Sam Ficken loses the kicking battle with Mason Crosby in Training Camp
The Green Bay Packers unveiled their initial 53-man roster on Saturday by trimming their roster to 53-players.
The Packers will carry only two quarterbacks, handing Aaron Rodgers backup job to Tim Boyle. Boyle finished the preseason by completing 34 of 57 passes for 356 yards. He threw six touchdown passes with no interceptions and a passer rating of 112.9.
Those numbers were considerably better than the numbers DeShone Kizer put up, 273 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions with a passer rating of 70. Kizer, who was obtained from Cleveland last year for defensive back Damarious Randall, was released.
The Packers also held on to undrafted rookie wide receiver Darrius Shepherd, parting ways with second year receivers J’Mon Moore and Allen Lazard. They placed Equanimeous St. Brown on injured reserve Saturday, which means he is out for the season.
Moore was a fourth round pick of the Packers in 2018 but struggled throughout most of his time in Green Bay.
The Packers also sent offensive lineman Justin McCray to the Cleveland Browns and swapped seventh-round draft picks in 2020.
Many thought Tra Carson would edge out rookie sixth-round draft pick Dexter Williams as the third running back, but the Packers held on to Williams instead.
The Packers were strong at cornerback during training camp and they rewarded sixth-round rookie Ka’Dar Hollman and first-year corner Chandon Sullivan for their solid play. They would up holding on to 11 defensive backs.
Barring any further moves, the Packers kept four outside linebackers and four inside linebackers, including rookie 7th round pick Ty Summers.
The Packers also kept veteran Mason Crosby and released Sam Ficken. Ficken gave Crosby a battle during training camp and had the stronger leg, but the Packers decided to go with experience.
The Packers released the following players; G Dejon Allen, TE Evan Baylis, FB Tommy Bohanon, RB Tra Carson, G Anthony Coyle, T Gerhard de Beer, CB Kabion Ento, K Sam Ficken, LB James Folston, RB Keith Ford, S Natrell Jamerson, LB Markus Jones, CB Jocquez Kalili, QB DeShone Kizer, WR Allen Lazard, DL James Looney, S Tray Matthews, TE Pharoah McKever, WR J’Mon Moore, T Yosh Nijman, G/T Adam Pankey, CB Jackson Porter, LB Randy Ramsey, WR Teo Redding, CB Nydair Rouse, DL Olive Sagapolu, LB Brady Sheldon, DL Deon Simon, WR Malik Taylor, QB Manny Wilkins.
The Packers also traded LB Reggie Gilbert to the Tennessee Titans for an undisclosed draft choice and traded G Justin McCray to the Cleveland Browns for an undisclosed draft choice. The Packers also placed S Ibraheim Campbell and LB Greg Roberts on reserve/physically unable to perform, placed WR Equanimeous St. Brown on injured reserve, and waived/injured LB Curtis Bolton and FB Malcolm Johnson.