The Green Bay Packers are keeping more quarterbacks than
running backs on their season-opening roster.
Undrafted free agent Tim Boyle made the roster as the third quarterback
behind starter Aaron Rodgers and backup DeShone Kizer. Green Bay's initial
53-man roster lists just Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery at running back.
In a bit of a
surprise Womens
Pavel Buchnevich Jersey , veteran fullback Aaron Ripkowski was released.
Running back Aaron Jones will also start the year on the reserve/suspended list
after the NFL suspended him for two games for violating the league's substance
abuse policy.
Eight receivers made the opening roster, including all three drafted rookies
as well as undrafted free agent Jake Kumerow. He impressed Rodgers early in camp
before hurting his shoulder.
The Packers added to an already deep tight end group by keeping Robert
Tonyan, who was a practice squad player last year, behind Jimmy Graham, Marcedes
Lewis and Lance Kendricks.
Notable moves on defense include cutting linebacker Vince Biegel, a
fourth-round draft pick last year out of Wisconsin whose rookie season was mired
by a foot injury. The Packers are keeping just four outside linebackers, with
Reggie Gilbert and Kyler Fackrell backing up veterans Clay Matthews and Nick
Perry.
Inside linebacker Antonio Morrison made the roster after being acquired last
week from the Colts. Cornerback Quinten Rollins was placed on injured reserve,
while veteran backups Demetri Goodson and Josh Hawkins were released.
Backup safety Marwin
Evans Cheap
Customized Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys , who played in all 32
regular-season games over the last two seasons, was also cut.
When Jon
Halapio joined the New York Giants‘ practice squad in 2016, Brett Jones was one
of the first guys to welcome him.
Jones had joined the Giants the previous year as a center in trying to make
the jump from the CFL to the NFL, and he appreciated when some new teammates
made him feel welcome.
Why not do the same for Halapio? The two 27-year-old offensive linemen became
real good friends and helped each other become better players.
Halapio, a guard at Florida, taught Jones some trade secrets at the spot and
Jones taught his buddy how to snap and play center.
A little less than two years later, Jones is fighting to keep the starting
center job he manned the final 12 games of last season. And it’s Halapio, who is
the main competition.
Not only is he the
competition Calais
Campbell Jersey , Halapio has been getting most of the first-team snaps in
the lineup being put on the field by new coach Pat Shurmur.
Jones isn’t worried. It’s early in training camp and nothing is set. He also
has no regrets about teaching the guy who might take his job.
”It’s always been like that in my life,” Jones said Monday. ”If anybody ever
gave me an opportunity I wanted to repay it to them. So that was my thing. Jon
was on the practice squad and I was the backup center and if Jon was going to
play I wanted to help him out and do what I could. That’s what a good teammate
does.”
Learning to snap was part of the mentoring.
”He had asked me and I sort of gave him the basic training for it,” said
Jones, who was the CFL’s most outstanding lineman in 2014 and missed his first
season in the NFL the following year because of a training camp injury. ”After
practice we would stay and practice snapping. It sort of went from there.”
Halapio took the long road to the NFL. He was drafted in the sixth round by
New England in 2014. He was on the Broncos’ practice squad that season and went
to the Cardinals and Patriots training camps in 2015 and ’16, respectively,
getting cut each time.
The Giants signed him to the practice squad for most of 2016. He was cut in
training camp the following season and re-signed to the practice squad. Injuries
got him on the active roster in October and he played in 10 games with six
starts at guard.
The move to center came this year.
”Everything was new so I had to learn a lot, not only the schemes, but the
different techniques and
calls Milan
Lucic Jersey Kids ,” Halapio said. ”I had to learn a lot.”
The biggest differences are blocking from a balanced stance, having to make
line calls and read coverages and sometimes making the shotgun snaps.
”The more you do it, the better you get,” Halapio said. ”In the offseason I
snapped a bunch, and even now I keep snapping after practice so it’s second
nature.”
Halapio admits fighting Jones for a job felt odd at first.
”It’s just pure competition now,” Halapio said. ”Like coach says all the
time, don’t read into who’s taking the first-team reps. Everyone is being
evaluated. As far as me and Brett goes, we’re friends. We help each other out in
the film
room Adam
Vinatieri Jersey , on the field, outside of football. Nothing is awkward
between us. Yeah, it’s just pure competition between us and everybody in the
room.”
The Giants have revamped their offensive line after last year’s disastrous
3-13 season. Guard Justin Pugh and center Weston Richburg signed elsewhere as
free agents. Guard John Jerry is now a backup fighting for a roster spot.
Patriots free agent Nate Solder was signed to take over at left tackle and
2015 first-rounder Ereck Flowers was moved to right tackle. Second-round draft
pick Will Hernandez is the left guard and free agent Patrick Omameh is the right
guard.
The center spot is uncertain.
A former center, Shurmur says he is watching the position closely. He wants
his centers to be good communicators.
Halapio might be a little stronger than Jones, who probably understands the
job better and had 30 NFL games under his belt at guard and center.
It should be an interesting decision for Shurmur.
—
http://www.officialusafootballs.com/seattle-seahawks