news-engine

Whose the Most Surprising Player Not Re-Signed To Practice Squad? Packers might have missed out on some quality practice squad addtions. By Dan Saia We have finally passed the final hurdle to regular-season football: roster cuts. This past Sunday, the Packers and the rest of the 31 teams in the NFL trimmed their rosters to 53 men, and the next day began forming their 17-man practice squads. While the Sunday trimming had some surprises to it, such as carrying seven defensive linemen or just four edge rushers, there have been a few more surprises since then with the formation of the practice squad. Notably, there are a few players the Packers elected not to re-sign. Will Sheppard- Sheppard was a part of the three-headed monster at wide receiver, along with Isaiah Neyor and J. Michal Sturdivant, competing for the final roster spot. That ultimately went to the undrafted Sturdivant, likely due to his ability to contribute on more special teams units than either Neyor or Sheppard. Still, it’s hard to ignore the talent Sheppard brings as a receiver, and he showed more than a few flashes this summer that he could have contributed on game days. What surprised me most about Sheppard not coming back was his punt-return ability. Yes, the Packers signed Skyy Moore to be the full-time returner in 2026, but Sheppard showed in the final preseason game that he has the capability to handle that role while being younger and cheaper than Moore. His return in the finale went for 81 yards and made Sheppard one of only four players in the NFL this summer to return a punt for a touchdown. He also added his second receiving touchdown of the summer in the same game. It is certainly possible that Sheppard, who signed with the Miami Dolphins practice squad, saw the depth chart in Green Bay, compared it to Miami and figured he would have a better chance of seeing the active roster sooner in South Beach. But if I were the Packers, I would have made more of an effort to re-sign him to the PS than Neyor and maybe even kept him on the roster over Sturdivant. The Packers have been looking for a capable returner for what seems like forever and might have just let one walk out the front door. Mark Perry- Just like Sheppard, Perry played well enough to find himself in the mix for the fifth and final safety spot, assuming the Packers kept five safeties, that is. Ultimately, they did not elect to carry a fifth safety, which in itself is not very surprising. They possess perhaps the best safety duo in the NFL with Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams, with Javon Bullard and an improving Kitan Olidapo behind them. What is surprising, however, is that they did not bring Perry back on the practice squad. Perry, who has run with the No. 2 defense since the first day of OTAs in May, made a couple of big-time tackles at Pittsburgh and a crucial interception at Denver. Both defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and special teams coordinator Cam Achord spoke highly of him throughout camp, and he not only seemed to be carving out a role on defense but also appeared to be on his way to becoming a core special teamer. The Packers instead signed Marvin Kenion as their PS safety. Kenion finished the preseason with five total tackles, four of them solo. Unlike Sheppard, who might have seen the clogged depth chart ahead of him and decided to look elsewhere, it would seem that Perry would have come back to Green Bay if offered the opportunity. The Packers were his sixth NFL team since going undrafted in 2024. Hopefully, there is a seventh willing to take a chance on him and he can finally find his NFL home. Jaden Nixon- This has more to do with the Packers’ current running back situation than what Nixon did in camp and the preseason. Jacobs, as we all know, was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list on Sunday and very well might not play for the Packers in 2026 (or ever again). They did swing a trade with the Steelers for former third-round pick Kaleb Johnson, and he comes into Green Bay with talent, but the Steelers did elect to give up on him after just one season. The trade is a gamble for Gutekunst. The only other backs in Green Bay are MarShawn Lloyd, who has all of one career game to his name, and third-down back Chris Brooks. Pierre Strong Jr. was brought back on the PS after cutdowns, but current rules only allow a player to be called up from the practice squad three times in a season. If the Packers call up Strong Jr. early in the season, they could be left relying on street free agents later on if more depth is needed. Nixon had 13 carries for 64 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and a touchdown this summer and showed some burst when he had an open lane. If I were Gutey and Co., I would have felt more comfortable having another back in the building who was familiar with the system until I was completely sure Lloyd could stay healthy and Johnson could play. -Dan Saia Comments (4) September 03, 2026 at 10:21 am Honestly it's almost never surprising. Pretty much by definition, these are bottom of the roster guys at best. They are unlikely to get much better, and that means they are eminently replaceable. If what I read is right, a whopping total of 29 players were claimed off waivers after cutdowns, and seven of those went to the Dolphins. Apparently other teams aren't much interested in these guys either. September 03, 2026 at 10:25 am Once you cut a guy, you're saying that you're OK playing without them. Even if a team wants them on the PS, the player can choose to look for a situation they feel is better for them (it's touched on in the case of Sheppard)...so the "surprised" they're not on the PS thing implies the Packers could bring back anyone they want and that these players were all guys the Packers turned away from. That might be far from the truth. September 03, 2026 at 10:39 am There are two reasons players get cut: they aren't good enough or the contract of another. Claiming other players off other teams cuts...is just getting a closer look at the others' garbage. Sometimes, rarely, is one's trash another's treasure. Every team needs punching bags, so to speak, and sometimes, rarely, one survives and gets to the starting roster and stays.