Options For Shorthanded Packers Early in 2015

The Green Bay Packers will be without three key players to start 2015.  Defensive lineman Datone Jones has been suspended one game and his counterpart Letroy Guion received three games yesterday, but will appeal.  Still, Guion will miss at least one game, if not two.  Tight end Andrew Quarless is awaiting a ruling from the league on how many games he'll miss.  My guess is at least four, even after an appeal.  That leaves the Packers a bit shorthanded to start the season.  With training camp a week away, we may soon discover that the Packers are OK and have the answer to these missing bodies already on their roster.

On the defensive line, a healthy B.J. Raji returns in 2015 after missing last year with a bicep injury.  Raji is very familiar with the defense and should be able to fill in nicely in the middle.  Josh Boyd played a fair number of snaps last season, but was inconsistent.  Between Julius Peppers and Mike Neal, the Packers could turn to one or both to fill the void left by Jones.  On the outside looking in are Khyri Thornton, who missed his rookie season of 2014 after landing in injured reserve at the end of camp, and rookie Christian Ringo, a late round pick.  Thornton did nothing to show he belonged last year before injury befell him.  Ringo seemingly has an easier path to sticking on the roster based on the loss of Jones and Guion, but it's hard to count on a late pick to do the work of a former first rounder.

At tight end, Richard Rodgers becomes the team's primary tight end but that's not the issue.  Rodgers emerged late in 2015 and became a steady target of Aaron Rodgers during the postseason.  It's the depth behind Quarless that is vey sobering.  Justin Perillo and Kennard Backman are the most likely depth behind Rodgers.  Perillo saw little to no field time last year on offense and Backman is another late-round pick who is anything but a lock to make the final roster.  

So with so many questions behind these players lost to suspension, what else could the Packers do to address the needs?  Unless one of these guys or an undrafted free agent has a magical training camp, the Packers may want to take a quick inventory of the veteran free agents still out there at these positions.  It's not like Ted Thompson to dip into this talent pool, but we've already heard rumors of the team's potential interest in receiver Reggie Wayne despite the fact that receiver is one of the Packers' deepest positions.  So it's not impossible that Thompson may consider this avenue for positions of clear need.

That said, we need to keep in mind a few things.  The first is that the Packers would potentially need help in weeks one and two and would need to sign a player prior to those games.  A player on a team's roster prior to week one has his salary fully guaranteed so they would likely be signing a guy for the entire season.  That takes away a roster spot from a younger player they may like and would also impact the practice squad.  Additionally, veterans qualify for minimum salaries based on their years of experience so they won't come very cheap for Thompson, who is always looking for a bargain.

But let's enter the land of make believe and toss around a few veteran names the Packers could entertain.

The first is a name we all know.  Ryan Pickett wasn't brought back by the Packers last season and landed in Houston with the Texans.  They didn't bring him back and Pick is looking for a job.  He's 35 and doesn't have much gas left in the tank.  His price tag would probably deter the Packers from going this route, despite all of the contributions Pickett made during his eight seasons in Green Bay.

Next up is Mathias Kiwanuka.  Formerly with the New York Giants, the Packers are familiar with the 32-year old defensive end.  If he has enough to show he can still be an effective role player, he could become an option.  Kiwanuka had a career-low two-and-a-half sacks last season but did force two fumbles.  Kiwanuka, much like Pickett, won't come cheap and would supplant another younger player on the roster as he'd likely be a season-long keep.

If you're really in the mood to reach, how about long-time Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel?  Keisel is 36 and holds the NFL's all time record for total facial hair growth.  He returned to the Steelers late in the preseason last year and seems most likely to do so again this year or just retire.  I don't see any scenario where the Packers tap Keisel over any other option, but he's definitely the type of guy you'd love to see in green and gold if he were in his prime, wouldn't you?  With Keisel and Kuhn on the same roster, you officially have a "mountain man club" started.  If only that mattered on the field.

Some other names to kick around:  Red Bryant, Robert Geathers and Shaun Phillips.  Geathers and Bryant are only 31 so either are possible.   All three had very quite 2014 seasons and aren't likely worth the Packers sacrificing a roster spot.  Any of them would be an option in a pinch, but I wouldn't call the Packers' situation a pinch at this point.  Only injury would create that.

At tight end, the Packers were reported to possibly have interest in veteran free agent Jermaine Gresham, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals.  I suspect they'll know quickly in training camp what they have in Perillo and Backman and decide whether to go this route to add some depth to the position.  They'd likely stick with Rodgers, Perillo and Backman in week one and if they're going to sign Gresham, they'd do it after when they can pay and go week-to-week with him until Quarless comes back.  

Yes, this was another of those pieces that reeks of "offseason football content" but hey, we still have another week to fill and you never know in the NFL.  Things can change in a flash and suddenly, these names become headlline news.

 

 

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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts.  You can follow him on Twitter here

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Comments (10)

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NewNikeShoes's picture

July 24, 2015 at 04:21 pm

Hmm. Well, I would think if TT really was worried about the D-Line depth, he would have signed someone by now, he would have. Think he's confident about the rookies and the 1st-years. Some may say misplaced, but I don't have the info to say whether they are right or not.

But, I would welcome a Red Bryant signing, the guys hella underrated.

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NickPerry's picture

July 25, 2015 at 06:00 am

Bryant would be my pick on the DL too, not to old and I have a feeling being on Jacksonville was part of the reason he wasn't as effective last year. So many were so high on Mike Pennel last year but I've read a fe "Roster Projections" where they feel Pennel won't make the roster. If he could step up problem solved.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 24, 2015 at 05:19 pm

Waiting until after the season starts has serious a downside as well since those FAs wouldn't be familiar with the schemes.

At DL, GB can go with Daniels, Raji, Boyd, all of whom have proven that they can at least play in the NFL. GB has gone with just 5 at DL in the past. So the current options include keeping 2 of the following to be backups: Pennel at NT, and Ringo at both DE positions, and from Thornton, Hooks or Gaston. I am under the impression that Datone and Guion would not have to be carried on the opening day roster for GB to retain their rights. Guess we'd be short of a proven player at DE. Peppers could give us a some snaps there in base, but Neal at 260 lbs probably can only be used in certain sub-packages.

GB should be taking a hard look at Gresham at TE. Perillo has done nothing on offense or on STs. Rodgers started to look like a good #2 TE late last season. Bachman is unproven (yes, I disliked this pick). GB essentially would be going into the season with just one serviceable TE until Quarless returns.

I assume that TT won't touch Junior Galette at OLB, and he might have his own suspension coming down.

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hobbes's picture

July 24, 2015 at 05:47 pm

I think one thing that goes against signing veteran players is that their contracts (assuming that they are a vested veteran, which I would think all the players you mentioned are) would have their contracts fully guaranteed if they are on a roster week 1. Especially for Jones and Guion (who has a shot at winning his appeal since this is his first transgression), then you would essentially be paying a full veteran minimum contract for 1 game (and then presumably cutting him). Veteran replacement players would make more sense for Guion should he lose his appeal and Andrew Quarless, again depending on how hard the NFL comes down on him.
Of course the easy way to get around all of this would simply to sign a veteran after week 1 but since the team is short handed the most in week 1 this likely doesn't help too much.
A more interesting problem is how do the Packers balance so many roster moves in such a short time. Assuming Quarless does indeed get suspended and Guion doesn't get his ban completed wiped out, that means the Packers will need to carry 3 extra players since as far as I know banned players still count on the roster.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 24, 2015 at 07:39 pm

No, my understanding is that suspended players do not have to be listed or make the 53 man roster. I have asked this question multiple times but some knowledgeable commenters all seem to agree that they are exempt. I would love to see the answer from an authoritative source. Edit: Here is a link to Demovsky's roster predictions of 7/23/15 - note that he has 6 DL on the 53-man roster not including Datone and notes that Datone is suspended, from which I deduce that GB does not have to cut Datone since he is suspended and does not count against the roster spots. I am sure that Demovsky would not advocate cutting Jones or otherwise losing his rights.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/71118/green-bay-packers-53-ma...

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TheLegendary52's picture

July 24, 2015 at 10:23 pm

Reynoldo, you are correct in your belief that suspended players do not take up a roster spot. Effectively, during the weeks a player is suspended from the NFL, they are not on a team. It would be my guess that TT will likely keep 3 more than the maximum 53 players after final cutdowns post the final preseason games. I believe the suspensions take effect the same day as the final cuts. He will then have the option to place those 3 extra players on the practice squad as each suspension ends, or just cut them outright.

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Evan's picture

July 24, 2015 at 10:14 pm

I kinda doubt Pickett and Kiwanuka "won't come cheap."

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Crackerpacker's picture

July 24, 2015 at 11:48 pm

As well as the TE depth mentioned we will probably have two FB'S on the roster.

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Allan Murphy's picture

July 24, 2015 at 11:49 pm

Chilax !

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EdsLaces's picture

July 26, 2015 at 05:00 pm

Young or old ...if you haven't listened to the band Royal Blood you are missing out....

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