Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
- 0
Greg from Chelsea, MI
Tulane alum here. The Packers got a good one in Parry Nickerson.
Nickerson had some eye-popping numbers at Tulane (Started 46 of 48 games, with 16 career interceptions and 31 pass breakups). He also ran a 4.32 time in the 40 at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. He's bounced around a little bit but there's a lot to like.
Brian from Maple Grove, MN
Who do you think gets the majority of snaps at TE to start the season?
It depends on the situation and game plan, but I keep saying the table is set for Robert Tonyan to break out this year.
Dale from Lima, NY
If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, the Packers have a lot of players who started their NFL careers as undrafted free agents (either for the Packers or for another team before they came to Green Bay): 12 of the 53 on the active roster and 12 of the 14 on the practice squad. Is this unusual or fairly standard in the NFL today?
The Packers are probably above the curve when it comes to using undrafted free agency for roster construction but every team does it. It's tough to build a 53-man roster with only draft picks. To succeed, teams need to find those diamonds in the rough.
Dan from Allen, TX
What is the strategy behind 14 on the practice squad? I know it leaves two spots open for other players that could come free, but can't they just release one of the 16 to grab a player they like that is out there?
If teams sign players other than those they released, they have to wait until those new players pass all their COVID-19 tests before officially signing them to the practice squad.
Dave from Rockford, IL
Lombardi mentioned many times that with Paul Horning as the PK it opened up an additional spot on the roster. Can someone explain to me why all teams need an additional spot for a long snapper? Why can't a center also long snap to save a spot? All I can think of is NFL centers were not centers in college. With lots of training and practice they should be talented enough to learn to long snap. They would probably also earn a pay raise.
Because the margin between winning and losing in the NFL is so small that it doesn't make sense to leave anything to chance. It's easier just to have a bona-fide long snapper whose sole focus is on that aspect of the game than a center or tight end who has larger concerns. Also, rosters are a lot larger today (53/55) than they were in 1961 (40). There's plenty of room to comfortably carry three specialists.
Derek from South Point, OH
Hello II. I'm ready for some football. I'm a diehard cheesehead, but a student of mine was picked up for the Jaguars' practice squad. His name is Austen Pleasants, and he's only the second NFL player in our high school's history. Can you explain the basic job responsibilities of a practice-squad player? Also, how and when can they be picked up by another team?
Congratulations. Practice-squad players take part in all the meetings, walkthroughs and practices. They might not get as many reps at their actual position in-season due to their responsibilities on the scout team, but they're part of the game-planning process like everyone else. Historically, practice-squad players can sign to a 53-man roster at any time, though there was a slight change this year with teams being allowed to protect four of their 16 every week. All the best to him.