Training Camp took a breather but it was a working day for General Manager Brian Gutekunst who started the roster trimming process and reportedly made a cornerback swap.
After announcing the release Monday of Jon Dietzen, the former Seymour High School and Wisconsin Badger offensive lineman along with punter Ryan Winslow, Gutekunst reached the NFL’s roster limit of 85 today but waiving another guard, Zack Johnson and placing two players on season ending injured reserve. Tight End Issac Nauta suffered a chest injury in camp and wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins’s last play of the year was diving for an overthrown deep sideline pass last Saturday night against Houston.
The Packers haven’t confirmed the trade as of this posting but ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported Green Bay is shipping Josh Jackson to the New York Giants in exchange for Issac Yiadom. Both players proved to be disappointing high draft picks in 2018.
Josh Jackson’s salad days at Iowa.
As a senior at Iowa, Jackson intercepted 8 passes to lead the nation, broke up 16 more and the Packers were so impressed, they selected him in the second round, 45th overall. The plan was to pair him with that year’s top pick, Jaire Alexander to man the corners. Alexander looked the part from the beginning, continuing his rise to become a Pro Bowler and second team All Pro last year. Jackson started strong, playing in all 16 games with 10 starts as a rookie. He broke up 13 passes to finish second on the team. Kevin King took over the starting role by 2019 and Jackson played in 14 games without a start and was a healthy scratch for two games. Last year, Jackson started 10 games when King suffered an injury but his production waned and he was a healthy inactive down the stretch and for both playoff games. Given one last chance to start last Saturday night in the pre-season opener, Jackson struggled in coverage giving up 6 receptions for 67 yards in Houston’s first three series. With King returning to practice after starting camp on the Non Football Injury list, Jackson was pushed to the second unit and when practice began this week, former Colorado wide receiver Kabion Ento who had an interception against the Texans, worked with top pick Eric Stokes as the number two corners, indicating Jackson’s days as a Packer were numbered.
Yiadom was a third round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2018 out of Boston College and he struggled to earn significant playing time in his first two years starting nine games, eight of them in 2019. Yiadom had just one interception and 7 passes defensed in those two seasons and he was dealt to the Giants in September of last year. Yiadom started 10 of 16 games played but couldn’t produce, interception free with only five PBU’s.
Finally, Jake Dolegala is returning on a short term, quarterback insurance policy. With Jordan Love nursing a sore shoulder, although Matt LaFleur said Monday he was feeling “significantly” better from Saturday night, he probably won’t practice against the Jets but still might be able to take some snaps by Saturday afternoon. Dolegala was signed for the spring OTA’s and mini-camp after a tryout, giving the offense four quarterbacks in the spring along with Love, Kurt Benkert and veteran Blake Bortels. Both Dolegala and Bortels were released almost as soon as Aaron Rodgers ended his impasse with the team and returned to Green Bay at the start of camp.
The joint practices with the New York Jets are next, both workouts taking place on Ray Nitschke Field at 10:25 AM on Wednesday and Thursday. They are also the last two camp practices that are open to fans. After a day off Friday, the two teams will hook up one more time Saturday afternoon at Lambeau Field with a 3:25 PM kickoff.
