The trimming of the Green Bay Packers’ roster to 85 players on Tuesday morning included a few surprises.
According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, the Packers released a trio of players – tight end Dominique Dafney, running back BJ Baylor and offensive lineman George Moore – to get to the roster to 85 players.
UPDATE: The Packers also released rookie linebacker Ellis Brooks before practice on Tuesday, meaning the roster is actually at 84 players.
Dafney, who had been dealing with a knee injury but returned to practice on Monday, is the big surprise. He’s played in 15 games for the Packers over the last two seasons and has received first-team reps as a move tight end during training camp. It’s possible his knee injury is a bigger deal than originally believed, and he could be waived with an injury designation.
Baylor, an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State, is another moderate surprise. He caught a 68-yard pass from Danny Etling during the Packers’ preseason opener in San Francisco. Just last week, general manager Brian Gutekunst signed Dexter Williams to bolster the depth at running back entering a grueling week that will include two joint practices and a preseason game against the Saints.
Moore is a rookie undrafted free agent out of Oregon who was a long-shot to make the roster.
On Monday, the Packers released outside linebacker Randy Ramsey, center Cole Schneider and cornerback Donte Vaughn while claiming tight end Nate Becker.
