Green Bay Packers release former Manitoba Bison Geoff Gray

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This article was published 02/09/2017 (2961 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rookie offensive lineman Geoff Gray was shopping for work after the NFL’s Green Bay Packers released him Saturday. All 32 NFL clubs were required to cut down to their 53-man regular-season rosters by 3 p.m.

The 23-year-old Winnipegger was a priority free agent signing by the Packers in spring after a four-year career at the University of Manitoba. On Sunday, teams will be able to add up to 10 players to their practice roster and Gray is considered a good bet for that role with the Packers.

Players released Saturday must pass through waivers, meaning they can be signed to the active roster of another team. The waiver period ends at 11 a.m. Sunday after which time Gray could join the Packers’ practice roster or that of another team.

“I’d like to wait till after the results of the weekend,” said Gray in a text message to the Free Press, before declining further comment.

Gray, a 6-5 1/2, 315-pound guard who also took reps at tackle during Green Bay’s training camp and pre-season games, could opt to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 CFL Draft. Free Press football reporter Jeff Hamilton reported Saturday that the Blue Bombers had not yet reached out to Gray or his agent.

In 2016, NFL teams were required to pay practice roster players a minimum of US$6,900 per week, which worked out to US$117,300 over a full season. In 2017, the weekly minimum has risen to US$7,200 per week or $122,400 if a player remains on the practice roster for a full 17 weeks.

Clubs can also choose to pay their players above the minimum rate. In 2015, the Rams reportedly paid supplemental draft choice Isaiah Battle, an offensive lineman, US$25,588 per week, which was equivalent to the rookie minimum of US$435,000 that season.

When the Blue Bombers made defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie the No. 1 overall pick in May’s CFL Draft, they quickly signed the Iowa product to a three-year deal said to pay him in excess of $100,000 in his first season.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14