GM Thompson defends Packers roster

GREEN BAY (AP) - If the Green Bay Packers are going to make a Super Bowl run, they'll be doing it with one of the league's youngest rosters - and one that is almost entirely home grown.

General manager Ted Thompson says made some hard choices to get down to the 53-man roster limit, but if the same players are on the roster for the opener at Philadelphia, the average age will be 25.87. That puts the Packers in contention to be the NFL's youngest team for the fifth straight year.

Their average age to open last season was 25.70.

"Quite frankly, I hadn't even thought of it," Thompson said during a press conference Sunday to discuss the cuts.

By keeping six of this year's seven draft picks, 36 of the Packers' 53 players were originally drafted by the team, keeping with Thompson's improve-from-within theme.

Included among those 17 players who weren't drafted by the team are three undrafted rookie free agents - offensive lineman Nick McDonald, cornerback Sam Shields and outside linebacker Frank Zombo.

Of the 36 draft picks that remain on the roster, all but five - linebacker Nick Barnett, left tackle Chad Clifton, wide receiver Donald Driver, right tackle Mark Tauscher and center Scott Wells - were chosen by Thompson, who took over as GM in January 2005.

Thompson has drafted 58 players, and 31 are on the current roster. Four of his draft picks were among the players let go Saturday: Offensive lineman Breno Giacomini and defensive end Jarius Wynn) were waived, while returner Will Blackmon and offensive lineman Allen Barbre received injury settlements and will be waived off of injured reserve when the settlements expire.

Also released were tight end Spencer Havner; running back Kregg Lumpkin; punter Chris Bryan; offensive linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith and Chris Campbell; wide receivers Jason Chery, Charles Dillon, Chastin West and Patrick Williams; defensive linemen Anthony Toribio, Jarius Wynn and Ronald Talley; linebackers Cyril Obiozor, Maurice Simpkins, Alex Joseph and Robert Francois; cornerback D.J. Clark, safety Anthony Levine; and quarterback Graham Harrell.

Although four of the 20 players the Packers waived on Saturday were claimed by other teams, Thompson was unable to swing any trades as the cutdown deadline approached.

"We had extensive conversations ongoing for the last month with selected teams and with all teams. That's just the way it goes," said Thompson, who also said he did not put in a single waiver claim on a player cut by the other 31 teams. "Sometimes teams just sit there and wait and sometimes you're able to do a deal."

Thompson acknowledged that he might have had more success had he not waited until after Thursday night's preseason finale at Kansas City to get serious about making deals.

"I am uncomfortable trading players prior to the conclusion of the fourth preseason game, because what you think you might have might change based on injuries or something happening," Thompson said.

Thompson acknowledged that some of his decisions led to imbalances on the roster. For the second straight year, the Packers kept three fullbacks (John Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson), but unlike last year, the team kept only two halfbacks (starter Ryan Grant, backup Brandon Jackson). Kuhn will serve as the third halfback, Thompson said.

By keeping only two true halfbacks, Thompson was able to keep four tight ends (Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Tom Crabtree and Andrew Quarless), one more than he typically keeps.