Packers: 4 surprises with initial 53-man roster

Tuesday was a big day across the NFL as every team, including your Green Bay Packers, had to cut their roster down from 80 to 53. The roster is sure to be fluid as teams are adjusting via waivers, but there were a number of takeaways from the Packers’ initial 53.

As everyone was making their predictions about who would make the team, there were a number of moves that weren’t seen by anyone. Here are the four biggest surprises you should be aware of from Tuesday.

There were a number of surprises on the Green Bay Packers’ initial 53-man roster they announced on late Tuesday afternoon.

Packers’ surprise on 53-man roster: Ben Braden’s release

The coaching staff was singing high praise when it came to Ben Braden this offseason. The versatile veteran even began training camp in the running for one of the starting guard spots. However, he quickly fell behind and wasn’t even mentioned in a press conference before the Packers’ third preseason game.

It appears he fell even further out of favor than anyone thought. The Packers waived Braden on Tuesday in favor of second-year center Jake Hanson. Many thought Braden would make the roster and few gave Hanson a shot.