The Chopping Block: West, Gurly Among Cuts

If you're like me, you take little stock in preseason football. You simply wait for the 53 man roster to take shape. This normally happens steadily and subtly over the course of a few months. Given the condensed offseason this year, however, teams were faced with a daunting task: Trim down the roster from 80-53 between Thursday's preseason finale and the 5pm Saturday deadline.

Talk about the chopping block. The following players have been cut

WR Diondre Borel,
S Anthony Bratton,
T Chris Campbell,
T/G Ray Dominguez,
NT Chris Donaldson,
LB Ricky Elmore,
C Sampson Genus,
CB Josh Gordy,
WR Tori Gurley,
QB Graham Harrell,
FB Jon Hoese,
LB Cardia Jackson,
DE Eli Joseph,
LB Elijah Joseph,
S Anthony Levine,
C/G Nick McDonald,
RB Dimitri Nance,
CB Brandian Ross,
NT Jay Ross,
RB Brandon Saine,
WR Kerry Taylor,
S/CB Brandon Underwood
WR Chastin West.

WR Shaky Smithson and DE Lawrence Guy have not been cut, but where placed on IR.

Missing from this list is 6th round draft choice Caleb Schlauderaff (guard) who struggled in camp, was told he'd be released, but was actually dealt to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick. It's likely that the Jets, who are apparently in need of line depth, didn't think Schlauderaff would be on the waiver wire long enough for them to claim him.

Also absent from the cut list is FB Quinn Johnson, who finds himself off to Tennessee for a conditional draft pick. Those close to me know I've lamented Johnson's taking up a valuable roster spot for more than a few seasons now. Best of luck to him, but I'm glad to see that spot open up. And with most teams not even carrying one FB, Green Bay certainly did not need two.

A point of interest is that both WR's Tori Gurley and Chastin West were cut. It was widely assumed (though knowing TT, thou shalt not assume) that one or the other would make the team. West has return experience, while Gurly proved to be an aggressive special teamer, blocking several punts throughout training camp. At the end of the day, however, there just wasn't room for either on the Packers' bloated receiving corps. Curiously, the team will be holding on to WR Smithson via injury reserve.

Surprising to some, though not to me, was the release of QB Graham Harrell. Most fans have been pleased with Harrell's progress, but TT & MM had no interest in carrying a third QB on the active roster. My crystal ball says that Green Bay may lose Harrell, as he ticks down the waiver wire past many NFL teams in need of QB competition. If he does pass through waivers, he's surely a lock for the Packers' practice squad.

Rookie WR Randall Cobb has taken the place of recently released Brett Swain as the team's 5th wide out. This is an obvious upgrade. Cobb has the potential to rival other receivers for snaps in time, while Swain never really produced any meaningful minutes.

Read between the lines: Notice any positions lacking from the cut list? The Packers have elected to keep 5 tight ends. We all know how much MM loves the versatility of the TE body type. They're generally reliable blockers and special teams players, as well as great short/mid-range offensive weapons. But to keep such a high number indicates insurance against the possibility of Jermichael Finley's departure. He's a free agent after this season and the team is certainly prepared to offer this highly sought-after player a boat-load of money. But given his market value, Green Bay may find themselves stealing a line from Sean Connery... "You're gonna need a bigger boat."