Packers DT Letroy Guion Released
The Packers have released defensive lineman Letroy Guion. The team announced the move this afternoon.
Guion was headed for a four game suspension to start the season and the Packers already have a fairly deep defensive line group, so in a vacuum the move is not surprising.
However, the Packers have also expressed support (albeit somewhat tacit) for Guion in the not too distant past. With Guion off the roster for the first four games of the season, it seemed like the Packers were willing to let the suspension run its course and make a decision later. After all, that's the approach they've taken previously throughout Guion's various drug and crime-related suspensions.
There may be more to the story, though. Beat writer Tom Silverstein suggested shortly after news of the release broke that Guion may not just be serving a four game suspension.
In any case, Guion is now gone. His release will save the Packers $3.25 million against this year’s cap.
What does this mean for the Packers?
The Packers clearly have confidence in their defensive line group to make this kind of move right now. Though Guion wouldn't have contributed early in the season, he could have provided depth later on, and depth players, even marginal ones, are rarely released at this point in training camp.
It's likely, then, that the Packers are making this move now to clear a spot for a corresponding roster move in the near future. Who or what that could be is a mystery.
This could also be viewed as a positive sign as far as the health of Montravius Adams. The Packers' 2017 third round pick recently had foot surgery, and this surely means the Packers believe he'll be back to full strength by the time Guion's suspension would have ended.
Finally, this is also a confirmation of something long reported outside 1265 Lombardi Avenue: Guion simply isn't very good. Scouts regularly told Packers beat writers of Guion's widely understood mediocrity, and despite what Andy Benoit would have you believe, the Packers clearly believe they can do without him.