I guess this is fighting fire with fire.
If your team is dangerously thin at safety, what do you do? Cut one of your remaining safeties and sign one who has never played in your system, that’s what. At least if you’re Green Bay Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson.
Look, I have been a Ted Thompson apologist from day one. I thought this guy had a vision. I applauded the hard-line stance he took with Brett Favre and admired his spendthrift approach to the salary cap.
But now, shit’s gettin’ crazy.
First, we were left scratching our heads when Anthony Smith was let go in the final cuts. Now, with starters Atari Bigby (again) and Pro Bowler Nick Collins out for the foreseeable future, the Packers release Aaron Rouse to make room for Indianpolis castoff Matt Giordano.
Giordano, who started six games over the past four years for the Colts, may prove to be a good pickup, but it will take a couple weeks for him to get acclimated to the system. The Packers need help now. And they cut one of their last remaining safeties to make room for him? Not just a backup, but a 6-4 safety with wheels and big play ability. Cut him. And the Packers are still carrying three, count ’em, three fullbacks?
Ted, if you felt you needed to cut someone loose from our secondary why not… oh, I don’t know… Total Packers All-Star Jarret Bush? Granted I’m not a wise general manager like you, but given the choice between a guy who has made big plays for me in the past and one who has never made a single play ever and who consistently makes bone-headed mistakes, I’d cut the latter.
Or one of my luxury fullbacks. Good lord.
Normally, if Donald Driver and Greg Jennings were injured, we’d expect Jordy Nelson and James Jones to be elevated to starting roles. But given this transaction, they may actually be asked to turn in their playbooks.
Good luck to Aaron Rouse. I had high hopes for him. I’m sure this won’t come back to bite the Packers in the ass any time soon.
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