Green Bay Packers: Offseason roster cut candidates

Already cut: Sam Shields and James Starks

The two guys already sent packing by the Packers are, of course, Sam Shields and James Starks

Shields was the bigger name already released, and he clearly was a victim of circumstances not exactly in his control. The concussion he sustained in the first week of the season was one of at least five we know he’s experienced in his football career, and only a few weeks ago the news regarding his recovery revolved around the fact that he was still suffering headaches from his latest concussion — multiple months removed from the instance where it happened.

That’s scary as hell on a personal level for Shields, and from the team perspective it made it untenable to expect to keep him in the role he previously held. Add in the large cap number he held and there was no way a team characterized by smart, frugal personnel moves would stand pat with how things stood.

Though a healthy Shields still could be a solid #1 option at cornerback, the likelihood he’ll ever reach that level of recovery again is way too low for Green Bay to just hold out hope and keep shelling out money on one of their most expensive contracts. It doesn’t exactly help a team in dire need of corner help to let one go, but the value risk was nowhere near promising enough to keep him around (and the extra cap relief gained through his release at least in theory can go towards replacement(s) who may actually be able to contribute).

Starks is a completely different case.

He had been around as long as Shields (both joined the Packers in 2010), but while Shields had put together at least one full season of elite play during a mostly above-average career in Green Bay, Starks topped out as an average-at-best injury-plagued part-time runner whose best seasons have long been a relic of the past.

Though without him Green Bay currently only has converted-wideout Ty Montgomery and fullback Aaron Ripkowski as players under contract who could run the ball (a combined 230 carries between them in 2016, including playoffs), re-signing any of the Eddie Lacy/Christine Michael/John Crockett/Don Jackson grouping (or, more excitingly, picking up new guys in free agency and/or the draft) would almost assuredly bring together a better unit than if Starks were to have been kept around for another year.

With the already-cut players out of the way, let’s dive into some players still on the Green Bay roster who I think could join the departed Shields and Starks in being released from their contracts — and what the reasoning behind it would be.