PaCkFan_n_MD
10-07-2006, 10:53 AM
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 6, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have been playing one man short all season because of a roster decision regarding cornerback Will Blackmon that was highly questionable when made Sept. 2 and looks even worse now.
General manager Ted Thompson admits that Blackmon should have spent the first six weeks of the regular season on the physically unable to perform list.
"In hindsight, yeah, absolutely it would probably have made more sense to go 'PUP,' " Thompson said Friday. "But I didn't have the luxury of that at the time."
Thompson was referring to what he says is a complication during Blackmon's rehabilitation that has caused him to be out longer than anticipated.
"The reason he wasn't able to go during training camp was not the reason he's not able to go now," he said. "It's a new thing. I'm not saying it's not the same foot or the same area or anything like that. But the foot is a very complicated thing."
Blackmon, a fourth-round draft choice from Boston College, suffered a break of the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during a routine play May 21 in minicamp. On May 30, he underwent surgery.
According to Blackmon, he never had a setback and his current problems aren't related to treatment.
"It's just not ready yet," he said Friday. "It was an educated guess they made. You've got to live and die with the decision they make. I could have been back by the Saints game (Sept. 17) but it just so happens I wasn't. You can't really say this should be better by then. The body reacts in a funky way."
Blackmon was asked whether it's possible he might not be ready until 2007.
"Anything's possible, to be honest with you," he replied. "But I made huge progress from last week to this week."
Based on the injury, the position that Blackmon plays and the fact he had so little practice time in Green Bay, placing him on the physically unable to perform list appeared to be the logical move. If the Packers had done so, they could have added a healthy player to their 53-man roster and still been able to use Blackmon later in the season.
The unavailability of Blackmon, who still can't practice, became even more critical this week when the Packers felt compelled to cut nickel back Ahmad Carroll.
The cornerbacks behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson are free agent Patrick Dendy, who played 13 snaps from scrimmage last season for the Packers; rookie free agent Jarrett Bush, who has played about 10 snaps from scrimmage in four games; and Blackmon.
If Blackmon had gone on the physically unable to perform list, he would have had to remain there until at least Oct. 17. Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 7, the Packers could have designated him eligible for practice for a 21-day period. After the 21 days, they either would have had to activate him, cut him or place him on injured reserve.
"You always err on the side of caution, particularly when it's a weight-bearing bone," a personnel director for another team said. "He's got to plant and drive. Unless you know 100% he'll be ready by Week 3 you just keep him on PUP. Give him as much time as you can."
Thompson said the Packers weren't concerned in the least about having to pay 54 players.
Blackmon did practice from Sept. 6-8, wore pads on two days and took part in team drills with the scout team. Since then, he hasn't been able to take part in any organized workouts
"I just wanted to try it out," he said. "It wasn't a failure. It just wasn't ready. We want it to be as soon as possible. Then again, we don't want to rush it where I screw it up even worse."
Thompson described the club's medical staff as "marvelous" and said he didn't feel let down in the case of Blackmon.
Dendy, 5 feet 11½ inches and 190 pounds, will be the nickel back Sunday against St. Louis, according to Bush. He also said if either Harris or Woodson were injured, it would be Dendy taking their place.
"I kind of like him," Thompson said, referring to Dendy. "He's a good kid and has had some tough breaks. I think he's passionate about playing the game. He has some physical skills to play."
Dendy ran 40 yards in 4.63 seconds before his final season at Rice. Thompson said Dendy ran in the 4.4s for the Packers last year. They signed him in April 2005 after he didn't even get into a pro camp in 2004.
Thompson called Dendy a smart player. He holds a degree in economics from Rice, worked for a Houston law firm during the off-season and scored 19 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.
The Packers elected to promote Dendy from the practice squad to replace Carroll instead of signing Tony Beckham, who is high on their emergency list at cornerback. Beckham, a former UW-Stout player, was a backup for Tennessee from 2002-'05 and had a solid summer with Minnesota.
Mike Hawkins, who was cut by Green Bay on Sept. 2, has worked out for five teams in the past month. Another former Packers cornerback, Jason Horton, has had three tryouts. Carroll's first workout was Thursday in Kansas City.
Two veteran starting cornerbacks, former Giant Will Peterson and former 49er Ahmed Plummer, are recovering from back and neck injuries, respectively, and aren't ready to play. Peterson should be ready by November.
Although Thompson doesn't like trading draft picks, he might if the right cornerback became available. The trading deadline is Oct. 17.
"There's not a whole lot of them around that people want to get rid of," he said.
So the Packers, who rank 31st in pass defense, plunge ahead at the position with one player who's out indefinitely and two raw newcomers as their backups.
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 6, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have been playing one man short all season because of a roster decision regarding cornerback Will Blackmon that was highly questionable when made Sept. 2 and looks even worse now.
General manager Ted Thompson admits that Blackmon should have spent the first six weeks of the regular season on the physically unable to perform list.
"In hindsight, yeah, absolutely it would probably have made more sense to go 'PUP,' " Thompson said Friday. "But I didn't have the luxury of that at the time."
Thompson was referring to what he says is a complication during Blackmon's rehabilitation that has caused him to be out longer than anticipated.
"The reason he wasn't able to go during training camp was not the reason he's not able to go now," he said. "It's a new thing. I'm not saying it's not the same foot or the same area or anything like that. But the foot is a very complicated thing."
Blackmon, a fourth-round draft choice from Boston College, suffered a break of the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during a routine play May 21 in minicamp. On May 30, he underwent surgery.
According to Blackmon, he never had a setback and his current problems aren't related to treatment.
"It's just not ready yet," he said Friday. "It was an educated guess they made. You've got to live and die with the decision they make. I could have been back by the Saints game (Sept. 17) but it just so happens I wasn't. You can't really say this should be better by then. The body reacts in a funky way."
Blackmon was asked whether it's possible he might not be ready until 2007.
"Anything's possible, to be honest with you," he replied. "But I made huge progress from last week to this week."
Based on the injury, the position that Blackmon plays and the fact he had so little practice time in Green Bay, placing him on the physically unable to perform list appeared to be the logical move. If the Packers had done so, they could have added a healthy player to their 53-man roster and still been able to use Blackmon later in the season.
The unavailability of Blackmon, who still can't practice, became even more critical this week when the Packers felt compelled to cut nickel back Ahmad Carroll.
The cornerbacks behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson are free agent Patrick Dendy, who played 13 snaps from scrimmage last season for the Packers; rookie free agent Jarrett Bush, who has played about 10 snaps from scrimmage in four games; and Blackmon.
If Blackmon had gone on the physically unable to perform list, he would have had to remain there until at least Oct. 17. Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 7, the Packers could have designated him eligible for practice for a 21-day period. After the 21 days, they either would have had to activate him, cut him or place him on injured reserve.
"You always err on the side of caution, particularly when it's a weight-bearing bone," a personnel director for another team said. "He's got to plant and drive. Unless you know 100% he'll be ready by Week 3 you just keep him on PUP. Give him as much time as you can."
Thompson said the Packers weren't concerned in the least about having to pay 54 players.
Blackmon did practice from Sept. 6-8, wore pads on two days and took part in team drills with the scout team. Since then, he hasn't been able to take part in any organized workouts
"I just wanted to try it out," he said. "It wasn't a failure. It just wasn't ready. We want it to be as soon as possible. Then again, we don't want to rush it where I screw it up even worse."
Thompson described the club's medical staff as "marvelous" and said he didn't feel let down in the case of Blackmon.
Dendy, 5 feet 11½ inches and 190 pounds, will be the nickel back Sunday against St. Louis, according to Bush. He also said if either Harris or Woodson were injured, it would be Dendy taking their place.
"I kind of like him," Thompson said, referring to Dendy. "He's a good kid and has had some tough breaks. I think he's passionate about playing the game. He has some physical skills to play."
Dendy ran 40 yards in 4.63 seconds before his final season at Rice. Thompson said Dendy ran in the 4.4s for the Packers last year. They signed him in April 2005 after he didn't even get into a pro camp in 2004.
Thompson called Dendy a smart player. He holds a degree in economics from Rice, worked for a Houston law firm during the off-season and scored 19 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test.
The Packers elected to promote Dendy from the practice squad to replace Carroll instead of signing Tony Beckham, who is high on their emergency list at cornerback. Beckham, a former UW-Stout player, was a backup for Tennessee from 2002-'05 and had a solid summer with Minnesota.
Mike Hawkins, who was cut by Green Bay on Sept. 2, has worked out for five teams in the past month. Another former Packers cornerback, Jason Horton, has had three tryouts. Carroll's first workout was Thursday in Kansas City.
Two veteran starting cornerbacks, former Giant Will Peterson and former 49er Ahmed Plummer, are recovering from back and neck injuries, respectively, and aren't ready to play. Peterson should be ready by November.
Although Thompson doesn't like trading draft picks, he might if the right cornerback became available. The trading deadline is Oct. 17.
"There's not a whole lot of them around that people want to get rid of," he said.
So the Packers, who rank 31st in pass defense, plunge ahead at the position with one player who's out indefinitely and two raw newcomers as their backups.