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TE Andrew Quarless will probably start the year on the PUP list.

The first NFL roster cut-down of the season is fast approaching. On Monday, August 27th, the Green Bay Packers will need to have trimmed their roster down to 75 players from their current total of 90.

Even though these are essentially the worst players on the team, the decision of who to cut is a tough one. Not only do Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson need to consider the skill of each player, but they also have to take into account the remaining depth they’ll have to work with for the remainder of the preseason. This being the case, the first roster cut-down can be a good time to declare some of the Injured Reserve (IR) or Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) players for the start of the season.

As a reminder, only players who did not practice at all during training camp are eligible for the PUP. They remain on the list for the first six weeks of regular season, after which they have a three-week window to return to practice. From the point at which the player returns to practice, the team has an additional three weeks to decide whether to elevate them to the 53-man roster, place them on injured reserve, or release them.

Here is a group of eight players who could possibly end up on one of these lists during the upcoming roster cut-down:

Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)  Read more... (944 words + 1 image, estimated 3:47 mins reading time)

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2012 is a big season for Packers T Derek Sherrod

Injuries to Chad Clifton, Josh Sitton and Bryan Bulaga meant that the Packers offensive line never really gelled last season. Guys like Marshall Newhouse and Evan Dietrich-Smith did a decent enough job filling in, but the line never got rolling like I thought it would.

This might be a little tricky to attempt before the draft, but let’s take a look at several offensive line scenarios for the 2012 season. If/when injuries hit, what are the Packers options and potential lineups up front?

Scenario 1
LT Chad Clifton, LG T.J. Lang, C Jeff Saturday, RG Josh Sitton, RT Bryan Bulaga.

This is the ideal scenario. In a perfect world, Clifton comes back, he’s healthy and productive, and the Packers trot out the same five guys every week. We can dream, right?

Scenario 2
LT Derek Sherrod, LG Lang, C Saturday, RG Sitton, RT Bulaga

Maybe Clifton gets cut or goes down early in the season and the Packers have to once again fill a hole at left tackle. If that happens, the ideal situation is for Sherrod to come back from his broken leg and step right in, showing improvement from his rookie season and becoming the left tackle of the future. Bulaga would stay at right tackle and the future would bright. If only it was that easy…

Scenario 3
LT Bulaga, LG Lang, C Saturday, RG Sitton, RT Newhouse  Read more... (783 words + 1 image, estimated 3:08 mins reading time)

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The rookies on the Green Bay Packers roster have yet to complete a half-season in 2011, but the bye week in Week 8 gave us an opportunity to gauge how the Packers’ first-year players look through seven games.

Snap-counts and statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Focus. 

T Derek Sherrod (R1)

The Packers wanted him to take hold of the left guard position coming into training camp, but that experiment died in a hurry when Sherrod couldn’t handle the switch. He’s a right or left tackle from this point on. The only major action Sherrod has seen this season came against the Falcons in Week 5. After Chad Clifton went down with a hamstring injury, Sherrod filled in at right tackle as Marshall Newhouse slid over to the left side. Of the 51 snaps he played, 36 came on passing plays, and Sherrod allowed just two quarterback pressures and no sacks or hits. That kind of snap distribution shows the confidence that the Packers have in their rookie at right tackle in pass protection. Sherrod also came in on seven snaps (five run, two pass) against the Broncos in Week 4.

WR/KR Randall Cobb (R2)  Read more... (1468 words + 1 image, estimated 5:52 mins reading time)

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The Green Bay Packers finally placed injured safety Nick Collins (neck) on IR Wednesday, as the Packers used his vacated roster spot to elevate G/T Ray Dominguez from the practice squad to bolster an offensive line that has been ravaged by injuries.

Collins, a three-time All-Pro, was hurt in Week 2 against the Panthers as he attempted to make a tackle on Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart. He had successful fusion surgery to repair the injury but his season was ruled over by team physicians.

The Packers waited to put Collins on IR until now, as GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy attempted to find a hole in the roster that needed filling. Chad Clifton’s hamstring injury last Sunday against the Falcons eventually forced the Packers hand. Coupled with an inactive Bryan Bulaga (knee), the Packers went through the rest of the Falcons game with only six healthy offensive lineman.

Instead of rolling the dice once more with that situation, the Packers promoted Dominguez, an undrafted rookie from Arkansas who can play both inside and at tackle. Dominguez (6-4, 334) had a shaky preseason and training camp but continued to show improvement, which prompted the Packers to retain him on the practice squad after the final cuts were made.

McCarthy said on Wednesday that Dominguez would “primarily play inside,” which doesn’t rule out the possibility of playing tackle but suggests that he’ll get most of his reps at guard. Either way, Dominguez is there for depth purposes.  Read more... (405 words + 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

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The Packers signed QB Graham Harrell to the practice squad on Sunday.

The Green Bay Packers signed eight players to their practice squad on Sunday, including QB Graham Harrell and three WRs.

Signed to the practice squad were WR Diondre Borel, T/G Ray Dominguez, C Sampson Genus, WR Tori Gurley, QB Graham Harrell, CB Brandian Ross, RB Brandon Saine and WR Chastin West.

All eight signees to the practice squad were with the Packers during training camp.

Harrell: In 18 series during the preseason, Harrell generated two touchdowns and three field goals and a passer rating of 75.7. Packers coach Mike McCarthy appeared to be high on Harrell early in the preseason, but the former Texas Tech standout never caught fire to solidify a permanent roster spot. Perhaps Harrell was doomed to be cut anyway. No. 2 QB Matt Flynn had a firm hold on the backup slot and McCarthy said he wasn’t going touse a spot on the active gameday roster for a third QB.

Gurley: I thought Gurley’s size and success on special teams would earn him a roster spot as a sixth WR, especially since Donald Driver has continued to show signs of aging. The Packers only kept five WRs, however, like they usually do. I didn’t think the Packers would be able to retain Gurley, but I’m sure glad they did. Even though the Packers seem to favor smaller WRs, I think it will be nice to have a bigger WR to bring up if Driver or someone else goes down.  Read more... (536 words + 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

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