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Packers make roster moves

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Packers return to practice on Sunday.

With a couple of practices left before Thursday nights preseason finale against Kansas City, the Green Bay Packers made some roster moves.

The Packers had three roster spots open and claimed inside linebacker Nicolas Grigsby, who has played in 23 games in four NFL seasons, mostly as a special teams performer.

It’s possible Oren Burks could be back for the season opener against the Chicago Bears, but it’s unlikely he would play a lot after missing time with a chest injury.  Curtis Bolton had been playing in Burks place but suffered a knee injury in last Thursday’s game against the Raiders in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Blake Martinez is the starter at one inside linebacker spot and rookie Ty Summers and first-year pro Brady Sheldon remain as the top options if Burks can’t return in time.

The Packers also signed a pair of undrafted rookie free agents, linebacker James Folston and defensive back Jocquez Kalili.

Folston has had short stints with Arizona and Tennessee before joining the Packers.  Kalili signed with Jacksonville on May 12th and was released on August 4.

Packers parting company with Jones

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Josh Jones

Green Bay safety Josh Jones announced on Twitter Sunday morning that he is being released by the Packers.  Jones was the team’s second-round draft pick in the 2017 NFL draft and had sat out much of the off-season program after requesting a trade.

Jones hadn’t practiced since August 11 because of an illness.  He started five of the Packers last six games in 2018, finishing sixth in tackles with 60.

The Packers used Jones as a hybrid linebacker in 2018, but Jones said he didn’t consider himself a linebacker and wanted to play safety.

Jones had fallen behind Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage and Raven Greene.  Eventually even the play of free agents Will Redmond and Chandon Sullivan has dropped Jones further out of sight and out of mind.

The Packers will gain about $300,000 in salary cap space as a result of his release.

 

Packers go with backups in exhibition loss to Raiders

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Aaron Rodgers File Photo

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he had planned to play his starters in last night’s third preseason game against the Oakland Raiders in Winnipeg.  However, field turf issues in each end zone saw both teams remove their starters from any playing consideration, meaning this game would be decided by the backups.

Tim Boyle led the Packers to three straight touchdown drives in the second quarter, throwing touchdown passes to Trevor Davis and Jake Kumerow, finishing 16 of 25 for 191 yards.  The Packers took a 21-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.  But the Raiders scored all 12-points in the second half, including a last second 33-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson, lifting Oakland to a 22-21 victory over the Packers (1-2).

Both teams weren’t satisfied with the condition of the field after the Canadian Football League goalposts left big holes that needed to be filled.  So they agreed to shorten the field to 80-yards and eliminated kickoffs for the game.  It meant the 10-yard line would now represent the new goal lines and the real [Read more…]

Rodgers is day-to-day with back tightness

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Aaron Rodgers

After Aaron Rodgers was held out of last Thursday’s preseason game at Baltimore because of back tightness, the Packers quarterback was held out of practice on Sunday for precautionary reasons.

The Packers are getting ready for Thursday’s preseason game against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday in Winnipeg, Manitoba and if it were a regular season game, it’s likely Rodgers would be on the practice field.  But when it’s preseason, coach Matt LaFleur said, “It wasn’t worth it.”

“You know, I think that he’s gotten a lot of great work in,” LaFleur said.  “You’d like to get him some game action.  Again, he’s a veteran guy that’s played a lot of football.  I mean, 14 years in the league.  There’s not much that he hasn’t seen.  So it’s not overly concerning to me.”

When asked if Rodgers would play against Kansas City in the August 29th preseason finale, LaFleur was non-committal. [Read more…]

Packers need to tackle better at Baltimore tonight

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Packers head coach Matt LaFleur

The Green Bay Packers missed a total of 24 tackles in their preseason opener against the Houston Texans last week.  Those 24 misses cost the defense an extra 164 yards and that had head coach Matt LaFleur unhappy about his teams performance.

Throw in 12 penalties for 102 yards and the coach knows there’s plenty of room for improvement when the Packers face the Baltimore Ravens in preseason game number-two on Thursday night.

A reporter this week asked LaFleur if the misses tackles are understandable, given the fact that the team doesn’t bring anybody to the ground during training camp practice.

“The expectation is you always bring the guys to the ground,” LaFleur said.  “The standard is never going to change, and it’s never an excuse, but I do think you get some younger guys in there that maybe aren’t quite accustomed to this level of play yet.  It might take a minute for them to figure it out, but certainly that’s never an excuse.”

Certainly the lack of work on tackling during training camp keeps teams healthier going into the regular season.  The trade off is always sloppy tackling in the preseason and even early into the regular season.  But the Packers coaching staff would certainly welcome continued improvement as they move towards the season opener against the Bears on September 5th.

 

Burks may not need season ending surgery

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Oren Burks (Photo Mike Clemens)

When second year linebacker Oren Burks suffered a pectoral injury in last Thursday’s win over Houston, he thought he was headed for surgery, effectively ending his season.

Burks however, received a second opinion this week and was told surgery wouldn’t be necessary, allowing him to return at some point this season.  It likely means the Packers won’t have to put Burks on injured reserve.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst indicated on Tuesday that Burks might not be out that long.  Gutekunst said he wasn’t thinking about adding an inside linebacker because he didn’t think it was necessary.

“We’ll get him back here quicker than I think, but right now, I’d just kind of like to get through this next game and kind of see where we’re at, see where Oren’s at,” said Gutekunst.

Curtis Bolton has been filling in at Burks’ weakside linebacker position with the number one defense.  Rookie Ty Summers is working behind starter Blake Martinez at the other starting linebacker spot.

 

Takeaways lead Packers to exhibition win

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Deshone Kizer (File Photo)

Last season, the Packers had just seven interceptions all season.  They tied for third fewest takeaways in the league.  It’s only one preseason game, but the Packers took the ball away four times on Thursday night and held on for a 28-26 victory over the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field.

It was the Packers youth that did the job on Thursday night as 26 players didn’t suit up for the game and at least 14 of them were healthy scratches.

Packers rookie corner Ka’dar Hollman got the ball rolling on Houston’s very first drive, cutting in front of Houston receiver Vyncint Smith to get the pick.

The second takeaway came after a 56-yard JK Scott punt.  Returner Keke Coutee couldn’t handled it and Equanimeous St. Brown recovered it in the endzone for a Packers touchdown. [Read more…]

Nelson officially retires a Packer (AUDIO)

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Jordy Nelson & Aaron Rodgers embrace on the practice field Tuesday.

Jordy Nelson could have played at least another NFL season, but 11 years was enough.  Nelson was in Green Bay on Tuesday to make it official.

Nelson spent 10 years in Green Bay and finished third in receptions (550), fifth in yards (7,848) and second in touchdowns (69) in Packers franchise history.

Nelson said he had offers to extend his career with the Seattle Seahawks among them.  But Nelson said ultimately, it was time to move on.

“What it came down to for us is we didn’t want to move our family around, just kind of being honest with you,” Nelson said.  “My family hadn’t even been in California for a year, and then we’d have to move them to Seattle.  I mean, I didn’t know if it was one year, two years, whatever it would’ve been.  And at this point in time, I did what I wanted to do.  I have the Super Bowl ring, so I didn’t need to go chase one of those.  Stuff like that.  So it wasn’t us to do that.”

Nelson has moved back to Kansas and will build a home in the fall.  He said he’ll be back and forth from Kansas to Green Bay as he and his wife have developed great friendships both inside and outside the organization.  Beyond that, Nelson isn’t sure what is exactly ahead, although he admitted farming will be a part of it.

AUDIO: Jordy Nelson on why he wants to continue to farm :17

AUDIO: Jordy Nelson said Green Bay was a perfect fit for he and his family :22

AUDIO: Jordy Nelson said his career far exceeded expectations :19

Packers part company with Spriggs

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Given the opportunity to fill in along the offensive line over the last three seasons, Jason Spriggs never quite measured up to expectations.  The Green Bay Packers waived/injured the fourth year tackle on Tuesday, filling the roster spot by claiming running back Keith Ford off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts.

The Packers traded up to select Spriggs with the 48th overall pick in the 2016 draft.  He suffered a trapezius muscle injury at the start of training camp and never returned to action.

The former Indiana Hoosier played in 36 games, including nine starts over the last three seasons.

Alex Light has been working as the backup tackle on both sides of the Packers offensive line in training camp and will have a chance to bolster his position throughout the preseason.

 

Crosby returns with exhibition games set to begin

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Mason Crosby – File Photo / UPI/Bill Greenblatt

After missing the first couple of weeks of training camp, Green Bay Packers veteran kicker Mason Crosby (calf) has been cleared to return to practice.  Crosby started the season on the non-football injury list.

Coach Matt LaFleur said Sunday that Crosby has been kicking on his own and doesn’t expect there to be any limitations.

Crosby said it was his kicking leg that bothered him, but he had no pain when kicking.  He said the issue came when he would try to run.

King sidelined with hamstring

Cornerback Kevin King was on the sidelines for the Packers 1 hour, 18 minute workout on Sunday.  After [Read more…]