GREEN BAY – The Packers were in some discussions, but nothing materialized at the NFL’s trading deadline.
In other words, if Green Bay is going to climb out of the hole they have dug for themselves, they will also have to do it themselves.
Wednesday during his usual Wednesday chat with local reporters at his locker, quarterback Aaron Rodgers defended general manager Brian Gutekunst’s inactivity.
“I’m an optimistic person and obviously the compensation for whatever players we were going after, it just didn’t make sense,” Rodgers said. “So, I trust Brian and we had some good conversations and I know we were in on some things, and it obviously just didn’t pan out.”
Rodgers added that the team choosing to go with the players they already have can have a positive effect if his younger teammates choose to look at it that way.
“Brian didn’t think whatever was out there was worth whatever was required to give up,” Rodgers said. “That just sent the message to us that we’ve got to play with the guys we’ve got and win with the guys we’ve got. I think there’s still a lot of confidence in the guys in the locker room.”
Rodgers did return to practice, something he has not done on a Wednesday since injuring his thumb on the final play of the Packers loss to the New York Giants in London on Oct. 9
“I figured I might as well get down there and be around," Rodgers added. "I wish I could tell you (the thumb is) feeling better but it was more just a necessity of jog through and feel like my presence down there was kind of more important today than an hour of rehab.”
The Packers will wrap up their three-game road trip Sunday at Detroit (1-6).