Who Makes The Cut? » Brats & Beer

August 29, 2008
posted under: Packers, roster cuts

The bikini girls need to know!

While prognostication is really not my strong suit, I’ve been trying to work out who the Packers will keep for their 53-man roster and I have to say I do not envy Ted Thompson right now. (Okay, maybe a little; the guy runs the greatest football team in the world after all.) Most of my list, such as it is right now, is pretty unexciting and not very earth shattering — I think we can all guess a lot of the players who’ll make the squad — so I’ll stick to some of the highlights here rather than posting the entire thing.

The most problematic part of this process, it seems to me, is on the defensive line. Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett, and Johnny Jolly are obviously locks, but what happens after that is kind of up in the air. Michael Montgomery and Colin Cole make it as backups, and Jeremy Thompson is the only player TT has traded up for in the draft, but what about KGB? It comes down to whether or not the staff thinks his knee can heal and allow him to be effective. If not, there is every chance Kabeer gets cut, but then who do you replace him with? I’m also thinking Daniel Muir and Alfred Malone will get cut in favor a free agent tackle if a suitable replacement can be found.

In the secondary, the Brats & Beer crystal ball sees Charlie Peprah and Tyrone Culver being let go, with Jarrett Bush serving as a backup safety while trying to fend off Pat Lee for playing time in the dime package. I have trouble seeing Tracy White being cut from the linebacking corps, so I’m confident that unit will be seven-strong.

The starters on the offensive line are set with Sitton out for a month, while Allen Barbre and Tony Moll will also make the final cut. I think TT keeps only five wide receivers even with James Jones nursing a knee injury, so Brett Swain, Jake Allen, and Taj Smith become candidates for the practice squad. In the backfield, Noah Heron is out and Kregg Lumpkin is in battling for playing time at #3 with Vernand Morency. Korey Hall survives as the full back.

Which finally brings us to quarterback, where I do think TT signs a veteran to play #2 behind Aaron Rodgers. But I also think he keeps both Brohm and Flynn on the 53-man roster, protecting them from the waiver wire. Last year the Packers kept only two QBs at the start of the year and everyone said they were nuts, so having four this season would just be par for the course.