The Green Bay Packers play most of their defensive sets with five defensive backs, so if there was an area to keep an extra player or two, the defensive backfield was the place. This is the deepest backfield I can ever recall. That doesn't mean that everyone is a future star, but they'd be OK if any of these players (except Jarrett Bush) were forced into a starting role.

The locks: Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, and Bush. Why is Bush included? Because if he can play like he's played over the past few seasons and still have a roster spot, he's never leaving. I don't know what he'd have to do to find himself released.

Locks, but they're not both starters: Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett. Shields plays as much as some other defensive starters as the third CB, and I wasn't quite sure Burnett had the other starting safety job secured until training camp began. Both players were locks to make the roster.

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While the Green Bay Packers had been keeping 10 linebackers every season since the switch to a 3-4 defense, I thought they might not have kept so many this year after a lackluster training camp from a couple players. It's not quite 10 players, since the list includes Frank Zombo, who isn't expected back from a broken shoulder blade until October. 

It's no surprise to see Vic So'oto make the roster. After he dominated the Chiefs, and he'd been outstanding in training camp and this preseason anyway, he did everything an undrafted rookie could do to make the team.

The locks: Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, and Desmond Bishop. No doubt about those three.

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The Green Bay Packers announced that they've signed eight players to the practice squad. The list includes eight familiar names because they were all players that were released on Saturday. From Packers.com:

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.

I liked all three wide receivers they re-signed, but they usually spread those spots around the roster. Instead of carrying an emergency fullback, defensive lineman, or linebacker, they'll have three extra players at receiver. 

I was a little worried about depth on the offensive line, they've only kept eight offensive lineman, but Dominguez and Genus add more depth and help them field a complete first team and scout team for practices. 

I'm really surprised Saine made the practice squad instead of Dimitri Nance, but I'm not sure how many games Nance was active with the Falcons. He might not be eligible for the practice squad anymore. Saine has more upside anyway.

I'm really glad they were able to keep Ross. He made some plays this preseason and could be really good in a couple years.

If you take away the Cardinals game and the last minute against the Colts, Harrell struggled this preseason. I can see he's improving, but he wasn't good enough to justify an active roster spot. This is a good place for him, and he'll be a good option next year to replace Matt Flynn as the backup.

Six doesn't sound like a lot of defensive lineman, but the Green Bay Packers play so often with only two defensive lineman in their 2-4-5 formation that I wouldn't have been surprised if they had kept only five. I'm sure the status of injured DE Mike Neal also was a consideration (he says he'll be ready to play the Saints).

Defensive ends remaining: DE Ryan Pickett, DE C.J. Wilson, DE Jarius Wynn, and Neal. No surprises here, but it's been quite a 12 month improvement by Wynn. He showed some potential as a rookie pass rusher, but a poor 2010 training camp led to his release before the start of last season. He was quickly re-signed after DE Justin Harrell was lost for the season, but McCarthy was publicly critical of Wynn as late as last December. Now he seems to get at least one hit on the quarterback in every game as a part-time player. Wilson had been battling injuries in training camp, and was limited this preseason, but he got a lot of playing time against the Chiefs and made a couple tackles for losses. 

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One of the moves that surprised me was that the Green Bay Packers only kept eight offensive lineman when I thought they would keep 9 or 10. GM Ted Thompson and the Packers front office are very good, but they haven't been good at keeping the offensive line deep with quality rookies or veterans. And it showed up in their last preseason game against the Chiefs. 

The five starters: Chad Clifton, T.J. Lang, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton, and Bryan Bulaga. There are no problems with the starters, and all of them appear as healthy as they are going to be for the start of the season.

The three backups: Derek Sherrod, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Marshall Newhouse. As their first round pick, Sherrod was a lock to earn a roster spot, though he's struggled (and struggled against the Chiefs) as a backup left tackle. Newhouse too has struggled all preseason at right tackle. Dietrich-Smith has played well as a backup center and left guard, and he deserves a roster spot.

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The Green Bay Packers kept a combined total of 11 players at quarterback, running back, full back, and tight end. While they might have kept as many as 13 players at these combined positions in 2010, they apparently wanted to keep fewer players at these positions, and more depth elsewhere on the roster. I expect they'll add a couple backups for these spots once they organize their practice squad.

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn stay, Graham Harrell is released. Harrell had a big game against the Cardinals, but a QB rating under 70 in his other three preseason games. I expect he'll be signed on the practice squad.

Running back: Ryan Grant, James Starks, and Alex Green stay. Dimitri Nance and Brandon Saine are released. The Packers didn't feature any running back much this preseason, but went a little bit more run heavy against the Chiefs. And neither Nance or Saine shined. I think both are still eligible for the practice squad, and I wouldn't be surprised to see either of them return.

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After the Green Bay Packers re-signed WR James Jones, it seemed that they were set with five wide receivers: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Jones, and rookie Randall Cobb. None of the other wide receivers coming into camp appeared to have a shot at making the active roster.

But two wide receivers had been written about a lot this preseason: Tori Gurley and Chastin West.

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Here's the entire list of 23 players that the Green Bay Packers released on Saturday. From Packers.com:

Released Saturday were 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 and WR Chastin West.

A lot of practice squad material available. But I don't expect all of them will be eligible.

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