Manuel won't play Thursday

In one of the bigger head scratchers of recent time, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy announced Tuesday that safety Marquand Manuel would not play in the team's Thursday exhibition finale against the Tennessee Titans.

On one hand, maybe the Packers are looking to cut Manuel after the game knowing that since he won't start on defense, he doesn't look to contribute much to the team.

On the other hand, McCarthy also announced that neither Al Harris nor Charles Woodson would be playing on Thursday either - two of the team's better players.

Tom Silverstein of the Milawaukee Journal Sentinel thinks that Manuel is going to make the team.

"You can read that move two different ways," writes Silverstein. "One, the Packers know about Manuel and what he does in this game isn't going to change their opinion of him. They'll judge whether to keep him based on how the other safeties play against Tennessee. Two, the Packers have no intention of keeping Manuel and aren't wasting their time by playing him. In all likelihood, it's the former. They can't part with him unless they know either Charlie Peprah or Tyrone Culver is reliable enough to be a starter because if Manuel goes one of them will be the No. 1 backup."

In my eyes, Manuel is no sure thing, and he would benefit from some extra playing time if he is going to make the team. That's what makes this whole situation so confusing. Of course, I'm not a coach of the Green Bay Packers, so what do I know?

Photo credit: Jim McIssac