Report: Texans Sign CB Jumal Rolle off Packers Practice Squad

Rolle leaves Green Bay despite an opening on the Packers' 53-man roster.

From John McClain of the Houston Chronicle:

Dating back to the end of training camp, the decision to release Jumal Rolle in favor of rookie cornerback Demetri Goodson was a controversial one.

Rolle was eventually signed to the Packers practice squad, although he arguably looked like the more polished prospect at the conclusion of the preseason.

A concussion suffered by Goodson in late August may have complicated matters. Releasing a player with an injury requires a settlement as well as specific rules as to when a player can be re-signed.

Regardless, the Packers stuck with Goodson over Rolle even after the rookie was removed from the team's injury report.

It's difficult to understand the rationale for allowing Rolle to sign with the Texans given that the Packers had a spot open on their 53-man roster after placing linebacker Andy Mulumba on injured reserve Sept. 19. The team has yet to make a corresponding move since that date.

There are a couple reasons why a team like the Packers might be hesitant to fill the roster spot:

  • They are leaving open the possibility of claiming a player they like on waivers.
  • They are waiting for an injured player to get healthy, such as Jermichael Finley or Johnny Jolly.
  • They are waiting for J.C. Tretter to come off short-term injured reserve Week 8 at the earliest.
  • They are leaving open the possibility of promoting a player from the practice squad if another team wants to sign him.

It's Rolle's decision to leave. We may never know if the Packers offered Rolle an opportunity to be promoted, unless the media asks and the Packers answer truthfully.

If they did, however, it's clear they didn't make much of an effort to sign Rolle by either waiting to do so after placing Mulumba on I.R., offering him more money than the Texans or promising the possibility of playing time.

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Comments (25)

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RCPackerFan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 09:29 am

Completely agree...

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Evan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 09:59 am

ha...yep

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Gianich's picture

October 01, 2014 at 10:01 am

So are any of the cupcake tossing, softball throwing wimpy pansies in the WI sports media going to challenge Mashed Potato Mike and Tinkering Ted on why we only have 52 players on the roster for the last 3 weeks?? the way Silverstien got smacked by Tater Mike about "scheme" probably has everybody else running with their tail between their legs! Anybody ask about Starks getting 0 carries this week?? Doubt it! Keep up the good work WI sports media, and remember never challenge a coaches decision, even if it's about an egregious challenge that was baffling to the entire viewing audience. Keeping lobbing softballs. Rant complete.

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Brian Carriveau's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:47 pm

They have asked multiple times and McCarthy doesn't say anything. If anything, direct your rant at the Packers, not the media.

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Gianich's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:53 pm

Nobody asked "multiple times" about Starks 0 carries last week or the terrible challenge in the Jets game. Sack up cream puffs!

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murphy's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:58 pm

From McCarthy's press conference on Tuesday:

"That was poor management by myself. That shouldn't have happened. James Starks should touch the football every single game."

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Gianich's picture

October 01, 2014 at 01:02 pm

This is a great instance of standing corrected! I guess all of my angst actually was born of the week 2 "Mike's best and worst" when A-Nags dropped the bomb on the media about not asking about the terrible challenge. Thanks for the perspective.

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murphy's picture

October 01, 2014 at 01:20 pm

Honestly, if they did ask about the challenge you'd get a off-the-shelf Mike answer anyway...At least Jordy hasn't had to try and hide a challenge flag in his pants for a while.

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Bearmeat's picture

October 01, 2014 at 10:39 am

Every GM has blunders. It's not an exact science and no one is perfect. But TT is a top 10 GM - anyone who says different has no clue or is a hater. Ron Wolf messed up plenty of stuff. So has Bilichick. Parcells. Loomis. Baalke. Schneider. etc...

That said, Cow is right. Both Pickett and Rolle should be Packers right now.

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Evan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 11:35 am

Getting us back for stealing Tramon from them...?

JK

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RCPackerFan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 11:53 am

Honestly, Rolle reminded me of a young Williams. I hope he doesn't turn out to be just like Williams.

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Gianich's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:58 pm

I can totally see that, RC. Was there some goofy logistics about Goodson's concussion and that's why he couldn't be cut?? Because I'll tell you what; Goodson and Rolle were night and day in the preseason and any person watching camp and the games couldn't figure out how in God's holy name did Goodson make the team over Rolle! Unless there is some sort of rule about cutting a guy due to injury Tinkering Ted's pride about keeping a draft pick really fudged this all to hell. The Pack could still have both had what I perceive as pride not gotten in the way of the logical choice to keep Rolle on the roster and Goodson on the PS. No way anybody would have taken Goodson after what he put on tape this preseason! Tinkering Ted scheming again!!

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RCPackerFan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 01:36 pm

I don't know for sure, but I thought I saw something about that during cut downs. Something that they couldn't just release him due to injury. Maybe that played in it the decisions at cut down time.

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FITZCORE1252's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:30 pm

Question.

I assume the Texans would contact Rolle's agent about this to get the ball rolling.

Would that agent contact Ted to tell him of the interest, giving Ted a chance to put him on the 53?

If Ted knew about this and didn't bring him up that would seem to be a pretty questionable decision, especially given the open spot.

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Evan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 12:52 pm

I guarantee Ted was informed and given a chance to promote Rolle to the Packers 53/give him a pay raise/etc...whether or not Ted offered those things, we'll probably never know, unless someone asks Rolle.

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RCPackerFan's picture

October 01, 2014 at 01:26 pm

We also may never know but maybe the Packers were going to promote him and Rolle declined. We will probably never know, but it would be nice to know.

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saltandpeppers's picture

October 01, 2014 at 01:25 pm

Who knows what happened, but I'm pretty sure Rolle still would have gone to Texans if TT offered him a spot. I have no idea about Texans DB depth, but Packers are stacked

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sonomaca's picture

October 01, 2014 at 05:38 pm

I don't think TT was in love with Rolle, or he would have signed him to 53 when Mulumba went to IR. I'm almost certain they'll sign House before season's end. He's a keeper. They must really see something in Goodson to prefer him over Rolle. I'm willing to bet that Rolle is a better player in the long run. They should have signed Rolle to the 53.

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4thand1's picture

October 01, 2014 at 03:37 pm

By the end of last season Pickett was spent. He seemed to have nothing left in the tank. I don't see why he couldn't have been signed and platooned to keep his minutes down though.

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jmac34's picture

October 01, 2014 at 07:35 pm

I am surprised that GB didn't bring him up to stop Houston. I know much was made over Goodson making it over Rolle, but I feel that Goodson does have more overall talent even if Rolle is much more polished and ready to play. I also think Rolle struggling in the last preseason game may have hurt GBs perception of him.

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4thand1's picture

October 01, 2014 at 08:08 pm

There's always a guy who stands out in pre-season. Its nothing more than a scrimmage. A lot of teams don't seem to be ready to start the reg season these days especially GB. Can't hit in practice, guys are getting soft. The nfl is becoming a fantasy league. Get a little dinged up and sit for a week or two, might lose a big payday down the road.

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Amanofthenorth's picture

October 02, 2014 at 12:15 am

Can we cover Greg Jennings? yes. Ok. Let him go. Can our receivers beat Rolle? Yes. Ok. Let him go.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

October 02, 2014 at 02:31 am

PS players earn $107k per year, or $6,687.50/wk.
Roster players earn $420K/yr, or $26,250 per week. These are the minimums under the CBA.

If I am Rolle, looking at Goodson on the Roster and thinking I am better than Goodson, and I am looking at an open Roster spot in any event, and realize that not being on the roster is costing me about $20 thousand dollars per WEEK, I might get upset, too, and decide that it is time to go, regardless of what TT might do for me for a few weeks until Tretter comes back. Not sure what the Texans' situation is at CB right now and long term, but maybe Rolle decided that GB doesn't think that much of him. I do note that House and Tramon are FAs after this season.

The deal earlier in camp is that GB can't cut an injured player w/o using an injury settlement. If an Injury settlement is employed, the team that cut the player can't re-sign the same player for 8 weeks longer than the other 31 teams can sign him. When Goodson was medically cleared in week 2 or so, GB could have simply cut him (thus eating all of the accelerated bonus money paid to a 6th rd pick, which is about $101K), put him through waivers, and then GB could have immediately signed Goodson to the PS. Since there was an open roster spot due to Tretter's injury, GB could have kept Goodson on the Roster and promoted Rolle to the roster, in which case GB would most likely simply have had 2 CBs inactive every game instead of just one.

IDK what's going on. I really liked Rolle, but what do I know. Could be a reason we don't know about.

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Tundraboy's picture

October 02, 2014 at 08:24 am

Maybe Goodson is targeted for Punt Returns. It is not because he is better than Rolle

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sonomaca's picture

October 02, 2014 at 11:13 am

Well, if Goodson's not on the team next year and Rolle is solid in Houston, TT will be kicking himself.

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