Packers waive second-year cornerback Joey Thomas
ARNIE STAPLETON
Associated Press
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Joey Thomas got his wish. He'll be nowhere near the Green Bay Packers bench anymore.
The second-year cornerback won't be in their nickel package, either. He was waived on Wednesday. Nobody involved would reveal specifics about the breakup, although it was clear the Packers' patience had worn thin after his gaffes in the last two games played big roles in losses at Minnesota and Cincinnati.
And Thomas drew the organization's ire for angrily criticizing his benching against the Bengals just a week after he inexplicably allowed wide receiver Marcus Robinson to get out of bounds with 2 seconds and no timeouts remaining, setting up the thankful Vikings for a 56-yard winning field goal.
Thomas, who entered training camp as a starter ahead of Ahmad Carroll, fell even further down the depth chart Sunday. He allowed Cincinnati to continue on a touchdown drive when he fell to the turf on a key third-down play and drew a flag for illegal hands to the face. He was replaced by rookie Mike Hawkins.
Asked afterward if he deserved to be benched, he angrily retorted: "Hell no."
Coach Mike Sherman said that wasn't the reason for his dismissal.
"He was not let go because of that comment, but it was revealing of some things," Sherman said.
Asked how a third-round pick could fall so far so fast, Sherman said: "I don't know. You've got to be accountable and honest about what you're doing and how you're doing it."
Thomas told The Associated Press he wasn't bitter, welcomed a fresh start somewhere else and had a good exit interview with Sherman.
"That was beneficial to me as a player and person. Sherman's a good dude. He's a good man with a good heart. I appreciate the conversation he had with me," Thomas said in a phone conversation several hours after his dismissal.
He said he had a good idea why he was released, but didn't ask Sherman for specifics.
"It's more about they LET me go," Thomas said. "You could say it was X, Y, Z or because the stars are purple. But the fact is I was let go and I'm not a member of the Green Bay Packers anymore and I have to move forward."
Carroll said he was surprised by Thomas' exit: "I'm sure he'll get picked up real quick, though."
That was a sentiment shared across the locker room and by his position coach, Lionel Washington, who said he just needs more consistency.
"I don't expect him to be jobless very long," linebacker Na'il Diggs said.
Sherman, however, said Thomas has yet to prove he's an NFL-caliber player.
Thomas actually entered camp as the starter after a solid offseason, but nagging leg injuries forced him to miss several weeks and allowed Carroll, whom he pummeled in a fistfight last year, to win back his starting job.
The two flip-flopped again in Week 2 after Carroll committed several penalties in the opener but again Thomas got hurt and Carroll went back into the lineup. When he got healthy again, Thomas was relegated to nickel back status.
"Joey is a heck of a nice young man and a gifted athlete," general manager Ted Thompson said. "I'm sure he wishes he'd have played a little better. I'm sure he has some issues with us, as well. It just didn't work out as well as it should have."
The Packers claimed defensive back Jeremy Thornburg off waivers from San Francisco to replace Thomas on their 53-man roster.
"When you're 1-6, there's bound to be changes that happen. Someone's going to get cut," linebacker Nick Barnett said. "No one's safe. This is the NFL."
Thomas was getting dressed for the team's afternoon practice when he was told of his release.
"I just want to say that I'm not bitter toward the Packers," he said. "I appreciate Green Bay because they did draft me and I'm grateful for the opportunity to play in this league. Things didn't work out. There's no bad blood toward the organization.
"This definitely gives me a fresh start."
