The Green Bay Packers finalized their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday. While there were plenty of locks to make the roster, there were also tough decisions facing the franchise.
Isaiah Simmons, Mecole Hardman, Corey Ballentine, and Kalen King were among the most notable names released. Their decision to roster only four linebackers (which they've since added to) and have a relatively inexperienced cornerback group also left fans with more questions than answers.
One decision that was not much of a surprise was Nazir Stackhouse making the Week 1 roster. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named the undrafted free agent as the Packers' biggest winner on roster cutdown day.
Nazir Stackhouse's ascension earns him label as Packers' biggest winner
Stackhouse had a strong showing in the preseason, so it wasn't much of a surprise to see him make the Week 1 roster. Knox discussed why he was Green Bay's biggest winner.
"Making an NFL roster is hard, especially for undrafted free agents in whom teams have invested little," writes Knox. "Sometimes, though, an overlooked player makes too much noise to keep off of an active roster. This appears to be the case with Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse. The undrafted rookie out of Georgia impressed during camp and the preseason and could carve out an early role as a run-stopping specialist."
Stackhouse was one of the brightest young players in the preseason, recording four total tackles, two solo tackles, and one pass defended. His impact went beyond the stat sheet, however, as he consistently absorbed blockers and pushed back the offensive line -- thriving against the run. His play was impossible to ignore and made it rather easy for him to earn a roster spot.
While Knox is correct that the path to a roster spot is much more challenging for undrafted free agents, that has simply not been the case in Green Bay. Stackhouse's inclusion on the Week 1 roster marks the 21st consecutive year that an undrafted rookie has made the initial 53.
Of that group, Sam Shields is likely the most notable player, as his 18 interceptions are the fifth-most of any Packers player since the turn of the century.
He played a key role in Green Bay winning its fourth Super Bowl as a rookie, recording a sack and two interceptions in the NFC Championship Game -- the latter of which came with the Chicago Bears threatening to tie the game with under a minute left, sealing a trip to the Big Game.
The Packers hope Stackhouse can make a similar impact.