Packers Release OL Ben Braden
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers released offensive lineman Ben Braden on Tuesday as they continued along the path to creating their initial 53-man roster.
Braden was quite a story during training camp. He was a three-year starter at Michigan who went undrafted in 2017 and the Packers signed to the practice squad in October. At that point in his career, he had played in three NFL games with zero snaps on offense.
For Green Bay, he was a gameday elevation three times before being added to the 53-man roster for Week 17. In those four games, he played four snaps on offense – all at the end of a blowout win at San Francisco – and 19 on special teams. Thus, in his four seasons in the league, Braden has played four snaps on offense. Throw in the team's tremendous investment on the offensive line, Braden would seem to be a long shot to make the roster.
Offensive line coach Adam Stenavich during the offseason said Braden would be a potential starter. And he was. He competed for a starting spot at both guard spots and then showed his value by playing well at right tackle vs. Buffalo.
“The first thing that comes to mind is gratitude,” Braden said during camp of the opportunity. “I went undrafted to New York and being an offensive linemen, I think generally those guys are just really great people. And I’ve had a lot of good vets along the way, even now here in Green Bay, to really take my hand and show me the way and keep grinding. So, super thankful. There’s a lot of great guys in this room and I’m so happy to be here and to be competing at a place like this. So I’m very thankful.”
He played 154 snaps in the preseason. His power was evident in the run game, where he routinely moved defenders. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed one sack and five pressures in the passing game.
“I’m pretty happy with how I’ve performed, but there’s always things to get better at,” he said. “It’s never a perfect game, even though that’s what you strive for. I think for me, it’s getting used to the pace of being with starters and such a great D-line that we have, playing with them and learning, OK, there’s maybe some things when I was younger and I was practicing against maybe other younger guys that I could get away with as far as my technique wasn’t quite right. Now, I can’t get away with that and there’s some new, little things that you kind of feel. Now it’s just smoothing out those fine details.”
The transaction likely means Dennis Kelly's spot on the roster is secure. The 10-year veteran started at right tackle last season for Tennessee but missed the end of camp with an injury.
