Prediction on Packers Roster Cuts to 75 Players

Offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga is predicted to be placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, one of nine roster moves the Packers must make.

The Green Bay Packers have to trim their roster to 75 players by 4:00 p.m. ET time deadline on Tuesday.

Their roster is currently at 84 players, meaning they have to clear up at least nine spots.

One decision should be easy. With offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga presumed to be out for the season, placing him on injured reserve will free up one roster spot, meaning the Packers only have to clear up eight more spots.

There's a chance the Packers could designate Bulaga as their one player to return from injured reserve after Week 8 of the regular season, but even that scenario isn't likely.

Complicating matters is the four players who remain on the active PUP list––offensive lineman Derek Sherrod, defensive lineman Jerel Worthy, safety Sean Richardson and offensive lineman J.C. Tretter.

Players can't be placed on the reserve PUP list until Saturday Aug. 31, which is the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players for the regular season.

If there's one other player on the PUP list who might join Bulaga on injured reserve, it's Tretter, who just tweeted on Monday that he got off crutches for the first time. The likelihood that Tretter returns in 2013 seems very slim, but no final determination has been made by the Packers.

Nagging injuries also cloud the issue with players like wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, cornerback James Nixon and linebacker Jarvis Reed all being held out of practice on Monday. If they're not available to play on Thursday, the Packers may have to part ways with them.

The following is a prediction on the nine roster spots the Packers must clear by Tuesday:

  • Offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga (injured reserve)
  • Offensive lineman J.C. Tretter (injured reserve)
  • Fullback Jonathan Amosa
  • Offensive lineman Garth Gerhart
  • Cornerback James Nixon
  • Linebacker Jarvis Reed
  • Safety David Fulton
  • Wide receiver Kevin Dorsey
  • Tight end Jake Stoneburner

UPDATE 9:39 a.m.: With news that the Vikings have placed Greg Childs on the reserve PUP list ahead of Aug. 31, here is a revised prediction on the nine roster spots:

  • Bryan Bulaga (injured reserve)
  • J.C. Tretter (injured reserve)
  • Derek Sherrod (reserve PUP list)
  • Jerel Worthy (reserve PUP list)
  • Sean Richardson (reserve PUP list)
  • Cornerback James Nixon
  • Linebacker Jarvis Reed
  • Tight end Jake Stoneburner
  • Wide receiver Kevin Dorsey
0 points
 

Comments (23)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Evan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 08:17 am

Yep - no arguments there. This is the easy cutdown.

I really want to know where Tretter is on his recovery timeline. It seems if he's off crutches now, he'd have a half-way decent chance of being ready to play by mid-season. IR to return?

0 points
0
0
RC Packer Fan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:31 am

I'm thinking if they were going to do that, that they would put Tretter on the PUP list.

I love the rule that teams can put a player on IR, and bring him back. But why do they limit it to 1 player? And why does it have to be a player designated for return? Why can't it be anyone on IR, and if they are available to play then bring him back....

With the mounting injury's I really think the NFL needs to start looking into doing something similar to MLB, with the 15 day DL. Allow teams to put players on a 4 game (or whatever) injury list to bring someone else onto the roster...
For example right now, if DuJuan Harris or Casey Hayward were going to miss the first 4 games due to their injury's they could use that roster spot for someone else. They don't hold a roster spot for an injured player....

0 points
0
0
Bears Love Cheddar Biscuits's picture

August 27, 2013 at 10:41 am

Teams would abuse the system to do exactly what you're suggesting--stack talent on IR almost like an extra roster. In fact they DID abuse the system back in the 70s, which is why they changed the injury rules.

0 points
0
0
Lars's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:40 am

Brian's right, he's not playing this year. Every year there's speculation like this (Burnett, Finley, Grant, Sherrod, Bishop). Tretter's still in a boot. We'll see him (hopefully) at next year's mini's.

0 points
0
0
ScottS's picture

August 27, 2013 at 04:28 pm

Why would they take the chance on bringing Tretter in midseason when they don't even know if he's any good yet. For all anybody knows he could be a total bust. Save the IR to return for someone you already know will contribute.

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 04:34 pm

Tretter to PUP.

0 points
0
0
Mojo's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:54 am

My prediction, they will unfortunately have to use the "IR to return" for Harris after they find out he needs some minor surgery on his knee. Another prediction is Buluga would have been ready by late November or sometime in December if they "IR to returned" him, but since the designation was already used - no go.

0 points
0
0
RC Packer Fan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 10:12 am

That's the part I hate. Why limit the IR to return to 1 player?
I really wish the NFL would change that rule.
Or if they would designate Bulaga (for example) for that, and 2 weeks from now someone else gets injured and will be out 8-10 games. Well their only choice then is to lose the player for the year or hold him on the roster, where if they changed the rules they could at least sign someone else in the mean time.

0 points
0
0
Stroh's picture

August 27, 2013 at 11:30 am

Those are the rules, get over it. If you don't have rules like it teams are going to take advantage of it. Not worth crying over spilt milk.

0 points
0
0
Stroh-Hater's picture

August 27, 2013 at 01:05 pm

I swear I am suing you Stroh.

0 points
0
0
zeke's picture

August 27, 2013 at 01:18 pm

"I swear I am suing you Stroh."

You spelled "stalking" wrong.

0 points
0
0
JackintheBox's picture

August 27, 2013 at 08:20 am

That's assuming the TT won't "cut deeper" in order to make room for new arrivals on weaker spots...say O-line, safety or kicker....not to mention a trade (DJ Williams to N.E. maybe...?). Other then that; completely agree Brian.

0 points
0
0
Brian Carriveau's picture

August 27, 2013 at 08:24 am

Cutting deeper, if they do so, doesn't typically happen until the cutdown to 53 players. They're not going to bring somebody in and have them play on Thursday.

0 points
0
0
Steve Simons's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:23 am

You can place on regular season pup before aug 31. Vikings did it today with childs

0 points
0
0
Andy's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:24 am

Why not designate Tretter for the regular season PUP? He obviously won't be ready after the first 6 weeks, but you get 3 additional practice weeks prior to having to make a final decision. He'll either be ready or near ready for week 10, or you place him on the IR at that time.

0 points
0
0
Brian Carriveau's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:28 am

My prediction is that he won't be ready to play this season at all. You certainly could be correct, it's merely a guess on my part.

0 points
0
0
Andy's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:31 am

You're probably right. Bummer too as the depth on the line sure would be nice to have right now. Things would look much different if there were a healthy Bulaga, Tretter, and Sherrod. I'd think Newhouse may be on the bubble if that were the case.

0 points
0
0
RC Packer Fan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:48 am

With the Revised list. I think I would change out Kevin Dorsey with Garth Gerhart unless Dorsey can't play in the next game at all...
Just based on them drafting Dorsey.

Also, at this point what would it hurt to put Tretter on PUP vs. IR? If they are allowed to put him on the PUP why not.

0 points
0
0
Brian Carriveau's picture

August 27, 2013 at 09:54 am

I would agree if Dorsey is able to play, I'd do the same thing. But this prediction is based upon he wasn't able to even practice on Monday.

0 points
0
0
RC Packer Fan's picture

August 27, 2013 at 10:05 am

Yeah, I agree with that Brian.

How about Tretter? Since they are allowed to put players on the PUP list now. Do you think they would put Tretter on the Pup vs IR?

0 points
0
0
Brian Carriveau's picture

August 27, 2013 at 10:26 am

I just don't think Tretter will be ready to play at all this season. That's just a hunch. Obviously I don't know with absolute certainty as I'm not sitting in on his meetings with the doctors, but that's my guess until more information comes to light.

0 points
0
0
redlights's picture

August 27, 2013 at 10:23 am

The NFL only allows one player to be recalled from IR so that teams don't stash talent on IR, and bring them back during the year. Also, the owners don't want more players on payroll than absolutely necessary. Teams only get 2 challenges in games; 3 timeouts per half; etc. Gotta have some rules.

0 points
0
0
Mojo's picture

August 27, 2013 at 12:31 pm

I think you hit on the two big reasons why they don't expand the "IR to return" rule. However, I do think there would be a way to mitigate the first one a bit, by having an NFL injury clearinghouse to validate injury claims. Maybe you could set some minimum standards to allow someone on the list so players with hangnails don't end up on a expanded IR to return provision.

The second point about payroll may be the real stumbling block. There would be too many owners pointing out why have a salary cap if other owners with deep pockets can dump players on the IR for future use, regardless of the cost.

Personally I wouldn't mind if they added a couple more returnable players. I don't think that would break the bank, and teams could avoid many of these difficult him-versus-him or predicting the future decisions.

0 points
0
0