Green Bay Packers Release Mike Daniels

GREEN BAY, WI — Once the heart-and-soul of the Green Bay Packers defense, veteran defensive tackle Mike Daniels has been released by the team.

Daniels was a fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of Iowa. In seven seasons with Green Bay, Daniels collected 29 sacks, 225 total tackles and forced three fumbles.

According toa Yahoo News report, the team released Daniels one day after he and his wife held a back-to-school charity event for 200 children in Green Bay.

A Packersnews.com report from April 2019 may have foreshadowed this week's events, as reporter Tom Silverstein speculated that Daniels may no longer be a fit for the Packers defensive line.

"At 6-foot-0½, 310 pounds, Daniels, even with adequate arm length of 32½ inches, just doesn’t fit the model Gutekunst has set for his defensive linemen," he wrote after speaking with Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst.

When you look at who the Packers brought in over the off-season, you see a trend: each of the players present a different physical profile.

Packers first-round draft pick Rashan Gary stands 6-foot-4 1/2 and weighs 277 pounds. His reach is 33 3/4 inches.

Now look at the two players the Packers brought in during free agency:

• Z’Darius Smith, 6-4 1/2 height, 272 lbs. in weight, 32 5/8 reach.
• Preston Smith, 6-5 height, 265 lbs. in weight, 34 reach.

The news comes days after the Packers announced the signing of holdover Dean Lowry to a three-year, $20.3 million contract extension. The Packers are also expecting Kenny Clark to become a fixture in the 2019 defense.

Daniels was set to earn $7.6 million in 2019, which is the final year of his contract. By releasing Daniels, the Packers expect to gain $8.3 million in salary cap space.