Kuder (Idaho State) ($3K bonus, per Wilson)
- P Peter Mortell (Minnesota)
- WR Dennis Parks (Rice)
- LB Manoa Pikula (BYU)
- DT Brian Price (Texas)
- WR Devonte Robinson (Utah State) ($2K bonus, per Wilson)
- WR Herb Waters (Miami)
AFC Draft Updates: Bills, Lynch, Jags, Broncos
Most NFL teams have at least one representative in attendance at the pro day for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch on Wednesday, but the Bills got a closer look at the young signal-caller on Tuesday night, according to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN, who reports that Buffalo took Lynch out for dinner (Twitter link via Mike Rodak).
The Bills have a quarterback they like in Tyrod Taylor, but Taylor has just one year remaining on his contract with the team, and an extension is not believed to be close, so it will be interesting to see if Buffalo nabs a QB early in this year’s draft. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman is in Memphis to check out Lynch.
Let’s round up a few more draft updates from across the AFC…
- We can add Alabama center Ryan Kelly, Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil, and Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the extensive list of pre-draft visitors meeting with the Jaguars today, according to tweets from John Oehser of Jaguars.com and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
- The Broncos remain in the market for running back help, and are hosting Utah RB Devontae Booker for a visit today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- According to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links), Akron outside linebacker Jatavis Brown, Michigan State cornerback Arjen Colquhoun, and Baylor offensive lineman Blake Muir recently met with the Chiefs, who are hosting UTSA defensive tackle Brian Price for a visit today.
- UCLA offensive tackle Caleb Benenoch, Florida safety Keanu Neal, Boise State safety Darian Thompson, and Temple cornerback Tavon Young are in Pittsburgh today to visit the Steelers, per Bob Labriola (Twitter link).
- The Jets met extensively with Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell, a potential second-round pick, on Tuesday, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net, who tweets that Fackrell would fit a “big need” for Gang Green.
Minicamp Invites: Vikings, Cowboys, Jaguars
We’ve been diligently documenting all the undrafted free agents signed by NFL teams in the wake of the draft, but those players – and this year’s draftees – won’t be the only participants in upcoming rookie minicamps. Other undrafted rookies and veteran free agents will get a chance to audition for roster spots on teams around the league. Here are a few updates on those players participating in minicamps on a tryout basis:
- Several local players, including former Minnesota tackle Roland Johnson, are participating in the Vikings‘ minicamp this week, writes Mark Craig of the Star-Tribune.
- The Cowboys signed 24 rookie free agents to deals earlier this week, and the team will also have another 15 invitees in camp auditioning for roster spots, according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News, who provides the full list of players.
- 27 minicamp invitees will be working out for the Jaguars, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds (via Twitter) that veterans Brian Price, Antoine Caldwell, and Greg Childs will be among the players in attendance.
- While he doesn’t yet have a full list of participants in the Seahawks‘ minicamp, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times adds a few names to Seattle’s group of players trying out.