GREEN BAY,WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Packers general manager Ted Thompson announced the team’s 53-man roster Saturday afternoon.
Green Bay currently with 25 offensive players, 25 defensive players and three specialists.
On offense, Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley enter the season as the team’s two quarterbacks after Taysom Hill and Joe Callahan were both released. It’s the first time the team has kept two signal callers since 2013.
It will be a loaded backfield as the front office kept five running backs including starter Ty Montgomery and all three rookie draft picks (Jamaal Williams, Aaron Jones and Devante Mays).
Aaron Ripkowski returns as the team’s primary fullback with Joe Kerridge headed to injured reserve.
Tough decisions were made at a loaded wide receiver position where the franchise will keep five receivers (Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Jeff Janis, Trevor Davis) with Geronimo Allison placed on the reserve/suspension list. Allison will be eligible to return week 2 at Atlanta.
In a rare occurrence, Thompson releasing both 2017 draft picks in Malachi Dupre and DeAngelo Yancy, along with training camp standouts Max McCaffrey, Michael Clark and Montay Crockett.
The team will likely look to re-sign several of these players as members of the team’s practice squad.
For the first time since 2010, the Packers active roster features 10 offensive lineman. Justin McCray and Lucas Patrick surviving camp to join Corey Linsley, Lane Taylor, David Bakhtiari, Jahri Evans, Bryan Bulaga, Jason Spriggs, Don Barclay and Kyle Murphy in the two-deep rotation. Draft pick Kofi Amichia, Geoff Gray and Adam Pankey are among the lineman released from the team.
Defensively, the Green and Gold will keep six lineman with Mike Daniels, Dean Lowry, Kenny Clark, Ricky Jean Francois, Montravious Adams and Christian Ringo making the squad.
Brian Price had a solid camp and could be a candidate for a second year on the practice squad. Izaah Lunsford is also a candidate to return.
The linebacker position will need additional sorting when the Packers announce the addition of outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks. At the moment, Dom Capers unit will feature seven members including Clay Matthews, Nick Perry, Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, Joe Thomas, Kyler Fackrell and Jayrone Elliott.
Rookie draft pick Vince Biegel will start the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Reggie Gilbert and Jordan Tripp were among the released players that could return as members of the practice squad.
It’s no surprise, the Packers placing a major emphasis in the secondary where they currently have seven cornerbacks and five safeties on the roster.
Davon House, Kevin King and this year’s undrafted surprise, Lenzy Pipkins, join Damarious Randall, Quinten Rollins, Josh Hawkins and LaDarius Gunter at corner.
Veteran cornerback Demetri Goodson will start the season on the PUP list as he returns from a broken leg suffered last year at Washington.
Rookie Josh Jones is the lone new member to the safety group which features Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Morgan Burnett, Kentrell Brice and Marwin Evans.
In terms of special teams, Mason Crosby and Brett Goode return at kicker and long snapper respectively, with rookie punter Justin Vogel winning the right to start the season at the position.
The Packers can begin signing players to their practice squads on Sunday afternoon after the waiver-claim period has expired.
