Packers Players in Serious Danger of Being Cut Soon

Training camp is less than two weeks old for the Green Bay Packers and the team has yet to play a preseason game yet, but a number of Packers are already in trouble in terms of possibly getting cut.

Following are five players who I believe are in danger of not making the team at this point. Four of the five have had below-average camps while the fifth has not been able to play for medical reasons. 

Things can certainly change, especially with a good performance in a preseason game, but things need to change quickly for these five players. Otherwise, they all could be in danger of being cut on Aug. 27, when all NFL teams have to be down to 75 players.

The final cuts come on Aug. 31, when all teams have to be down to 53 players.

That gives these five players about three weeks to improve on their performance thus far, or to at least get on the field in the case of one of them.

Let's take a look.

Kicker Mason Crosby

Mason Crosby had a terrible season in 2012, at least in terms of his field goal percentage. Crosby only made 21 of 33 field goals attempts for a putrid 63.6 percent average.

Most kickers in the NFL are over 80 percent in making field goals and there were even a couple who made over 90 percent of their kicks last year.

For his career, Crosby has made 76.8 percent of his field goals. Only once in six seasons has he been above 80 percent. That was in 2011, when he made 24 of 28 field goals (85.7 percent).

Because of Crosby's bad season in 2012, the Packers decided to bring in some competition for camp this year in Giorgio Tavecchio, who tried out with the 49ers last summer. Tavecchio doesn't have as strong of a leg as Crosby, but has been more accurate so far in camp.

That was apparent at the Packers' Family Night scrimmage when Crosby made just three of eight field goals attempts while Tavecchio went 6-for-7.

Crosby is pretty good on kickoffs with 35 touchbacks in 2012 and he was successful on his one and only onside kickoff last year. Still, kickers get paid to make field goals and that has not happened consistently enough for Crosby as of late.

Head coach Mike McCarthy definitely noticed, as he commented on Crosby's Family Night performance on Packers.com.:

"

Mason Crosby is competing for a job on our football team, like everybody else, and he definitely didn’t take a step in the right direction with his performance. That's what the Family Night scrimmage is for. It will be evaluated. He's definitely has to do better than that. That's not going to cut it.

 

"

Quarterback B.J. Coleman

Not too long ago, head coach Mike McCarthy was singing the praises of quarterback B.J. Coleman. At rookie minicamp, which also included second-year players, Coleman looked especially sharp and that caught McCarthy's attention, as he told Packers.com.:

"

What I had to see from B.J. is him [having] looked like he’d been here for a year, be in charge of the drills and be productive, after the final minicamp practice. And that was evident in all three practices. Now there’s a couple things that he’ll learn from. Actually, I was talking to B.J. coming off the field about a particular play in the final team period. So he’s got ability. There’s just some things that he’s done in the past and the way he’s played the position that are total opposite of the way he’s being taught, so we got to get that part figured out. But I think he’s definitely making a lot of progress.

"

But that all seemed to change with Coleman's performance at the Family Night scrimmage, when he completed 9-of-18 passes for 100 yards, which included two interceptions and one returned for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Graham Harrell completed 9-of-12 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.

The other shoe dropped earlier this week when the Packers signed veteran Vince Young to compete for a job backing up Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

That had to be a wake-up call for all the backup quarterbacks, but especially for Coleman based on his erratic play on Family Night.

Defensive Back Jarrett Bush

This could finally be the year that some Packers fans have clamored for with Jarrett Bush.

He might indeed get cut.

Let's face it, even though Bush is technically a defensive back, he is on the team for one very important reason. He is a great special teams player.

Bush has had his moments as a defensive back, like his interception in Super Bowl XLV, but more times than not, he is a liability in coverage.

With the Packers having so many young talented defensive backs vying for a roster spot, Bush could be in danger of not making the team.

The biggest reason is Micah Hyde, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft. Hyde has had a nice camp so far as a defensive back. He is also a special teams stalwart.

The Packers also have a couple of other young defensive backs in James Nixon and Brandon Smith who have also had good camps and turned some heads.

Bush can still make the team, especially due to his special teams skills, but the chances of that happening aren't as good as they have been in the past.

Offensive Lineman Andrew Datko

One would think that with offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga being lost for the season due to an ACL tear, someone like Andrew Datko would almost be a shoe-in to make the team.

Datko was considered a very good NFL prospect at Florida State before shoulder problems set back his progress. Datko was still drafted by the Packers in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft, but his shoulder issues affected his play in training camp, so he was cut and then put on the practice squad.

This offseason, Datko has worked very hard with the training staff and strength coaches. He appeared to be in position to perhaps battle for the starting position at right tackle.

There is only one problem. Datko has not had a good camp so far this summer. The former Seminole can still turn it around, but he has to become much more consistent, in both pass-blocking and run-blocking.

Right now, with rookie David Bakhtiari being penciled in as the starter at left tackle, Marshall Newhouse is now No.1 on the depth chart at right tackle with Don Barclay at No. 2.

Barclay is a better inside offensive lineman, but because Datko isn't playing up to par, the Packers are giving Barclay a chance to become the starter at right tackle again like he was for four games last season.

Datko has to start looking like he did at Florida State before he had shoulder issues. He has three weeks left to prove himself.

Running Back DuJuan Harris

In an ironic twist, the Packers designated DuJuan Harris as their No. 1 running back on their depth chart. Even with that, there is a chance that Harris might not make the team.

Why? Harris is on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list because he had to have a cyst removed from his lung this offseason. He also is now dealing with a knee injury. Bottom line, it's hard to make the club from the tub.

The other five backs who are vying for running back jobs are all having nice camps thus far, especially rookie Eddie Lacy, who had 65 yards rushing on just eight carries on Family Night. Two other rookies have looked good as well with Johnathan Franklin and Angelo Pease having their moments in camp.

In addition, both James Starks and Alex Green have looked very good so far this summer, especially Starks. Green was recently held out of practice due to some issues with his knee, which underwent a procedure in 2011 to repair an ACL tear.

The Packers will keep three running backs for sure and maybe even four. There will probably be another place for a running back on the practice squad. That is why it is imperative for Harris to get back on the field to compete for a job.

Lacy and Franklin will both make the team. Meanwhile, Starks is looking a lot like the back who gained 315 yards in the 2010 postseason for the Packers when they won Super Bowl XLV. Green had looked good as well before his latest knee flare-up.

Pease looks like a practice squad candidate.

Harris just needs to get on the field before it's too late.