Brian Gutekunst and the Packers did plenty of roster shuffling on Sunday, but the real grind is still ahead.
Cutdown day always brings a race against the clock, and Green Bay spent its Sunday making moves before the roster deadline hit 53. The front office pulled off three trades - a big number for the Packers in a single day - and also added a player as a free agent before locking in the initial roster. Even so, Monday may end up being just as hectic.
That’s because waivers clear at 12 noon Eastern, and once that happens Gutekunst and his staff will have to decide whether to place claims on any players who were waived by other teams. After that, the attention shifts to building the practice squad.
Sunday’s action started with the Packers turning Kyle McCord, who signed with the team on a futures deal in January, into a future sixth-round draft pick. From there, the day got busier with the additions of running back Kaleb Johnson and tight end Mark Redman.
The Johnson deal drew positive reviews elsewhere, and the fit makes sense if Green Bay is moving back toward an outside zone scheme. That would line up better with Johnson’s skill set.
The Packers also added another familiar name in tight end Jonnu Smith. Smith spent last year in Pittsburgh and already has experience in a Matt LaFleur offense from his time together with LaFleur in Tennessee.
One of the more interesting roster notes from the day involved J. Michael Sturdivant. Unless something truly shocking happens, J-Mike looks set to become yet another undrafted rookie to make the Week 1 roster, extending a streak that is on track to reach 22 years.
Elsewhere around the league, the Vikings kept all of Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer.
And for Sheppard, Friday’s earlier touchdown on offense wasn’t enough to secure a roster spot. The Packers would likely welcome him back on the practice squad, though it would also make sense if he chooses to look elsewhere for another opportunity.
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The wrinkle is that Johnson was not the only name under consideration. Tyrone Tracy Jr. of the New York Giants was viewed as a possible alternative, but he stayed put after a late preseason performance that helped cement his spot. Tracy also dealt with a minor injury in a recent game before returning to the sideline, while Johnson arrives in Green Bay with limited NFL experience and production, which has already pushed the conversation toward what the Packers might have preferred instead of the player they actually got. [Read more 🡒]