Getty Jake Kumerow #16 of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 03, 2019 in Carson, California.
And away…they…go.
The Green Bay Packers have begun the process of trimming down their 80-man training camp roster with their first of necessary cuts coming Saturday morning ahead of the NFL’s league-wide deadline at 3 p.m. CT. The cutdown persisted until the Packers released their official roster about 90 minutes after the deadline had passed.
Here’s a glance at all of the Packers’ roster cuts from Saturday with a complete look at Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster available here.
Jake Kumerow, WR
The Packers’ first roster cut of the day was a little bit of a surprise, especially after quarterback Aaron Rodgers had talked up Kumerow on Friday as a returning receiver he felt was locked for the 2020 squad. Kumerow collected 20 catches for 322 yards and two touchdowns over his two full seasons in Green Bay and came with established experience in the offense, but the 28-year-old was also the oldest wideout on the roster.
With Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling stepped up this summer, the Packers opted to move away from Kumerow — at least for now — in favor of young, unproven depth at the position. On the plus side, he remains a top candidate for the Packers’ practice squad.
First early surprise: Packers are releasing WR Jake Kumerow, according to a source. This a day after Aaron Rodgers counted Kumerow among the four returning receivers he suggested were locks to make it again. t.co/nvmlCZ3qPM
Darrius Shepherd, WR
Shepherd has been trying to fight his way back for the Packers since he was demoted following last year’s Week 6 win over Detroit. While that game is now better remembered for Mason Crosby’s game-winning field goal and Lazard’s rise-up, Shepherd botched a few pivotal plays that lost him favor with the Packers staff. He returned for 2020 training camp looking to prove he was no longer the same player who made the mistakes, but some impressive moments here and there weren’t enough to save his job.
Packers are cutting WR Darrius Shepherd, per source.
Evan Baylis, TE
The practice-squad tight end had already been facing an uphill battle prior to the 2020 NFL draft with Jace Sternberger, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis all coming back. Then, the Packers took tight end Josiah Deguara in the third round. Baylis is fine, maybe even good enough to push for another team’s active roster, but the Packers would appear to have no room left for him. Maybe he can reclaim a spot on the practice squad, but it might be a bit of a long shot with four tight ends installed as it is.
Packers are cutting TE Evan Baylis, per source.
John Leglue, OL
The Packers picked up Leglue late during the 2019 season and stashed him on the practice squad, but acquiring three new offensive linemen in the 2020 draft added some competition to the back end of the position. While Leglue figured to have a better shot given the Packers’ current need for tackle depth, he will have to contend for a spot again on the practice squad.
Tim Williams, OLB
Some projections had pegged Williams as the fourth outside linebacker in the rotation behind Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, but the former Baltimore Ravens reserve player appears to have lost out to young talent, such as rookie Jonathan Garvin. He made just one tackle last season for the Packers and has tallied 16 tackles and two sacks total across his three-year career.
The Packers have released OLB Tim Williams, a source tells @YahooSports.
Dexter Williams, RB
The Packers’ 2019 sixth-round draft pick was an intriguing prospect for about two minutes last season. Once Aaron Jones galloped off for a breakout season with Jamaal Williams as his reliable backfield partner, the younger Williams was quickly forgotten. There was some notion that the Packers might be willing to keep him around with Jones and the elder Williams both entering contract years, but the arrival of AJ Dillon appeared to seal his fate.
#Packers released RB Dexter Williams, per source. A sixth-round pick last year, Williams could be candidate for practice squad.
Tipa Galea’i, OLB
An undrafted rookie, Galea’i impressed during his first NFL training camp and was also considered one of the top options for rounding out the depth of the outside linebacker position. Many believed the Packers’ decision would come down to either Galea’i or Tim Williams, but the release of both players suggests the rotation will be: Z. Smith, P. Smith, Gary and Garvin.
John Lovett, FB
Matt LaFleur likes fullbacks and Lovett, who was added from the Chiefs on Aug. 5, seemed to fit the athletic blueprint that would have made him successful, but a stacked running back room made it difficult to justify keeping him for the initial 53-man roster. That said, with the practice squad’s call-up rules laxer in 2020, Lovett could be a firecracker of an addition for the reserves with the chance to slide over to the active roster a few times on game days.
#Packers are waiving John Lovett.
Reggie Begelton, WR
The former CFL standout generated some hype when he signed a futures/reserve contract with the Packers last January, but a reduced offseason and preseason set him behind a group of returning receivers who, as hoped, took steps forward with their game. The raw potential of Begelton, who caught more than 1,400 yards in his final CFL season in 2019, remains evident, though, and should qualify him for a premier spot on the Packers’ practice squad.
The #Packers would like to bring him back on p-squad.
Zack Johnson, OG
Johnson was at least fortunate enough to be among the undrafted rookies who stayed with the team into training camp, but the young offensive lineman had stretches of not-so-great play this summer and seemed a long shot to push some of the Packers’ more experienced depth or incoming draft picks. Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette indicated the Packers are interested in retaining him for their practice squad, though.
#Packers released OL Zack Johnson, per source. They indicated a desire to retain him on the 16-man practice squad.
Delontae Scott, DL
Scott was officially listed as an outside linebacker after playing edge rusher in college, but he was moved inside to compete for reps with the Packers’ defensive line — a battle he did not win. Even with Montravius Adams still recovering from a sprained toe, it seems unlikely that the Packers will bring back Scott for the practice squad.
#packers release DL Delontae Scott. Edge rusher in college making the move inside.
Stanford Samuels III, CB
Calling an undrafted rookie’s release a surprise might not normally fly, but Samuels had really impressed at the corner position behind Jaire Alexander, Kevin King and Chandon Sullivan in the top three spots. Samuels produced a handful of interceptions during camp and stood out while others, like former second-round pick Josh Jackson, struggled to put it together, but a lack of on-field offseason workouts likely hurt his chances. Should he survive the waivers, look for the Packers to jump on him quick for the practice squad.
Packers cutting CB Stanford Samuels, with hopes to keep him on the practice squad, per source.
Cody Conway, OT
Conway was signed to the Packers’ practice squad in late November last season and stuck it out with the team through their postseason run, getting some valuable practice reps as an undrafted rookie looking to forge his path. The Packers, though, seem to have different ideas for how they wish to stack their depth at the tackle position with Conway the second tackle to be ejected from the roster on Saturday. He could return to the practice squad, but the linemen who will make that list could be anyone’s guess at this point.
The #Packers have waived OL Cody Conway, a source said.
DaShaun Amos, CB
Amos signed his futures/reserve contract with the Packers on Jan. 15 and was another bubble corner who, like Samuels, had produced some good moments in camp this summer. Unfortunately for the former New York Giant and CFL standout, he wasn’t able to distinguish himself in a crowded group of defensive backs. Amos has an outside chance of returning for the practice squad, but an option like Samuels would seem preferable.
Krys Barnes, ILB
Barnes’ stock improved over the past week with the Packers losing fifth-round pick Kamal Martin for “at least six weeks” to a knee injury. Oren Burks, a 2018 third-round pick, also missed a few practices, giving an undrafted contender like Barnes the chance to earn his keep down the summer stretch. Alas, the Packers decided against Barnes and will seemingly trust their four-man rotation of Christian Kirksey, Ty Summers, Burks and Martin (when he returns).
Damarea Crockett, RB
LaFleur mentioned Crockett as someone he was expecting to step up in training camp, but the fact of the matter is the Packers were much too stacked at the running back position to give him a genuine shot. Jones, Williams, Dillon and return specialist Tyler Ervin have been the favorites for the roster for months with Crockett’s name nowhere in sight. If Dexter Williams isn’t able to be retained for the practice squad, Crockett might have a shot. Otherwise, expect him to move on to his fourth team in two years.
Malik Turner, WR
Perhaps it was this writer’s experiences with Turner during his career at the University of Illinois, but the former Seattle Seahawks receiver seemed to have an outside shot at making the Packers’ active roster with some in-game experience to show off. The Packers signed him as a free agent after Devin Funchess opted out of the season, but he now joins Kumerow, Shepherd and Begelton as bubble pass-catchers who weren’t retained. His practice-squad chances don’t seem too high with options available that are more established in the Packers offense.
#Packers have cut WR Malik Turner, according to a source.
Willington Previlon, DT
Some camp insiders liked Previlon as a possible backup fit for the Packers’ defensive line, especially with the Packers’ need for stability around star nose tackle Kenny Clark, but one of the last few undrafted rookies on the roster was left out of the picture. A practice-squad possibility exists for the promising defensive lineman, though, with few other known options to entertain.
The #Packers have released DT Willington Previlion, but they would like to sign him to their practice squad. He’s an interesting prospect and a guy I thought had a chance to make the 53.
Greg Roberts, OLB
A second-year outside linebacker, Roberts split his time in training camp between the COVID-19/reserve list and the PUP list as he continued to recover from an injury that wiped out his rookie season last year. As if that hadn’t been enough to put him on the chopping block, the Packers were presented with a few other options to fill out the depth behind their primary pass-rushing trio. Saturday’s move simply confirms what many suspects.
Alex Light, OT
Light is another somewhat unexpected cut after being a candidate in camp to play swing tackle this season for the Packers. He was one of the few tackles on the roster with some actual, in-game experience for the team with 177 offensive snaps taken over 16 career games, but the third-year former UDFA’s release signifies a change in direction for the Packers, one that could benefit 2019 practice-squad holdover Yosh Nijman.
Will Sunderland, CB
The undrafted rookie cornerback was a long shot to make the roster after missing numerous practices with an injury. No surprise that the UDFA signing was waived/injured by the Packers on cutdown day, especially after it was revealed earlier in the day that more impressive options like DaShaun Amos and Stanford Samuels had been cut.
Treyvon Hester, DL
Hester, known for tipping former Bears kicker Cody Parkey’s infamous double-doink kick, was the lone experienced addition for the Packers defensive line at training camp, but time on the COVID-19 list and further injury troubles devastated his opportunities this summer. He was waived/injured on Saturday with the Packers preferring to go with the same defensive linemen as last year — which should say a lot about Hester.
Henry Black, S
Black and Sunderland were the last two UDFAs to have their fates revealed, but their departures left the Packers with no undrafted rookies on their roster. Black has talent, but he was several steps behind returning backups Raven Greene and Will Redmond along with Vernon Scott, a 2020 seventh-round pick.
Jake Hanson, Treyvon Hester and Will Sunderland were the last moves.
Jake Hanson, C
Hanson’s release was notable for a few reasons, the first being that he is the only of the Packers’ nine draft picks from 2020 to be released from their initial roster. Seven others made the active roster with sixth-round guard Simon Stepaniak landing on the reserve/NFI list. Hanson had also been expected to contend for backup reps behind Corey Linsley, but that role would now appear to belong solely to established backup Lucas Patrick.
Jake Hanson, as I suspected because persistent inquiries went nowhere, was released.
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