Making Call on the Green Bay Packers' Hardest Remaining Cuts

The heat is cranking up for Green Bay Packers players who find themselves on the roster bubble ahead of the first round of cuts. 

By September 1, the Packers will have to trim their roster down to 75 players. Then, just a few days later on September 5, the team will have to reach its final 53-man roster. 

There are a few critical training camp practices remaining for the following five players to prove they deserve a spot on Green Bay's roster this season, but the pressure is definitely on. Some of the players who follow are currently injured, severely limiting their ability to show off their skills. Others are just simply not performing. 

What makes the following five potential cuts difficult is that most of the players are young; some were just drafted in 2014. It's never easy to give up on recent draft selections, but general manager Ted Thompson will be assembling the final roster that makes the Packers the most competitive in 2015. 

The following players may not be on it.

DT Khyri Thornton

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Defensive tackle Khyri Thornton had a nice play in the Packers' preseason game against the New England Patriots, when he penetrated the backfield and got a quarterback hit, as Wes Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media reported. 

However, that notable play might be too little, too late, as Thornton hasn't been producing throughout training camp and finds himself in danger of being cut from the Packers' final roster. 

Thornton was drafted at No. 85 overall in 2014 and spent his rookie season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

It's hard to stomach cutting a player who has barely gotten a chance to show his stuff, but at the same time, the general manager needs to fill the 53 spots on the final roster with football players who earned that spot, not just by virtue of their draft position. 

"You have to do something to stand out," Thornton said this training camp, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "You have to do something to show that you're capable of being here. You can't go out every day and be average."

It's time for Thornton to start taking his own advice because it would be generous to call his play even average. Per Demovsky, Thornton "can't be rated any higher than the seventh defensive lineman." 

Though it would be tough to move on from a third-round pick this soon, if another player on the roster displays more potential and talent, he deserves a spot on the defensive line rotation. 

LB Carl Bradford

Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

Like his teammate Khyri Thornton, inside linebacker Carl Bradford stood out in the Packers' preseason game against the New England Patriots, sacking New England quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

But is a flashy play in a preseason game enough to bring him back from the edge of the cliff in terms of cuts?

Bradford didn't see the field in 2014 as he worked on transitioning from outside linebacker to the inside. However, he's now in his second season at his new position and is still receiving third-team reps.

While Clay Matthews sat out of practice, Nate Palmer and Sam Barrington were the first-team duo, and Joe Thomas and rookie Jake Ryan were second-team, with Bradford at the bottom of the rotation, per Brian Carriveau of 247Sports.

Also like Thornton, Bradford is a player who was a relatively high draft selection (Round 4) in 2014, which makes him a tough cut to consider. But the Packers no doubt were excited by Bradford's edge-rushing ability in college, only to find that his short arms (30 1/4") limited him at the NFL level. They tried to maximize his abilities by moving him inside, but he has been outperformed there, as well. 

WR Jared Abbrederis

Morry Gash/Associated Press

There is very little gray area in the Packers' 2014 draft class. While general manager Ted Thompson hit on current or future starters with safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, wide receiver Davante Adams, tight end Richard Rodgers and center Corey Linsley, wide receiver Jared Abbrederis is the third member of that year's class to join this watch list for cuts. 

Like Khyri Thornton, an injury (ACL) limited Abbrederis in his rookie season and kept him off the field. Entering training camp this year, it seemed possible the Packers would keep six wide receivers on the final roster: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Adams, rookie Ty Montgomery, Jeff Janis and, at first, Abbrederis. 

Now, however, the second-year player could find himself beaten out by veteran Myles White or an undrafted rookie. 

Once again in this year's camp, Abbrederis is a victim of injuries. The receiver suffered a concussion in practice on July 30 and is still undergoing concussion protocol, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. 

Abbrederis' concussion history is cause for concern. As a Wisconsin Badger, Abbrederis claims he only suffered one concussion, in September 2012 against Oregon State per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

However, before the 2015 NFL draft, McGinn reported that two scouts had the understanding Abbrederis actually suffered "three or four." 

Abbrederis has missed virtually all of the training camp practices of his career in 2014 and 2015, giving him precious little time to prove to the Packers he's worth one of their spots at wide receiver. And with talented players like White and rookie Larry Pinkard behind him, he may spend 2015 on the practice squad or out of Green Bay altogether. 

RB John Crockett

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Running back John Crockett was one of the most highly sought undrafted free agents at the conclusion of the 2015 NFL draft, with more than 20 teams competing to sign him, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

That's what makes the progression and chain of events of the rookie's offseason even more disappointing. 

Crockett opened training camp on the PUP list after injuring his ankle during the Packers' mandatory minicamp. He finally practiced for the first time on August 7 and was able to get two full practices in before the Packers faced the New England Patriots on August 13 in their first preseason matchup. 

Crockett had a slow start in that game before making a splashy play: a 10-yard touchdown reception from rookie quarterback Brett Hundley. 

However, Crockett wasn't alone in standing out during preseason action; fellow undrafted rookie Alonzo Harris broke away for a 25-yard touchdown and 41 yards overall on seven carries. And undrafted rookie Rajion Neal has been consistently receiving No. 3 reps behind Eddie Lacy and James Starks, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. 

With the competition for the third halfback job already heating up, Crockett suffered another setback at practice on August 17 when he appeared to re-injure his ankle, per Demovsky. There's no news yet on how much more time, if any, Crockett will miss, but he's already in danger of being cut with the advantage that Neal and Harris have had in getting more practice reps. 

If Crockett doesn't make the final roster, it's hard to imagine he'd clear waivers to be placed on the practice squad. 

TE Harold Spears

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Undrafed rookie Harold Spears is a talented tight end with excellent hands, as he demonstrated at practice on Monday with a one-handed catch, as Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel observed. 

However, in the Packers' tight end group, it may be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen for Spears. 

Behind second-year player Richard Rodgers and veteran Andrew Quarless, the Packers may only have room to keep one more tight end on the 53-man roster, given how many talented players are competing at other positions (wide receiver, fullback, linebacker and cornerback come to mind). 

Given general manager Ted Thompson's proclivity to keep his draft picks, that player will likely be 2015 sixth-round pick Kennard Backman. However, former practice-squad player Justin Perillo has been making a good case for himself during camp, as well, though he's currently out with a concussion, as Silverstein reported Monday. He had a 16-yard catch against the New England Patriots and came away with two contested balls, as well. 

So where does that leave Spears, who stood out at practice on August 10 with a touchdown catch from Brett Hundley to end a two-minute drill? If the Packers can't make room for him on the final roster, they may try to stash him on the practice squad.