OPINION

By Chris Wesseling

updated 3:14 a.m. ET Oct. 21, 2009

The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday with nary a splash. One member of Twitter nation pointed out Tuesday that the day's events are "about as exciting as the supplemental draft." No argument here. NFL GMs are understandably loath to "start jettisoning players" just six weeks into a 17-week schedule.

While star-power names like Dwayne Bowe, Terrell Owens, Brady Quinn, Shaun Rogers, Josh Cribbs, Shawne Merriman, Glenn Dorsey, and even Steven Jackson were tossed around, the only last-minute trades involved relative no-namers Will Witherspoon and Tank Tyler.

Witherspoon was acquired by the Eagles in exchange for the Rams getting WR Brandon Gibson and a 2010 fifth-round pick. Middle linebacker Omar Gaither is out with a sprained foot, and the newly signed Jeremiah Trotter can't keep up with running backs and tight ends in the passing game.

Witherspoon will fill a glaring hole in the middle of the defense for the rest of the season. The price they paid was a sixth-round pick, yet to be activated as the sixth receiver on the depth chart. The Rams, however, are tissue paper thin at receiver, where Gibson could begin to eat into struggling No. 2 receiver Keenan Burton's snaps within a matter of weeks.

Tyler, a former third-round pick by the Chiefs, had started just two games this season. The Panthers have already tried a handful of options at nose tackle since NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu when down with a torn Achilles' tendon in August. Tyler is simply the latest stop-gap solution.

What's the Patriots' game?
In a completely unsurprising move, the Patriots released Joey Galloway. The 38-year-old had been a healthy scratch for three straight weeks after struggling to learn the Patriots' system. There was a rather large surprise at receiver, however, as the Boston Herald reported rookie Julian Edelman is out indefinitely with a broken arm.

Slideshow   Week 12's top fantasy pickups Rotoworld's Chris Wesseling looks at the players to grab on this week's fantasy football waiver wires, including Packers tight end Jermichael Finley.

Special teams maven Sam Aiken will likely fill in as the No. 3 receiver this week, but keep an eye on third-rounder Brandon Tate. The explosive playmaker appears to be fully recovered from ACL surgery as is eligible to return from the PUP list this week.

Though the Patriots did not have an update on Sammy Morris' status Monday, the veteran was absent from Tuesday's walkthrough practice. A typically cryptic Bill Belichick would say only that he does not anticipate any offensive players being out for the season. Morris was unable to put any pressure on his knee while leaving Sunday's game, and he never returned to action.

Our best tea-leaf reading indicates that Laurence Maroney will be the lead back in a tasty matchup against the Bucs this weekend.

Willie's out
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Tuesday that Rashard Mendenhall has officially displaced Willie Parker as the starting tailback. It's what we've been saying for at least two weeks now, but it's still nice to get official word from the team's brass.

"It's great to have Willie back," Tomlin said, "but Rashard has the hot hand right now. So in the short term we'll proceed in the manner that we have in the last several weeks." Mendenhall will continue to handle feature back duties, with Parker in the change-of-pace role and Mewelde Moore as the two-minute back. Mendenhall (bruised knee) may be limited in practice this week, but he's fully expected to start against the Vikings.

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