What to Expect from the Packers in the Preseason's Final Days

This piece will chronical some potential roster moves that the Packers could make leading up to the September 1st roster deadline.

With the Packers week 1 Sunday Night showdown against the Bears less than two weeks away, the final fifty-three man roster is still up in the air.  Positional battles have yet to be determined and the structure of the depth chart is still under construction.  Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst and Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke today regarding the construction of the final fifty-three man roster and made it clear that the Packers will exhaust all of their options to put a well balanced and competitive team on the field in 2018.  

Thursday's final preseason game in Kansas City will be must see tv for any diehard Packers fan because there are so many talented players that are fighting for the final week 1 roster spots.  Brian Gutekunst indicated in his press conference that he believes that the Packers are currently carrying more than fifty-three players that can contribute at the NFL level.  With the September 1st roster deadline just days away and the final pieces to the puzzle still in doubt, I tried to read into Gutekunst's and McCarthy's sentiments regarding the state of the team.  

Here are just a few takeaways that I gathered from both of their pressers:

1. The Packers will be active in the trade market, waiver claims, and free agency:  Since the Packers believe that they have more than fifty-three players on their roster who can play in the NFL, it is likely that they will look to trade from a position of strength and surplus to upgrade a position of weakness.  

Gutekunst showed this approach yesterday when he traded cornerback Lenzy Pipkins to the Indianapolis Colts for Inside Linebacker Antonio Morrison.  With the current unstable situation at offensive line, look for the Packers to attempt to upgrade the position via trade or free agency during the final roster cuts.

2. McCarthy is expecting Geronimo Allison to make 'the jump' in 2018: In his press conference, Mike McCarthy praised Geronimo Allison for his ability to fight through some minor injuries and make himself consistently available during the Packers offseason program.  He noted that he loved where Geronimo is at heading into the regular season and he expects him to make a tremendous impact at the wide receiver position this season.

3. The inability to find adequate backups at the offensive line position is a cause for concern: Judging from how McCarthy fielded questions about the offensive line, I can surmise two things, one, he has not made any concrete decisions on who his backup lineman will be, and two, he has reached a level of concern about the depth as well as personnel playing the position. This leads me back to my first point that I expect the Packers to actively search for a backup lineman or two from outside of the organization.  

4. The Packers may end up testing the fate of the waiver claims process on September 1st: Brain Gutekunst and Mike McCarthy both stressed the importance of having depth beyond their fifty-three man roster.  McCarthy said that the goal is to put together a strong sixty-three man unit which inevitably means that the Packers are preparing to test the waiver claims process on Saturday's roster deadline.

McCarthy's comments regarding Trevor Davis and the quarterback situation definitely indicate that there could be some potentially big names passing through waivers or hitting the trade market.  When asked about Trevor Davis, McCarthy gave Davis his support by saying how he was an important piece that contributed to the success of the return game and coverage team, calling him the best gunner on the team.  

It sounds like McCarthy will give Trevor Davis every opportunity to make the fifty-three man roster which could signal that Jake Kumerow could be put through waivers since the Packers did not invest any draft capital in him.  

It also sounded like McCarthy would prefer to carry two quarterbacks on the fifty-three man roster, which means that whoever the odd man out in the backup quarterback battle is will likely be shopped around to upgrade another area on the final fifty-three man roster. The Packers strategic use of Tim Boyle should allow him to make it through the waiver process and end up on the practice squad thus avoiding a repeat of the Taysom Hill situation last year.   

Thursday's preseason finale at Arrowhead is sure to bring out the best in the Packers young talent as they try to earn the final roster spots that are up for grabs.  Tensions will be high and the competition will be at a fever pitch as the players fight to earn entrance into an exclusive fraternity, the NFL.            

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David Michalski is a staff writer for Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter @kilbas27dave 

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Comments (54)

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PatrickGB's picture

August 27, 2018 at 03:25 pm

I predict that some fans will be happy and some will tear out their hair. Frankly, I like what Gute is doing. But I am not sold on MMs take on Davis and Allison. But then I don’t see them with the same frame of reference that he has.

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Since'61's picture

August 27, 2018 at 03:25 pm

I hope the Packers can acquire an OT and another OLB either via trade, cuts, FA or however. If Burks injury is more serious than we’ve been led to believe it wouldn’t hurt to try for another ILB as well. Thanks, Since ‘61

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Johnblood27's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:01 am

Dear Santa,

Please bring the GBP some safety help along with OL depth on cutdown day.

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4EVER's picture

August 28, 2018 at 09:14 am

What...no love for Santa this year guys...what's the deal?

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Big_Mel_75's picture

August 28, 2018 at 08:39 am

That sounds great but I think this is an issue across the league. There are a lot of guys that are not that great with starting jobs in the league. I would love to see it but I don't think there will be an upgrade available. It just really hurt that we missed so badly on Spriggs. Even traded up for him...

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Mojo's picture

August 27, 2018 at 03:48 pm

It's one thing for Gute to say he has over 53 who can play in the NFL and another to say that they can play well.

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4thand1's picture

August 27, 2018 at 06:48 pm

I could play in the NFL if someone let me, and I would suck.

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Johnblood27's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:02 am

Thank you for your comment Mr Hundley.

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Rebecca's picture

August 28, 2018 at 03:42 pm

This!

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stockholder's picture

August 27, 2018 at 03:50 pm

#2 won't happen. Cobb may get traded! And lets look at what TT did. He traded for draft picks. OL? Cap numbers if you manage to find one. IMO- they will miss the Super Bowl- because they kept the wrong WRs.

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stockholder's picture

August 27, 2018 at 07:18 pm

Was Allison or Davis instrumental in the first two pre- season wins? No! The Rookies were.( And Kumerow!) Points! It's all about the points! Your going to let MVs go. St.Brown go. Kumerow go. Because they didn't have another big game? How many chances did these guys get? Yet Adams looked worse when he started. Not to mention Moore. And Davis is still sitting the bench where Allison beat him out last year. This is not going to work out like MM wants. Keep the guys that put the points on the board. And have Cobb return the punts. He's getting enough money too.

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Imafan's picture

August 27, 2018 at 04:18 pm

Successful Receivers can catch and get open! Kumerow does both! Davis has had a hard time doing both! A Lot of guys are fast, but can they get open, can they catch? Does Rodgers have confidence in him? Kumerow yes, Davis not sure.

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Lare's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:23 pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kumerow, Murphy and Burks placed on IR. I believe two players can be activated from IR later in the season if need be.

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Coldworld's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:42 pm

I personally would not risk going in with 5 receivers plus Graham and Davis. Long season and Not enough depth because Davis is not a credible backup on O.

If Alison is someone they are that high on then maybe Cobb could be expendable in a trade?

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henry113's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:47 pm

You may have to trade a good player to get a good player. Both teams will have there needs met.

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Kb999's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:03 pm

So many holes to fill. It looks like there's no sense of urgency. 2 weeks to go. A coach & G M know who's on the bubble. Brian G is making me nervous.

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henry113's picture

August 27, 2018 at 06:03 pm

There should be a sense of urgency for MMac. Because if this team doesn't produce he's out the door. Usually when there is a new GM they get a new Coach. He's on borrowed time.

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LayingTheLawe's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:29 pm

They signed free agents at defensive line, 2 tight ends, 2 cornerbacks and an offensive linemen. They drafted cornerbacks, a punter and receivers. They made two trades so far for a backup QB and an ILB. They put former head coaches at both coordinator positions and hired a slew of new position coaches. Yeah, there's been no attempt at all to fill holes. Of the 25 starting positions offense, defense and specialists) there will be about 9 that are new starters. Plus all the coaching changes.

I am not crazy about the offensive line and linebacker depth and I wonder if there's a decent starting safety on the whole team, but the idea that there has not been attempts to fix it or a sense of urgency is way off.

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Johnblood27's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:07 am

There were moves to be made at Safety. I would like to see something happen there. HHCD scares me to death. All bluster, no muster.

Brice, Jones, Evans, Whitehead???

Is there an NFL safety in the house? no history of one among that crew.

If our CB's all continue on their current trajectory and remain injury free, I would love to see Tramon ar Safety.

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Oppy's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:47 am

I often wonder what some people think a front office with "a sense of urgency" is supposed to look like from the outside... which is where we fans are located. We don't know what is transpiring off the field.

I do know that NFL teams have an entire department of pro personnel people, whose jobs are to monitor and evaluate NFL players across the league, what their status is, and have continuing (legal) talks around the league about 'what ifs'. We don't see any of that.

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billybobton's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:42 pm

well lets see what it does not look like. A front office with a sense of urgency actually does things. We bring people in, we sign people, we look at and actually trade .... we can use free agents .... we can get players with NFL experience in .... we can field players instead of building a stock pile of draft choices no future draft choice ever was a super bowl MVP

Harrel and randall and rollins all agree on that

talk is cheap, it is the job of the front office to put players on the field
players for now, who are 'real' and who can block or tackle or know where to line up because they played the position before

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Kb999's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:56 am

Good points made but the priorities were wrong. Priority #1 protect Aaron. Priority #2 protect Aaron. I don't want a video tape replay of last year. You loose Arod the seasons over.

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henry113's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:05 pm

Who did he sign to protect the franchise???

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Oppy's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:13 pm

The question is, Who is available to sign to protect the franchise?
How do we know they aren't talking to 20 different OL right now?

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Lare's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:13 pm

Byron Bell?

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I bleed green more's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:04 pm

I am sure you saw Hill play the other night, Teddy really messed up on that cut.

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Coldworld's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:47 pm

If they lose Boyle I would agree. Think he could be better in the long term. Karma?

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LayingTheLawe's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:33 pm

Taysom Hill is a 28 year old third string QB who if he plays a down this year it will be on special teams.

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croatpackfan's picture

August 28, 2018 at 03:33 am

Btw, on NFL.con:
New Orleans Saints: Taysom Hill, QB. The ex-BYU star continues to cement his spot on the team as a utility playmaker with QB2 potential. Hill hit for the cycle against the Chargers with a passing and rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion. In addition, he picked up a first down on a fake punt and flew around on the Saints' kick-coverage teams. With the second-year pro completing 7 of 8 passes for 66 yards in the game, the Saints have a valuable asset in No. 7. Grade: A+

That is all I can say on your estimation!

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porupack's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:18 pm

Is he talking up GAllison to boost trade value, or just talking him up to make happy fans. Highly, suspicious. Highly suspicious. I smell a sneaky plot many miles away.

I agree w David, and expect they'll get another Olineman by trade and hope they use whichever backup QB, WR or TE that can get the best Olineman on the 53.

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Oppy's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:54 am

GMo has been repeatedly endorsed by the QBs and other WRs as well.
I don't think there's a plot. I think Gmo is simply not appreciated by the fans as much as he is internally by the entire organization. I have a feeling it's because for us fans, it's more accessible and easier to digest a list of stats on a sheet and look at 40 yard dash times, than it is to watch and dissect every route run and the nuance of the game for a given player. We just don't have easy access or the time. The players and coaching staff are on the field, observing, and then going to the tape and breaking everything down, studying it, improving, applying, then do it all over again. Continually.

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Oppy's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:56 am

That being said.. I would be surprised if we weren't surprised by SOMETHING at WR this year during cut downs.. so many decisions. lol.

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henry113's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:26 pm

I hope they can bundle Hundley in some sort of trade. He should have been cut after the last play of last season. The problem is Kizer dosnt look any better.

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Coldworld's picture

August 27, 2018 at 05:49 pm

If they keep 2 surely Hundley is trade bait? He is not materially better than Kizer with far more experience in the system and in the last year of his contract.

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Lare's picture

August 27, 2018 at 06:04 pm

I think the real question here is if Rodgers gets injured, does either Hundley or Kizer give the Packers a reasonable chance of staying competitive and getting into the playoffs?

Last year's experience with Hundley would suggest the answer to the question is "No", and I doubt if a Kizer-led team changes that.

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henry113's picture

August 27, 2018 at 06:14 pm

Lare, agreed. What's the next option, Boyle? It might be to late to get someone in FA. If Arod gets hurt were screwed.

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I bleed green more's picture

August 27, 2018 at 06:21 pm

If the could Gute would really be a magician and I mean anything for Hundley would be something.

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Johnblood27's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:09 am

cutting hundley is addition by subtraction.

I dont even care if they get anything.

Enough already, hundley has shown that after 3 full years he is NOT an NFL QB.

Sheesh, just face reality.

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croatpackfan's picture

August 28, 2018 at 03:34 am

Yes, they can. They can bundle Hundley and at least 2nd round pick to the team who wants him!

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Barnacle's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:30 am

Bundle Huntley and McCarthy. Get rid of two Morons.

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PAPackerbacker's picture

August 27, 2018 at 07:26 pm

I hope Kumerow makes the team. He already appears to have the confidence of Rodgers. That alone is worthy of a spot on the roster, plus his hard work ethics and ability to get open and catch the ball. In this age of injuries I can see the Packers keeping 7 receivers. Keeping 4 TE's is a good idea too with little depth at OL. Bringing in an OL or 2 off waivers is also a good idea. With 10 practice squad players maybe the Packers can get a couple of reliable OL backups. Hopefully a trade can be made for Hundley and get a veteran backup or keep Boyle and Kiser. With the OL depth thin I am concerned Rodgers will get injured. And Hundley has already proven he can't get the job done. Three years of understudy and he goes 3 -8 last year. And he doesn't seem to have grown at all during this preseason. But no matter who makes the team and who doesn't I will be behind the Packers regardless. May the best men win. Go! Pack! Go!

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TheBigCheeze's picture

August 27, 2018 at 08:42 pm

if Kumerow gets cut....we SERIOUSLY need to organize a protest....he's the best WR of the new bunch.....McCarthy is so stupid, he makes me ill....

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PAPackerbacker's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:06 pm

I've been saying that about MM for the last 4 years. He can't see the forest for the trees. Kept insisting Hundley was fine and wouldn't give Calahan a chance when Hundley was failing miserably last year. Calahan couldn't have done any worse.

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Jonathan Spader's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:19 pm

Joe Calahan sucks. Watch him compared to Hundley in preseason 2018. Doesn't matter who you put in out of those 2. Without Rodgers in 2017 the Packers were doomed. Out of it we got Jaire Alexander and 2 2019 1st round picks and a lot of shakeup in the FO.

MM doesn't make roster decisions TT did and Gute now does. Blaming him for the 53 man roster is dumb. Blame him for being overly loyal, stubborn, poor clock management, and taking his foot off the gas when the Packers have a lead.

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4EVER's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:32 pm

I would add...blame him for his miserable coaches challenge record...it's mind boggling!

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PAPackerbacker's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:59 am

Did you not see Hundley play last season? So if it didn't matter who you put in give someone else a chance instead of watching Hundley fail miserably.

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DD's picture

August 28, 2018 at 08:01 am

Spader: Gute has no control or power over MM. Gute can't do anything according to the administration!!

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Oppy's picture

August 28, 2018 at 12:58 am

The last time fans seriously needed to organize a protest, it was when the Packers cut ties with Brett Favre.

That did two things:

1) Made Packers fans seem ridiculous
2) Proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Packers actually kinda do know better than the fans, generally speaking

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DD's picture

August 28, 2018 at 07:58 am

The Big Cheeze: Correct. MM will keep players he likes and can develop. Lmao. What a joke? How long did he keep his buddy Capers? No show Hundley? MM won't change. You'll see when cuts are made (Gute doesn't rule over dumbo) and his new creative playbook against the Bears and Vikings. MM has had plenty of borrowed time to study film and change. Anyone really expect a difference? Our o line backups are terrible, our back up QB's average, and our linebackers are still slow in coverage!! Better see some wholesale changes now!!

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Chuck Farley's picture

August 27, 2018 at 11:05 pm

It should be interesting on sat. There are going to be some talented people cut loose by all the teams this year. The question we have to ponder, does gutty do some swapping. Cut x and y to get b an c

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Andrew Lloyd Peth's picture

August 28, 2018 at 08:53 am

Yes he will.

Here's a weird scenario: Gute keeps 8 receivers, then releases one to pick up a player released by someone else.

This puts our released receiver on the market later, when rosters are more set, thus giving us a better chance at stashing him on the practice squad.

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Andrew Lloyd Peth's picture

August 28, 2018 at 08:50 am

I wish we could trade a receiver--Cobb preferably. But of course, I'm more focused on 2019 than 2018 with this team.

I just don't want Kumerow or any of the rookies getting away, and Davis would solidify our special teams. I'm sure Allison will be kept.

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Spock's picture

August 28, 2018 at 10:48 am

The one aspect of the waiver wire for the Packers this year that is different is that the Packers (because they sucked with Hundley at QB) win/loss record last year puts them much higher on winning a waiver list request then in years past. Should be an interesting time when the cut down to 53 begins. So far I've been impressed with our new GM. Here's hoping he's still got some 2018 moves left to do.
Go, Pack, Go!

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Lare's picture

August 28, 2018 at 05:23 pm

That's really the only positive I see with Hundley starting at QB for the Packers. The more he plays, the better they get in draft order and in waiver claims.

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