While most teams in the NFL were making difficult decisions on cut-down day Monday, the Packers released only two players to get down to the league-mandated 75-player roster limit. After cutting five players late last week, Green Bay made 10 roster moves Monday, half a dozen of which involved putting players on injured reserve.
After a bruising training camp that saw as many as 21 players sidelined for one practice, the Packers exercised the IR option rather than discharge several fringe players they didn’t want to see in another team’s uniform.
They cut two players, including fourth-year DE Jarius Wynn, who had three sacks last season.
One name that stood out on the list of six players designated for IR was LB Desmond Bishop. A physical, aggressive and emotional team leader, Bishop hurt his hamstring in the preseason opener. Instantly, the injury looked serious and that severity was confirmed Monday as he will be out for the season. The Packers had been hoping to be able to utilize the proposed rule that would’ve allowed teams to designate one player for an injury list who could return later in the season, but the league and the NFL Players Association couldn’t come to an agreement, and the proposal died.
Notable cuts: DE Jarius Wynn (fourth year, Georgia) -- Wynn started the 2011 season on a tear with three sacks in the first three games, including two in Week 3. But since then, he’s done nothing. He was buried on the depth chart in the offseason, didn’t do much in practice and was invisible in games. Although Wynn (6-3, 285) added weight, he was still undersized for the Packers’ 3-4 defense, and they have plenty of options on the defensive line.
Complete cut list: Wynn (fourth year, Georgia), FB Jon Hoese (first year, Minnesota)
Other moves: The Packers placed six players on season-ending injured reserve: RB Du'ane Bennett (first year, Minnesota), TE DeMarco Cosby (first year, Central Missouri State), G Ray Dominguez (second year, Arkansas), DE Johnny Jones (first year, Marshaall) and WR Shaky Smithson (second year, Utah). Green Bay also placed TE Andrew Quarless (third year, Penn State) and LB Frank Zombo (third year, Central Michigan) on the PUP list.