Green Bay Packers release linebacker Caliph Brice
The Green Bay Packers released former Florida Atlantic linebacker Caliph Brice on Wednesday. Brice spent the offseason with Green Bay after signing as an undrafted free agent on May 6.
The Packers waiving Brice brought the roster down to 89 players. With one free spot, the team opted to sign receiver Ishmael Hyman after he and quarterback James Morgan worked out with the squad earlier in the day. Hyman, out of James Madison, was an undrafted free agent after the 2018 draft and most recently played for the Michigan Panthers of the USFL.
Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst needed to add some depth to the wide receiver room after placing veteran Sammy Watkins and second-round pick Christian Watson on the PUP list.
“Sammy’s a very short-term thing,” Gutekunst shared on Wednesday. “You never want any guys to miss any time because it’s all valuable but Sammy’s very short-term, I think you’ll see him out here pretty soon.
“Christian’s one of those things, we came out of OTAs, I think there was a thought process like do you want to push through and finish this after the 2022 season or should we just go ahead and do it now. So we just did it now. He’ll miss a little bit of time here in camp but it’s nothing long-term.”
Packers GM provides injury update on David Bakhtiari
Days after placing former All-Pro offensive lineman David Bakhtiari on the PUP list for training camp, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst provided an update. The highly touted left tackle is on his road to recovery – but the update wasn’t as positive as Packers fans were hoping for.
Bakhtiari still working his way back from an ACL tear he suffered way back in December of 2020.
“We’re not going to put a timetable on [the injury],” Gutekunst said following day one of training camp. “But what I will say is, you know, Dave had a very significant injury – much more than just an ACL way back when it occurred … He did have another procedure in the offseason, but I think that we’re cautiously optimistic.”
Bakhtiari’s single appearance in 2021 – a Week 18 matchup against the Lions – saw him exit the game early.
In 2020, Bakhtiari was the best pass-blocking tackle in the game on paper, allowing only nine quarterback pressures across 446 pass-blocking snaps against edge defenders. Entering the back end of his career, Bakhtiari, 30, can retake his status as an elite offensive lineman with a complete and healthy 2022 campaign.
On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this report.