Packers Cutdown Tracker

By 4 p.m. Eastern, the Green Bay Packers will need to shave down their roster to just 53 players. Keep up to date with this hub, where we’ll be linking to all of the Packers’ transactions on Tuesday.

If you want to take a look at which players are expected to be on the roster bubble, check out our 53-man roster roundup.

Beyond just the roster contraction, keep an eye out for injury news. Officially, one of the decisions the Packers will need to make today is whether or not starting cornerback Eric Stokes — who is recovering from a 2022 ankle injury — is going to start the season on the physically unable to perform list. If so, Stokes will be unable to participate in the first four games of the Packers’ regular season.

We’ll also link to practice squad rumors throughout the day. Green Bay will be allowed to begin signing players to their practice squad on Wednesday, once waivers are processed.

Current Roster Count: 53/53

Released/Waived:

• QB Alex McGough
• RB Patrick Taylor
• RB Nate McCrary
• WR Grant DuBose
• WR Cody Chrest
• WR Dre Miller
• WR Deuce Watts
• WR Jadakis Bonds
• WR Bo Melton
• FB Henry Pearson
• TE Austin Allen
• OL Jean Delance
• OL Kadeem Telfort
• OL Cole Schneider
• OL James Empey
• DL Jason Lewan
• DL Antonio Moultrie
• DL Chris Slayton
• OLB Keshawn Banks
• OLB Arron Mosby
• OLB Kenneth Odumegwu
• ILB Jimmy Phillips III
• ILB Marvin Pierre
• CB Innis Gaines
• CB Shemar Jean-Charles
• CB Kiondre Thomas
• CB Tyrell Ford
• CB Corey Ballentine
• CB William Hooper
• CB Elijah Hamilton
• SAF Benny Sapp III
• P Pat O’Donnell

Analysis: O’Donnell’s release is a little bit of a surprise, as it never seemed like Daniel Whelan ever took over as the number-one punter in the preseason. For perspective, Whelan was only the holder on four of Anders Carlson’s field goal/extra point attempts this preseason (out of 13.) Whelan and O’Donnell seemed neck-and-neck — talent-wise — in camp, but the team never really passed the reins off to Whelan this summer. Now, Green Bay’s 2022 punter is looking for a new home.

• LS Matt Orzech

Analysis: As Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber explains, Orzech is expected to re-sign with the Packers at a later date as their starting long snapper. Orzech’s release is only going to be momentary, as the injured reserve rules will change over the next day. On Wednesday, after waivers are processed, teams will be able to place players on injured reserve with the possibility of activating them at a later date during the 2023 season. If a player is put on injured reserve during the preseason, though, he would have to miss the entire year. Two players that Huber brings up as possibilities to go on injured reserve on Wednesday are receiver Dontayvion Wicks and safety Tarvarius Moore. I’d add tackle Luke Tenuta to that list, a possibility that Andy Herman first brought to my attention.

Injury Designations:

• RB Lew Nichols

Analysis: According to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated, Nichols is going to be waived with an injury designation. If Nichols passes through waivers unclaimed, as is expected, then he will revert to the injured reserve. From there, the Packers will be able to either keep Nichols on the injured reserve for the remainder of the season (unlikely) or they’ll reach an injury settlement with him. This is the same scenario that Green Bay is in with another former draft pick, offensive lineman Jake Hanson, after he passed through waivers earlier this preseason. The good news is that if Nichols and the Packers do reach an injury settlement, there’s a chance that the back could return to Green Bay on the practice squad later this year.

• SAF Tarvarius Moore

Analysis: The release of Tarvarius Moore has cleared up some of the questions in the safety room. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Moore was expected to be healthy enough to suit up for the Packers in Week 1 of the regular season. The team is going to waive him with an injury designation, though, which will eventually lead to an injury settlement. Demovsky has also reported that Moore will get a second opinion before signing a settlement with the team. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel added that Moore cannot be re-signed by the Packers, even as a practice squadder, for at least a month after the settlement is official.

• LS Broughton Hatcher

Practice Squad Rumors:

• According to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Packers want to bring back tight end Austin Allen on the practice squad. Allen was the fourth tight end on the team, if you count Josiah Deguara a tight end, after Tyler Davis’ season-ending injury. While he never got on the field with Jordan Love during the preseason, Allen did record four starts on special teams this summer — which ranks high among potential practice squad candidates.
• Wood has also mentioned cornerback Kiondre Thomas as a potential practice squad candidate. Thomas spent all of last season on the practice squad and has been receiving reps as both a jammer and gunner on special teams. On defense, he’s featured nearly exclusively as an outside corner.
• Per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, tackle Kadeem Telfort will be a member of the Packers’ practice squad, as long as he clears waivers.