Yesterday, the NFL had its most dreaded day of the summer. Hundreds of roster hopefuls found out that the hard work they put in all summer was not good enough, and they would not be making that final roster. Some of them may have known it from the start and were hoping to catch on as practice squad members to maybe one day have their day on a game-day roster. But others may have seen their football careers completely come to a close. As a fan, even though it has no impact on my everyday life, I always somewhat dread the day as well. Watching training camp and preseason as closely as many of us do, we can't help but pull for some of those guys we think are worthy of a roster spot, only to be gutted when they surprisingly don't make it. But then there are always those glorious moments when a player you feel deserves to crack the final 53, has their name listed on that roster. One of those moments came on Tuesday for Defensive End, Arron Mosby.

Admittedly, when I created my roster prediction on Monday morning, I didn't have the Fresno State alum Arron Mosby on my final list. When I create my final roster I always start with the offense first, then head to the defense. By the time I get to the cornerbacks, I suddenly realize I only have around ten spots left and I still need to do the corners, safeties, and specialists. So, I have to go back and decide who to let go to give myself more room for those locks. Well, at Defensive End, I decided that six was too many, and Mosby had to be the casualty despite my feelings that he did a lot to earn a spot in the final preseason game. Luckily for Mosby, the Packers disagreed with me. 

Arron Mosby was an undrafted free agent in 2022 signed by the Carolina Panthers that was cut and signed to the practice squad. Mosby was activated for two games in the season to play special teams but never registered any stats. In 2023 he was signed by the Packers, but again was cut after camp and signed to the practice squad. You could say the third time was the charm as after training camp this year, he finally cracked the final roster. But how did he do it?

There's a quote that's floated around Packers' Twitter among writers and podcasters that's become a joke over the years and that's that someone is "quietly having a good camp." It's often used when a player is doing very well but isn't jumping out on the stat sheet or making huge plays. Mosby had a few good plays in practice and also seemed to be often in a good position, but the stat sheet wasn't showing it on game day.  In Cleveland, Mosby was only listed on the stat sheet for one tackle. In Denver, Mosby didn't even make the stat sheet at all. It had to be thought that Mosby was a good player in practice but he just disappeared on game day. It would've been no shock had Mosby been a long shot for the final roster and released on Tuesday. But that was all until Saturday's game vs Baltimore. 

It's said that the final preseason game can be a do-or-die game for some. It could end up being your own personal Super Bowl if you're on that roster bubble. What you do in that game could seal your fate. With around 5:30 remaining in the second quarter, Mosby was shot out of a cannon untouched from his spot at right defensive end straight to Ravens QB Devin Leary where he stripped the ball out of Leary's grasp just as the QB was winding back to throw. The fumble was picked up by safety Anthony Johnson Jr. who returned it 24 yards for a Packers touchdown. Mosby's going unblocked may have been a stroke of luck, but his hustle to the QB and awareness to strip that ball, and then also nearly be the first to pick it up if not for Johnson Jr. getting their first shined a very positive light on the Defensive End. Then, on the next Ravens' drive only around 3.5 minutes later, Mosby dropped back in coverage from his defensive end spot and made a great catch for an interception of Devin Leary again. Once again, great awareness and ball tracking for Mosby got him another big play. 

Those two plays showed that Mosby was not about to go quietly into the night and settle for a practice squad spot, it was time for him to make that opening-day roster. And that he did.

What will Mosby's role be in 2024?

I have to admit I'm cringing a bit while writing this as Tuesday's final 53 doesn't necessarily mean it'll be Wednesday's final 53. As players go on waivers, teams will claim guys they feel may fit on their 53-man roster who are coming from another roster. When that happens, someone who was informed they made the team Tuesday, may end up released on Wednesday. So, everything moving forward from this sentence could be hypothetical, but for Arron Mosby's sake, we'll hope it's not. 

One big thing that stuck out to me is Arron Mosby being on the final roster as well as Brenton Cox Jr. Both at Defensive End. Both guys I felt were roster bubble players and usually, you don't see two roster bubble guys make the cut on day one. I had Cox making the team over Mosby personally, but there's one area that Mosby may have the upper hand on Cox. That would be Special Teams. Come game day when the Packers have to sit a few players, I wouldn't be surprised to see Brenton Cox Jr. listed as a healthy scratch with Arron Mosby playing. This may not be to take snaps at Defensive End but to contribute on Special Teams. They always say if you're low on that depth chart in camp, up your game on Special Teams, as that could be your shot to make the final cut. 

Otherwise with Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Preston Smith, JJ Enagbare, and Brenton Cox ahead of him on the depth chart, defensive snaps may be hard to come by. Mosby could earn a few snaps if games get out of hand, but that may be the extent of it.

However, there is one other area Arron Mosby may contribute and this also could've been a contributing factor to his roster selection. Mosby played a bit of off-ball Linebacker in college as well as during his time with Carolina. With the injuries and lack of depth at the off-ball linebacker position, there is a chance that perhaps Mosby could see a few snaps in that position if needed, or at least act as a depth piece. The Packers have Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, Eric Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, and Ty'Ron Hopper, but with Cooper and Hopper missing some camp time, Mosby could be insurance at the position. 

As I said before, your spot on that game-day roster is never guaranteed when you're on the bubble. So, yesterday's roster lock could be today's roster cut. But hopefully, Arron Mosby doesn't suffer that fate as he's finally earned his spot for the season with his performance.