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The Green Bay Packers’ front office is hard at work trying to sign undrafted free agents this week after the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft. So far the reports put the team at 11 undrafted players who have agreed to terms. Combined with 71 players on the active roster and eight draft picks, that leaves the roster full at 90 men.
However, there will be one more spot open when rookie minicamp arrives this weekend. That is because according to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Packers have waived one player on Monday: offensive lineman Nico Siragusa.
UPDATE: There will actually be two open spots. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that the team is also waiving safety Jason Thompson as well. Both transactions showed up on Monday’s official NFL transaction wire.
A fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, Siragusa spent one season on the team’s active roster before landing on the practice squad for 2018. Green Bay signed him from the Ravens’ practice squad onto their active roster in December, however, and kept him around through the start of offseason workouts.
However, there is suddenly a logjam at the guard position due to some offseason transactions. First, the Packers signed free agent Billy Turner, who is expected to either start at right guard or be a swing lineman. Then Cole Madison, last year’s fifth-round pick, unexpectedly returned for the start of workouts. Finally, the addition of second-round draft pick Elgton Jenkins all but closed the door on Siragusa’s shot at a roster spot in 2019.
Thompson spent a brief tenure on the practice squad last season and earned a futures contract after the season concluded. However, the Packers also added a safety early in the draft in first-round pick Darnell Savage, Jr.
This now leaves the roster with two expected spot available for a tryout player after rookie camp. However, all of the reported undrafted free agent signees will need to pass their physical exams, which is no guarantee. Stay tuned later this week for more news on rookie camp.