The Green Bay Packers Friday morning signed cornerback Joey Thomas and waived punter/kicker Travis Dorsch, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced.
Thomas, the team's first of three third-round draft choices, was the seventh pick in the third round, No. 70 overall. Green Bay acquired the choice in a draft-day trade with Jacksonville. The first Montana State product ever drafted by the Packers, the 6-1, 195-pound Thomas was regarded by many as the best shutdown cornerback in the Division 1-AA ranks. A four-year starter, he led the Bobcats with four interceptions and a conference-leading 15 passes defensed in 2003.
An integral component of a unit that led the Big Sky Conference in total defense and passing defense three straight years (2001-03), the first such run in school and league history; Thomas helped the 2002-03 squads capture conference championships and earn trips to NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. A two-time all-conference player, he earned All-America mention as a sophomore. Thomas originally enrolled at Washington, before transferring to Montana State.
As a prep, he was a two-time all-state and all-area cornerback at John F. Kennedy High School in Burien, Wash., notching eight interceptions as a junior, the second most in the state.
He is the fourth of the Packers' six 2004 draft picks to sign with the team. Green Bay reached agreements with three choices - C/G Scott Wells (seventh round), P B.J. Sander (third round) and DT Donnell Washington (third round) - Thursday.
Dorsch, joined the 53-man roster the day before the Packers' Jan. 11 playoff loss at Philadelphia and attended both offseason mini-camps. His departure, on the first day of training-camp practice, leaves B.J. Sander and Nathan Chapman as the only remaining punters on the Packers' roster.
