In preparation for their divisional playoff clash with the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers are taking it slow to make sure they have everything covered. Daniel Whelan, a rookie punter, was listed as injured this week due to an unidentified medical condition. Although he was and still is anticipated to participate, Green Bay did not want to start the season’s most important game without a punter.
Punter Pat O’Donnell, who played eight seasons for the Chicago Bears before joining Green Bay in 2022, was re-signed by the Packers to guarantee they would have a backup at the position in the event Whelan was unable to travel.
In order to create place for O’Donnell, the Packers dismissed offensive tackle Michael Jordan, as can be seen above in Tom Silverstein’s post on X (previously Twitter).
Since leaving the Green Bay Packers, Pat O’Donnell has not participated in an NFL game.
The veteran-laden 2022 Packers team is very different from the one in 2023. The most significant offseason transaction, of course, was the trade of Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets in order to create room for Jordan Love. But some noteworthy veterans were also granted free agency, while rookies chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft took their place.
One of these was punter Pat O’Donnell, who was replaced by UC Davis graduate Daniel Whelan. Whelan, an Irishman, was an undrafted free agent who joined the NFL in 1985.
Other significant veterans who were permitted to depart and were substituted are:
Anderson Carlson’s Mason Crosby
Through Dontayvion Wicks, Allen Lazard
Rayden Reed’s Randall Cobb
Luke Musgrave’s Marcedes Lewis
Tucker Kraft’s Robert Tonyan
Author: Karl Brooks; Dean Lowry
O’Donnell was a member of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad for a portion of the 2023 campaign. He did not, however, play in any games this season. Whelan must be healthy enough to play because the Packers did not upgrade him for the divisional tilt against San Francisco.
