What to Know: Packers waive 2 players, roster at 89 players

With the addition of running back Dexter Williams, who was signed following his workout with the team on Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers made two corresponding cuts.

The first was reported by Matt Schneidman, with the Packers releasing long-snapper Steven Wirtel.

Wirtel took over for Hunter Bradley as the team’s long-snapper roughly midway through last season. However, he didn’t provide the upgrade that the team had hoped for.

Wirtel battled inconsistency, and as a result, he was the third lowest graded long-snapper by PFF in 2021; and if you recall, he was the player who Jordan Willis ran through during the Packers playoff game against San Francisco, which resulted in a blocked punt.

Unfortunately, Wirtel remained inconsistent through the Packers’ first two weeks of training camp practices.

Jack Coco is now the only long-snapper on the roster, although I expect that to change. While he has consistently been ahead of Wirtel, Coco is battling inconsistency of his own. I imagine the Packers will want to bring in added competition.

The other roster move the Packers made was waiving wide receiver Osirus Mitchell, who had been sidelined with a quad injury.

Mitchell was signed just before training camp opened. He was a 2021 UDFA who was on the Dallas practice squad for much of last year. This past spring, he played in the USFL, catching 23 passes for 333 yards with three touchdowns.

Without Mitchell, the Packers still have 11 receivers on the roster and will hopefully get Christian Watson back soon. He has recently joined the rehab group during practice.

With the addition of Williams and these two subtractions, the Packers are now at 89 players on their roster, one short of the 90-player maximum.

As I already mentioned, my guess is that this available roster spot goes towards a long-snapper—although the Packers could choose to not sign anyone considering that rosters have to be trimmed to 85 players by August 16th anyways.

While nothing has been announced, on Tuesday, the team worked out long-snappers Antonio Ortiz and Mitchell Fraboni.

According to Over the Cap, the Packers currently have $15.73 million in available cap space.