The Packers cut Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton on Saturday. Coach Mike McCarthy met with reporters on Monday. He inevitably was asked to explain the move.
“There’s a lot of things that go into this decision,” McCarthy said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “It was not just one thing. It was tough.”
McCarthy also was asked to address whether the move improves the Packers, who saw Sitton sign with the Bears.
“Are you a better team or not a better team because of one player?” McCarthy said. “We haven’t even played a game yet. Every decision we make is about improving all aspects of our program. This is not about one player. This is about the growth of the football team.”
Reportedly, the team cut Sitton because he wasn’t happy with the team’s failure to give him a new contract. It’s possible the Packers tried to squeeze him to take less in 2016. Regardless, they made an educated guess regarding whether the replacement will get the job done at a much lower cost.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not be thrilled about the move. He’ll meet with the media on Wednesday; it’ll be interesting to see whether he brushes it off or says or does anything to indicate he disagrees with the decision.
