PACKERS ADD PLAYER !!

[GrnBay007]

Is that the bride of Chucky?

[oregonpackfan]

I think she is the replacement for Rosie O"Donnell on The View.

[Zool]

Bjork? She is a twisted wench but I never knew she played LB.

Opposing ball carriers will tremble in fear:

FINALLY Bjork is on a roster somewhere. We've been needing a 5' tall Icelandic woman wearing a swan dress.

[MJZiggy]

But B, you didn't answer my question: when did Paul Thompson get cut? What happened?

[Joemailman]

Paul Thompson is still listed on the Packers roster. I think B just made that up. He is bitter because TT kept Thompson and dumped Stocco.

[Carolina_Packer]

Yeah, why sign Thompson as a FA and then cut him before camp? Hard to imagine you'd see enough of him in the spring drills to make a determination as to whether he could push Ingle Martin.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Sometimes a GM has to cut his loses. A player can be worse than advertized.

Ever been to an all you can eat buffet for $6.99 and but $2.59 is all you can stand?? Sometimes bad is bad.

[Fritz]

MJ, I'm guessing Bretsky would rather buy you shoes 'cuz that's what he'd prefer to see you in...and I bet he's not thinking tennis shoes, either.

I bet Bjork could kick some butt.

[mngolf19]

Hm, you would think the Vikings would want him. A real Viking on the team.

Vikes picked up an OL from Finland this same way yesterday. He played at Nebraska and then in Europe. Surprised more teams didn't try this approach.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

All teams are welcome to do this. Our player was with the cowboys previously.

They don't count on the roster. It is all just MARKETING.

[Bretsky]

Paul Thompson is still listed on the Packers roster. I think B just made that up. He is bitter because TT kept Thompson and dumped Stocco.

I am still bitter about that

[Bretsky]

MJ, I'm guessing Bretsky would rather buy you shoes 'cuz that's what he'd prefer to see you in...and I bet he's not thinking tennis shoes, either.

I bet Bjork could kick some butt.

Stripper Shoes Fritz; they'd add a good five inches to her

[MJZiggy]

Damn. I thought you were gonna offer me a nice pair of hiking boots...

[HarveyWallbangers]

More from international waters

I traded e-mails today with Michael Signora, the NFL's director of media relations and international communications, about the International Development Practice Squad Program that has placed Swedish linebacker Carl-Johan Bjork with the Packers for the upcoming season.

A few nuggets worth noting:
-- The league assigns players to teams by division "to maintain equity and balance among the clubs." This year it's the NFC North, AFC East and AFC South, completing the tour of all eight divisions since the program's inception in 2004.
-- The international players' salaries are paid by the league, not the respective NFL clubs, and are the same as those of regular practice-squad players.
-- Now that all teams have had an opportunity to participate, "an evaluation of the program is ongoing."

With NFL Europa folded, it will be interesting to see whether the league might significantly expand the initiative, or perhaps scrap it in favor of an exemption for any team that wants to carry a foreign player on its practice squad. The latter option could become a fantastic marketing tool, especially with the league moving regular-season games overseas.

For anyone who didn't see it elsewhere, here's the full list of participants. (Note: Bill Belichick's New England Patriots apparently weren't interested. With Brandon Meriweather and Randy Moss on the roster, the idea probably had international incident written all over it anyway.)

NFC NORTH
RB Jermaine Allen (United Kingdom), Chicago Bears
LB Carl-Johan Bjork (Sweden), Green Bay Packers
T Seppo Ewvaraye (Finland), Minnesota Vikings
DT Salomon Solano (Mexico), Detroit Lions

AFC EAST
WR Marvin Allen (United Kingdom), Miami Dolphins
WR Iiro Luoto (Finland), New York Jets
DE Daniel Watts (United Kingdom), Buffalo Bills

AFC South
LB Eduardo Castaneda (Mexico), Houston Texans
T Samuel Gutekunst (Germany), Jacksonville Jaguars
DE Ben Ishola (Germany), Indianapolis Colts
DE Ulrich Winkler (Germany), Tennessee Titans

-- Tom Pelissero, tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com

[Rastak]

More from international waters

(Note: Bill Belichick's New England Patriots apparently weren't interested. With Brandon Meriweather and Randy Moss on the roster, the idea probably had international incident written all over it anyway.)

It's a league initiative and they say no thanks? If I were the league office I'd make it mandatory and tell 'em it ain't optional. No participate, no 7th round pick next year.