http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/ind...d=60192&ntpid=2
GREEN BAY - Joey Thomas entered training camp as the Green Bay Packers' starting left cornerback. He exited Lambeau Field Wednesday afternoon unemployed, three days after being benched in the team's loss at Cincinnati.
And while Thomas' release came as a shock to a number of his teammates, it did not come without warning and was the culmination of something that had been discussed for the "last couple weeks," coach Mike Sherman said.
"I think you have to be accountable and honest about where you are in order to make progress," said Sherman, who as general manager drafted Thomas in the third round from NCAA Division I-AA Montana State last year.
Sherman admitted he had been mulling the idea for a while and said while the decision was "difficult," he and general manager Ted Thompson, who is away on a scouting trip, talked it over Wednesday morning before the move was made.
"I slept on it (Tuesday) night and woke up and called Ted," Sherman said.
Thompson said that "this had come up before," and when asked if Thomas is a legitimate NFL player, Thompson replied, "I think he has a chance to be. I think he's young, but I think he wants to be good. I just think he's young."
Thomas, 25, was ahead of fellow second-year cornerback Ahmad Carroll, 22, on the Packers' depth chart after a strong offseason. But he quickly ceded the position in camp after missing major practice time with calf and hip injuries.
He reclaimed the starting job from Carroll after the first-round pick was benched following the Sept. 11 loss at Detroit. But Thomas allowed an 80-yard touchdown pass in a loss to Cleveland Sept. 18 and also suffered a mild concussion that kept him out of the Sept. 25 loss to Tampa Bay.
He had been working as the nickel (fifth) defensive back ever since but made major mistakes in each of the past two games and was replaced by rookie fifth-round pick Mike Hawkins.
Two weeks ago at Minnesota, Thomas allowed Vikings receiver Marcus Robinson to catch a 12-yard pass and get out of bounds in front of him to set up Paul Edinger's winning 56-yard field goal - even though defensive coordinator Jim Bates had told Thomas before the play to protect the boundary and not let a receiver get out to stop the clock.
Then, at Cincinnati Sunday, Thomas was benched in favor of Hawkins after committing a second-quarter illegal hands to the face penalty on a third-and-5 play from the Cincinnati 47-yard line. The flag gave the Bengals a first down and kept their touchdown drive alive even though quarterback Carson Palmer threw incomplete on the play.
Not only was Thomas flagged, he also fell down on the play and would have been burned for a huge gain had Palmer thrown to a wide-open Kelley Washington rather than Chad Johnson on the other side.
Asked afterward if he deserved to be benched, Thomas angrily replied to the State Journal, "Hell no." Sherman was less than thrilled to read that but insisted Thomas did not have an attitude problem.
"I mean, I (didn't) appreciate the quote in the paper the other day, but that just identified certain things that were happening. But no, that wasn't the reason," Sherman said. "He's not a bad kid. He's a good kid. He has not been a distraction in the locker room at all. As far as I know he's a very good person."
Thomas said he was informed of his release by pro personnel director Reggie McKenzie shortly before the team's afternoon practice, then had a 5-minute meeting with Sherman, whom Thomas called "a good dude."
"I was a little shocked," Thomas admitted. "They just called me up and said, 'You're released.' I didn't ask no questions. All I know is it happened. I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason. It's OK. I'll pick up the pieces.
"This definitely gives me a fresh start. I was disappointed when I heard I was released. No one's going to hear they're released and be filled with joy. But I'll go somewhere and start from scratch. I'm definitely optimistic. I think it's definitely going to be a good thing for me. I just want a chance and whatever team I go to I just get better and want to help them win games."
To take Thomas' spot on the roster, the Packers claimed rookie safety Jeremy Thornburg on waivers from San Francisco. Thornburg, who had been released Tuesday, played two games for the 49ers after spending four games on Philadelphia's 53-man roster. He signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent from Northern Arizona April 29.
Thomas figures to be claimed today and would be awarded to the club with the worst record if multiple teams claim him, as Bates expects.
"Every team will take a look at him," Bates said. "We're just trying to upgrade and do what's best for the team. We just cut bait."•
