Packers put together roster for 2012 season

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GREEN BAY - The painful process of cutting players to get the team’s roster to 53 was completed before the 8 p.m. deadline last night for the Green Bay Packers. More changes are still possible as the team reportedly looks for some help on the line.

Undrafted rookie Jarrett Boykin survived the process, making the team as its sixth wide receiver. Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel were two wide receivers listed among the final cuts. Others released yesterday were offensive tackle Shea Allard, tight end Brandon Bostick, quarterback B.J. Coleman, fullback Nic Cooper, offensive tackle Andrew Datko, offensive lineman Tommie Draheim, center Sampson Genus, wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen, defensive end Lawrence Guy, safety Anthony Levine, cornerback Otis Merrill, wide receiver Dale Moss, defensive tackles Daniel Muir, running back Marc Tyler, guard Greg Van Roten and offensive lineman Reggie Wells.

In addition to the 18 players cut, defensive end Mike Neal and linebacker Erik Walden started serving their league suspensions, former first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod was placed on the physically unable to perform list and linebacker Vic So’oto was placed on injured reserve. Ten rookies made the roster.

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No matter who the Packers’ choose for their Opening Day roster, at least two of them will be removed from the roster after the first month. That’s because outside linebacker Erik Walden and defensive end Mike Neal will return from suspensions the NFL imposed for the start of the regular season. Walden will miss the opener against San Francisco, for the physical argument he had with his girlfriend just hours after the Packers returned home from Detroit on Thanksgiving. Neal decided not to challenge a four-game drug suspension, because he did not tell league officials he was taking a drug for his attention-deficit disorder. Both players must stay away from the premises during their suspensions – and they cannot take playbooks for homework. And while they’re out, Walden and Neal will not count against the Packers’ 53-man roster – which means two players will have to be released or go to the practice squad. Walden said he stepped up his game during the preseason, because he didn’t want to give the Packers a reason not to return him after his suspension. Neal said he would spend a week in Green Bay, and then return to his home area of Tampa to work out during the rest of his suspension. He said he’ll be fully ready when he returns.

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The Green Bay Packers finished their exhibition season at 2-2, after beating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-to-3 last night at Lambeau Field. It was a break-out game for Graham Harrell, after he struggled throughout the pre-season in his effort to win the Number-two quarterback job behind Aaron Rodgers. Harrell led the Packer offense to touchdowns on all three of his possessions – and he completed 13-of-15 passes for 223 yards and a pair of scores. Coach Mike McCarthy stopped short of declaring Harrell as Rodgers’ main backup. But he said the third-year pro grew throughout training camp, and he topped it off with an excellent performance. Several starters did not dress – including Charles Woodson and Jeff Saturday – while others played sparingly on a night in which players on the bubble were given an extensive chance to make their case for a regular season roster spot. Packers’ starting nose tackle B.J. Raji sprained an ankle on the first play of the game, but McCarthy says it does not appear to be serious.Running back Alex Green scored on a two-yard run and a 17-yard pass. Jarrett Boykin caught Harrell’s other TD pass for 12 yards. He caught five passes on the night for 82 yards. Marc Tyler led the Green Bay rushers with 12 carries for 21 yards. Packers’ corner Sam Shields had the game’s only interception. Kansas City’s only scoring came late in the first quarter on a 26-yard Ryan Succop field goal. The Chiefs rushed for 247 yards, and rookie Nate Eachus had 99 of those yards on 21 carries. Green Bay’s regular season begins a week from Sunday at home against San Francisco.

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