Packers: Five players to consider on waivers following roster cuts

Five players the Green Bay Packers should consider on waivers following roster cuts.

After cutdown day, the Green Bay Packers‘ roster is set at 53 players.

But after keeping a whopping eight wide receivers as well as three quarterbacks, several positions need reinforcements quickly.

Who could they consider signing?

1. Steven Means

After retaining eight receivers and four tight ends, there is no shortage of pass catchers for Aaron Rodgers this season. But the Packers only kept four outside linebackers on the entire roster for the time being. Means isn’t a standup outside linebacker, but with his hand in the dirt he is a pretty effective edge rusher.

Means spent his first two years in the league in Tampa Bay and then ended up in Philadelphia. While it isn’t promising to have a player four years into his career still looking for his third career sack, Means can burst into the backfield in ways Kyler Fackrell hasn’t dreamed of. Given how thin they currently are at the position, the Packers should put in a waiver claim.

2. Nate Orchard

Orchard was a former second-round pick of the Browns in 2015. Like most Browns, he underperformed and is now looking for a new home. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are two of the most injury-prone players at their position in the entire NFL, meaning they desperately need a competent outside linebacker to back them up.

Orchard, while far from stardom, is an upgrade from Kyler Fackrell. The only reason Fackrell remains on the team is because of how little depth remains on the roster.

Orchard is an experienced option who won’t cost the Packers a draft pick. At some point this coming season, Matthews or Perry are going to miss time with some type of ailment. The Packers must find depth immediately.

3. Darius Kilgo

Kilgo isn’t a flashy name, but he was a pretty coveted commodity coming out of Maryland. After cutting both James Looney and Kendall Donnerson, the Packers are still in need of quality backups behind their starters. At the moment, Muhammad Wilkerson, Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels will be spelled by Montravius Adams and Dean Lowry.

The Packers showed enough interest in Kilgo to arrange a pre-draft visit with him in 2015. While he struggled to find his way in Denver, Kilgo does have enough raw ability to at least turn the Packers’ heads. With so little to spare up front, Green Bay has little to lose.

4. Clive Walford

The Packers decided to give Robert Tonyan a roster spot after a strong preseason. Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis and Lance Kendricks will be the first three up at tight end. While Tonyan looked solid in the preseason to earn a practice squad spot at the very least, Walford is a little too talented for the Packers to pass up.

After an average couple of years in Oakland, Walford joined the Jets and enjoyed a pretty nice preseason. If the Packers are set on keeping four tight ends, they should swap Tonyan for Walford and hope to secure Tonyan onto their practice squad.

5. Xavier Su’a-Filo

For far too long, the Packers haven’t had any quality backups along their offensive line. Byron Bell was a decent signing to give them at least an experienced backup upfront, but the team needs more than just Bell. Jason Spriggs looks like one of Ted Thompson‘s worst draft misses, and Lucas Patrick and Kyle Murphy don’t appear to be competent players either.

Su’a-Filo is experienced, versatile, and big enough to maul defenders at the line of scrimmage. The Packers don’t need Bruce Matthews-type players to play behind their starters, instead they need seasoned veterans who can step in in a pinch.