Throughout Green Bay Packers training camp, DT Anthony Hargrove was the loudest, most animated and excitable player on the practice field. On Friday, the Packers officially stopped paying attention.
Hargrove, along with four other players, was released by the Packers, ending a strange and tumultuous experiment after five months. Green Bay signed Hargrove to a one-year deal in March, knowing he was facing a possible league suspension for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal. He was suspended eight games in May, and the ban was upheld two months later.
The Packers also cut WR Andrew Brewer, S Micah Pellerin, T Herb Taylor and CB Dion Turner, GM Ted Thompson announced.
Because Hargrove wasn’t going to be eligible to play until midway through the season, Packers coaches gave him limited reps in practice and preseason games.
“The priority is really to get the other guys ready who have the opportunity to compete for the 53 and be ready Week ,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Still, Hargrove remained unceasingly upbeat, shouting, laughing and jumping around on the sidelines, encouraging his new teammates. He was a popular player.
But recently, Hargrove’s scant snaps had evaporated almost completely, and it seemed to be eating at him. Over the past week, he kicked his helmet after not getting any opportunities in a pass-rushing drill and also appeared to get in a tiff with defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, though Hargrove denied any conflict.
He was the only healthy player who didn’t play in the team’s third preseason game Thursday at Cincinnati, and the next day he was cut.
Hargrove’s suspension will begin in Week 1 of the regular season, regardless whether he’s on a roster, according to the NFL Network.
Taylor started the preseason opener at San Diego, filling in for concussed LT Marshall Newhouse. He played poorly and was moved to right tackle in practice. A journeyman who hadn’t been on a regular-season roster since 2009 when he was signed by the Packers midseason last year, Taylor couldn’t give the Packers a reason to keep him on their paper-thin offensive line.
Brewer, a quarterback-turned-receiver out of Northwestern, was signed midway through training camp. He never had a chance to make the Packers roster at wide receiver, but he was solid on special teams in a couple of preseason games. Pellerin and Taylor, both undrafted free agents, played sparingly.
Green Bay’s roster is at 85 players. The Packdrs have until Monday afternoon to cut 10 players to get down to the NFL-mandated 75-man roster.
Follow Packers reporter James Carlton on Twitter: @CBSSportsNFLGB and @jimmycarlton88