Tuesday is the trade deadline in the NFL and I only mention this because I would make a blockbuster trade in order for the Packers to right their ship and sail into the playoffs, but normally this is a day General Manager Ted Thompson sleeps.
Since the end of last season Thompson has been a busy man. He re-signed OLB Nick Perry and LG Lane Taylor, which at the time I thought was quite bizarre, but little did I know they were destined to be starters with the demotion of All-Pro OLB Julius Peppers and the cutting of All-Pro LG Josh Sitton. Like I've said many times, "what do I know?"
He also re-signed NT Letroy Guion, PK Mason Crosby, RB James Starks and OL Don Barclay. Crosby was a no-brainer and so was Guion with the way he played two years ago, but again we didn't know that B.J. Raji would retire (ok, hiatus). Starks hasn't been Starks of the past and is now injured. Barclay found his position during the preseason, but it turned out to be center where the Packers have two good ones (albeit one is on PUP).
He let FB John KUUUUUUUUUHHHHNNNN go to the Saints, QB Scott Tolzein go to the Colts (we'll see him this week), CB Casey Hayward go to the Chargers and ILB Nate Palmer go to the Titans. I guess with the way things have turned out we could have used Hayward.
He dipped into the free agent market (well, technically the street free agent market) to pick up TE Jared Cook, DE Ray Drew and OLB Lerentee McCray. Drew was cut 5 weeks later, McCray was traded at the end of training camp and Cook has played just 3 games having to work through foot surgery and an ankle injury.
He signed 28 undrafted free agents, of which, 8 made the final 53 at one time or another (6 are currently on the roster and another 5 on the practice squad).
He cut punter Tim Masthay and replaced with Jacob Schum, a 5-time loser with the Browns, Jets and Bucs three times. He is currently ranked 31st in the league.
The week before the season began he claimed RB Jhurell Pressley off waivers from the Vikings.
After the first game (Packers 27, Jaguars 23) he signed LT David Bakhtiari to a 4 year $51.67 million contract extension and cut Pressley.
After game 2 (Vikings 17, Packers 14) he signed DT Brian Price from the practice squad and re-signed CB Robertson Daniel to the practice squad.
After Game 3 (Packers 34, Lions 27) and during the bye week he released Daniel from the practice squad and signed FB Joe Kerridge to the practice squad.
After Game 4 (Packers 23, Giants 16) he cut QB Joe Callahan, who was almost the only bright spot during the preseason and was claimed by the Saints, and cut Price when CB Demetri Goodson and DE Mark Pennel came off PED's suspension.
After Game 5 (Cowboys 30, Packers 16) he traded a conditional draft pick to the Chiefs for 4th string RB Knile Davis. He released G Blake Muir from the practice squad and re-signed Price to the practice squad. He placed Sam Shields and Eddie Lacy on injured reserve and signed RB Don Jackson from the practice squad.
After Game 6 (Packers 26, Bears 10) he placed S Chris Banjo and WR Jared Abbrederis on injured reserve. He signed WR Geronimo Allison and S Jermaine Whitehead from the practice squad and signed WR Dez (not that Dez) Stewart and CB Keith Baxter to the practice squad. He then cut Baxter 2 days later and re-signed C Jacob Flores to the practice squad.
NOTE: According to published reports Abbrederis has asked to be released (with an injury settlement), but Thompson hasn't announced that yet.
After Game 7 (Falcons 33, Packers 32) which was Sunday before the trading deadline Tuesday he cut Knile Davis (who had 5 carries for 5 yards, 2 catches for 4 yards and 1 kickoff return for 18 yards) after two games.
NOTE: I watched the game with the Packer Backers and there was a friend of Andrew's there, who evidently drinks the Packers Kool-Aid and Thompson's bath water, because he was telling me how great Knile is, how fast he is and how great a kick returner he is and I kept saying, "he's a 4th stringer". I guess we know who was right.
The fate of the season is on the cusp. The below par roster Thompson had put together is not getting the job done, so if I was General Manager with the Packers at 4-3 I would do this today.
Word has come down that Browns All-Pro cornerback Joe Haden is available, so I would make a trade for Haden and troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon from the Browns. Gordon is ready to come off suspension, so he could play soon. He is very talented and could use a change of scenery.
I also noticed that WR Herb Waters (another undrafted free agent on the practice squad) has been changed to CB, so I would also claim CB Johnthan Banks off waivers from the Bucs.
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