If the Green Bay Packers turn out to be one of the most talented teams in the National Football League, you wouldn't have known it by their inability to trade a player Saturday during the final roster reduction.
The Packers moved 22 players off their roster to reach the mandatory 53-man limit. Still, general manager Ted Thompson was unable to get anything for nine players that logged regular-season time with the club in 2009.
Teams will examine the waiver wire overnight and then can make claims on players until 11 a.m. Sunday. Green Bay could be looking for help at every position on defense, and players with special-teams capability probably would draw the keenest interest.
"You know they're going to score," an NFC personnel man said Saturday night. "But can they stop you from scoring?"
Neither Thompson nor coach Mike McCarthy was made available to explain their decisions.
The most senior name on the casualty list was safety Will Blackmon, who along with tackle Allen Barbre (back) was announced as having been placed on injured reserve. Sources, however, said both players had reached injury settlements and will be waived soon.
As recently as Thursday night, special-teams coach Shawn Slocum expressed optimism that Blackmon would be the dual return man next Sunday in Philadelphia. But in the last 48 hours, the Packers must have re-examined Blackmon's knee and decided to shift gears.
"I'm sure it had a lot to do with my health," Blackmon said. "It wasn't based off ability and talent. It was tough, I'm sure."
Ten months removed from reconstructive knee surgery, Blackmon practiced in pads to start training camp. He missed several days and hasn't been on the field since the Indianapolis game Aug. 26.
"I don't feel like I'm going to be out for, like, months," said Blackmon. "I didn't reinjure or re-tear anything. Basically, it just got sore around the joint. I was just trying to give it more time. I was planning on running Tuesday and then getting ready for this week."
Blackmon proved to be a dangerous return man for a portion of 2007, all of 2008 and the first month of 2009. In all, he had three returns for touchdowns.
Now Blackmon expects the Packers to give the job to wide receiver Jordy Nelson. In two seasons, counting playoffs, Nelson has averaged 23.1 yards in 40 kickoff returns and 5.3 in 17 punt returns. He fumbled four times last year, losing one.
"I'm sure Jordy will handle the returns just because he has security in terms of catching it," said Blackmon. "That's the main thing. You've got to catch the ball before you can do anything.
"In terms of special teams, I think they're going to be fine. You had a lot of guys mixed in and around trying to compete for a job, so the chemistry was off a little bit."
The Packers did have a team eager to trade for center-guard Jason Spitz, and indications were that it was the Eagles. Apparently, Thompson decided he didn't want to play against him on opening day, and so the Eagles shipped a sixth-round pick to Arizona on Friday for starting guard Reggie Wells.
Sources said the Packers did try to deal tackle Breno Giacomini and center-guard Evan Dietrich-Smith but wound up having to release both players. Seattle was interested in Giacomini but made other acquisitions, and the Packers had conversations with other clubs about him as well.
Center-guard Nick McDonald of Grand Valley State joined outside linebacker Frank Zombo of Central Michigan and cornerback Sam Shields of Miami as undrafted rookies making the team.
"They had a lot of linemen that were very similar and didn't stand out," an NFC scout said. "Giacomini isn't a great athlete and never did enough for you to say you liked him.
"I looked at McDonald. Athletic. Versatile. Fairly smart. He's got a pretty good up side."
Another scout saw McDonald this way: "Masher. Has some toughness. Wants to mix it up. Not very consistent. He's tough and has pretty good strength."
Giacomini lost out to left tackle Marshall Newhouse, one of six draft choices on the roster. A seventh, running back James Starks, is listed as physically unable to perform.
"The left-tackle thing is the reason why," one scout said. "He's done OK. The others don't give you the up side."
The Packers kept 10 offensive linemen, one more than they've had on opening day in nine of the last 10 years. The offensive contingent of 26 players was one more than they've had in any year since 2005.
Others '09 veterans on the cut list were wide receiver Patrick Williams, tight end-linebacker Spencer Havner, defensive end Jarius Wynn and outside linebacker Cyril Obiozor.
Nine "street" free agents were let go, including wide receivers Jason Chery and Charles Dillon, quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Kregg Lumpkin, defensive end Ronald Talley, linebackers Robert Francois and Maurice Simpkins, cornerback D.J. Clark and punter Chris Bryan.
The list of rookie free agents deemed expendable included wide receiver Chastin West, tackle Chris Campbell, inside linebacker Alex Joseph and safety Anthony Levine.
The Packers kept four tight ends, their most since 2006, but Havner wasn't one of them. They tried to deal Havner but didn't find a taker.
"Somebody will (claim) Havner," one scout said. "He didn't play bad last year. Made a lot of plays, actually. I wasn't surprised because (Andrew) Quarless is a better athlete than Havner. But I can't say I was enamored with (Tom) Crabtree."
The Packers released the hard-running Lumpkin after fullback John Kuhn showed them he could also serve as a respectable No. 3 running back.
Defensive end Justin Harrell looked to be in some trouble midway through camp when his back flared up again. But Harrell was able to play extensively in the last three exhibition games and seemed to get a little better in each one.
Rookie C.J. Wilson out-pointed Wynn in their battle for the No. 5 end job.
"Wynn didn't do a whole lot to wow anybody," one scout said.
For now, at least, the Packers have eight linebackers, one fewer than a year ago. The No. 8 linebacker is Zombo, who beat out Obiozor.
"I was kind of lukewarm on him," one personnel man said, referring to Zombo. "They must see something in him. He didn't flash what you'd expect."
With Al Harris out for at least the first six games on the physically unable to perform list, the Packers kept six cornerbacks. Shields seems to be No. 3.
"They might be in a hit or miss situation with Shields, leaning to miss," another scout said. "You can see the athleticism, but the technique has not matched up to the athleticism. Not real physical, either."
As for Brandon Underwood, Jarrett Bush and Pat Lee, the scout said, "A lot of guys still living off potential. None of them are at the arrived stage."
Veteran Charlie Peprah, who was cast adrift by Atlanta in early March, was re-signed by the Packers in April for the $630,000 minimum. He was the only player with previous regular-season experience that Thompson signed during the off-season.
When Peprah managed to stay healthy, the Packers decided to keep him over Blackmon and Levine.
The difference between Tim Masthay and Bryan was razor-thin throughout the off-season and for the bulk of training camp. Masthay appeared to settle the issue after improving his pooch punts and excelling on kickoffs.