Roster cuts loom for Packers following first preseason game with 49ers

Training camp has only been going on for about two weeks, and the first preseason game was just played a few days ago. However, roster cuts loom for the Green Bay Packers.

Every team begins with up to 90 players on their roster for training camp. Ultimately, teams have to be at 53 by August 30th, once the preseason has concluded.

Rather than trimming the roster from 90 players to 53, as was done not too long ago, there are two other cut-down dates on the NFL calendar.

The first date is this Tuesday, August 16th, when the Packers — along with the rest of the NFL — have to cut their roster from 90 players to 85. The next occurs a week later, on August 23rd, when rosters go from 85 players down to 80.

As far as who those players might be for the Packers, well, that’s the big question, isn’t it?

A starting point in trying to guess who those players might be is looking at if there are any crowded position groups on the roster. The one that comes to mind first is linebacker.

We know that De’Vondre Campbell, Quay Walker, and Krys Barnes will be on this Packers roster, leaving one or at best two roster spots available. Isaiah McDuffie appears to be the front-runner for that fourth linebacker role, while Ray Wilborn and Ty Summers played the second and third most special teams snaps against San Francisco.

This just may be too crowded of a room for undrafted rookie Ellis Brooks to make some noise, even when competing for a spot on the practice squad. Donte Vaughn at cornerback is another player who comes to mind as he faces a similar uphill battle at his own position group.

Undrafted offensive lineman George Moore didn’t take any snaps in the preseason game even though he was available. Perhaps meaning that there are too many players at the position.

Rookie Cole Schneider, who went undrafted this spring, has missed the last few practices with an injury. If he isn’t close to coming back and the Packers don’t see him as a practice squad player, they may agree to an injury settlement with him and move on.

These are just a few examples of things to look for, and as I just alluded to, just because there isn’t a chance of making a 53-man roster for some of these players, that doesn’t mean they are an automatic cut either.

If Green Bay sees some potential or an intriguing skill-set, that player will, in all likelihood, hang around for the rest of summer to potentially end up on the practice squad.

Another thing to consider is whether the position group can handle losing a player. Wide receiver comes to mind in this example.

With Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, and Allen Lazard not playing in the preseason, along with Malik Taylor and Christian Watson currently injured, cutting Ishmael Hyman, for example, would leave the Packers with only five receivers for their next preseason game. Are they willing to have so few options?

As always, there are a number of factors to consider.

This first round of cuts needs to be made official by Tuesday, August 16th at 3:00 p.m. CST.