Green Bay Charlie Peprah, who appeared to be No. 6 on the depth chart when training camp started, will be the Green Bay Packers' No. 3 safety Sunday when they open in Philadelphia.
If either Nick Collins or Morgan Burnett were to be injured, coach Mike McCarthy said Peprah would go in.
"He's been very consistent," McCarthy said. "I think he's taken that next step."
Peprah's opening came when Atari Bigby went on the physically unable to perform list and Will Blackmon was cut. Derrick Martin seemed to be ahead of Peprah as well, but he definitely isn't now.
"He's so much better communicating, and he's finished some plays off," said McCarthy. "Now, he didn't play real well in the Kansas City game, which I was disappointed in. But he had a really good camp."
Peprah, 27, suffered a knee injury last August and reached an injury settlement on Sept. 10. He signed with Atlanta on Nov. 4 but was active for just two of eight games and never played from scrimmage.
The Falcons turned Peprah loose in early March by declining to offer him a contract. He was on the street for almost two months before Green Bay signed him April 26 for the $630,000 minimum.
A fifth-round draft choice by the New York Giants in 2006, Peprah was released at the conclusion of his first camp and claimed by the Packers. He played in eight games in 2006, all 16 in '07 and 13 in '08.
"If you remember, he just kind of didn't do enough," McCarthy said. "You really liked him on special teams, but he was a just-not-quite-get-there kind of guy when he was here before.
"Probably his experience going to Atlanta, getting cut, (helped). But he's coming down in the box now, and his run fits are a lot better than they were before. There was always a slight hesitation. He's played a lot of football."
McCarthy indicated that the defense would be fine if Peprah had to start a few games.
In four seasons, Peprah has played 254 snaps on defense and 625 on special teams. His only start came against Atlanta in October 2008 when Bigby and Aaron Rouse were injured.
Start me up: Let's say it's a close game Sunday and the Packers have 70 plays on offense. Tight end Jermichael Finley was asked how many snaps he could handle without getting tired.
"I can go 70," said Finley. "Whatever coach throws at me. I feel better this year than any year. Especially when the heat is on, I don't expect to come out of the game. When the offense is on fire, I don't even look to come out."
Last year, Finley played 63 of 73 snaps, or a season-high 86.3%, against Arizona in the playoffs. In the eight games after his knee injury, he averaged 66.1%. In the five games before the injury, he averaged 59.6%.
"In a close game, I think he'll put me out there probably 85 to 90% of the time," Finley said, referring to McCarthy. "For sure. We're going to throw every bullet we've got. I am 100% ready to roll."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers told Finley to take advantage of every opportunity. Finley knows that drops won't be tolerated.
"Not in this offense," he said. "You don't know when the next time it will come back around. If he throws 100 balls to me, I'm going to catch 100."
If Finley wasn't available, the Packers wouldn't necessarily have a designated starter among Donald Lee, Tom Crabtree and Andrew Quarless.
"It'd be situational," said McCarthy. "I'm trying to keep everybody part of it . . . the morale of these guys. You're going to need all these guys over 16 games."
Injury list: The Packers will be down to five cornerbacks Sunday because Brandon Underwood (shoulder) was ruled out.
Listed as questionable were defensive end Mike Neal (side) and linebacker Desmond Bishop (hamstring). Neither practiced Friday, but Neal seemed optimistic about playing.
McCarthy said cornerback Charles Woodson jammed the little toe on his right foot late in practice Friday and is probable. He fractured the same toe in Week 1 of 2008 but never missed a game.
Tackle Chad Clifton (knee) and Martin (ankle) were withheld Friday, part of McCarthy's plan to get them through the season. Linebacker Brady Poppinga (knee) seems ready to play.
Defensive end Cullen Jenkins practiced hard all week and said his calf was fine. He couldn't even jog Aug. 31.
"I was real concerned," said Jenkins. "So we shut it down, they left me back from the trip (to Kansas City), and I was doing treatments even twice a day. I haven't had any more setbacks."
Odds and ends: Kick returner Clifton Smith's two-year, $1.615 million contract with Miami contained $130,000 in bonus money. . . . All eight players on the Packers' practice squad signed minimum deals for $88,400, including tackle Breno Giacomini. . . . James Jones and Jordy Nelson share the No. 3 wide-receiver designation, according to McCarthy. . . . Rookie nickel back Sam Shields says he is most wary of the Eagles' deep routes. . . . McCarthy indicated that Korey Hall and John Kuhn would split time at fullback.