Tuesday, August 30, 2005

It's simple: no Simon

Apparently it didn't take GM Ted Thompson long to decide the price to be paid to go after DT Corey Simon was too much to risk for the potential reward. It also apparently didn't take coaches long to figure out that Bernard Holsey, whom they auditioned yesterday, also was not an upgrade over the present set of players now in the mix. While they have hoped that some of the younger players, particularly Donnell Washington and James Lee, would have stepped up in the opportunity to oust Grady Jackson and Cletidus Hunt that hasn't happened. Kenny Peterson had a good game against the Patriots and if he shows that same spark in the last pre-season game against the Titans might find himself a regular part of the mix.

At this time, "ends Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, tackles Corey Williams, Jackson and Hunt, and swingman Cullen Jenkins appear to have nailed down six of the projected nine jobs in the defensive line," according to today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The other three who appear to be most likely to make the cut are R-Kal Truluck, rookie end Mike Montgomery and Colin Cole. Washington and Lee could find themselves looking for work.

GM Ted Thompson is quoted as saying, "I think at the end of the day our quality will be fine. I think players will have to play roles just like we anticipated in the spring." Let's hope that role playing is good enough to do the job for the entire season and through the playoffs.