GREEN BAY — Although it's not a hard-and-fast policy, historically, the Green Bay Packers have held open the jersey numbers of players they believe might be back.

Last year, for instance, the team did not give out No. 88 — previously held by Jermichael Finley — as the tight end went through a variety of tests to determine whether his October 2013 neck injury was indeed career-ending. The Packers kept No. 25 open a few years ago for two-time 1,000-yard rusher Ryan Grant, until it became clear that he was not returning.

The Packers have also frequently kept a number out of circulation for a year to honor a top player who'd worn it. They didn't issue No. 21 the year after Charles Woodson was released, for example.

So if the team's decision to give No. 24 to second-round pick Quinten Rollins is any indication — and it probably should be — then veteran defensive back/special teams ace Jarrett Bush will not return for a 10th season with the team.

Bush, 30, joined the Packers in 2006 on waivers from Carolina after the final roster reduction of training camp. He had a critical interception in Super Bowl XLV when injuries decimated the team's secondary but spent the majority of his career as the leader of the special-teams units. He remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.

On the team's official roster on Packers.com , Bush and backup quarterback Matt Flynn are still listed under the Unrestricted free agents heading, even though the Packers are not expected to bring Flynn back, as they have Scott Tolzien, Matt Blanchard and rookie fifth-round pick Brett Hundley behind Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Flynn's No. 10 has not been assigned to another player, although none of the team's undrafted free-agent signees or tryout players are currently listed on the roster since none of their signings had been officially announced as of Friday morning.

Here are the Packers' draft picks' jersey numbers, in order of their selections:
23 Damarious Randall CB
24 Quinten Rollins CB
88 Ty Montgomery WR
47 Jake Ryan LB
7 Brett Hundley QB
22 Aaron Ripkowski FB
77 Christian Ringo DT
86 Kennard Backman TE

Jason Wilde  wrote:

Well that's that forJarrett Bush it seems.
He was never a starting caliber db, but found himself a place on the team for 9 years.

His work ethic and ST leadership will be missed, hopefully one of the young guys will step up and take over.

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan 

I think the Packers want CB Bush back... just that they want him at a very cheap price that Bush has not yet been ready to sign at ... and Bush might or might not be willing to sign.

And based on MM's comments, them giving out his number was a mistake on the part of Packers equipment management staff who was just looking at the numbers currently assigned to players who are already signed for the future.

That being said, I find it interesting Mike McCarthy statement made a hard line, that if Bush comes back, then Bush will wear #24... instead of staying out of it and saying he's sure they'll figure something out on their own. But maybe that was simply meant as a message to the media/fans that those assuming giving his number out meant anything by the higher up is very mistaken.

Originally Posted by: beast