It's been a whirlwind few weeks for Peter Bowden
The Green Bay Packers are playing a cruel game of "he loves me, he loves me not" with former Wisconsin Badgers standout Peter Bowden was cut for the second time in the last three weeks.
After being released near the end of July, Bowden was re-signed just a week later. The undrafted long-snapper was a three-year starter for Wisconsin, hoping to earn the same role in Green Bay. However, his most recent release seems to indicate the organization views him as a practice squad player at best thus far.
In a trio of corresponding moves, the Packers also released safety Tyler Coyle while signing linebacker Chris Russell and running back Nate McCrary.
Packers Release Former Wisconsin Standout Peter Bowden Again
Bowden played only one snap in Green Bay's first preseason game, seemingly indicating he'd lost the position battle to Matt Orzech.
The six-foot-two, 239-pound lineman was named a Patrick Mannelly Award finalist in 2023, college football's annual award recognizing the nation's best long snapper. He played in 39 games during his Wisconsin career, gaining experience in multiple schemes during his four-year collegiate career.
NFL teams are always in need of long snappers. Thus, it's likely Bowden will get another opportunity at some point to earn his keep in the league. He may need to begin his career on an organization's practice squad, though that's a common route for undrafted players.
That the Packers re-signed him after the initial cut signals they still believe in his talent. He likely just needs to develop more consistency and comfort at the NFL level, which can come with time.
For now, Bowden will wait for his next call and stay ready for when the next opportunity presents itself.
