He probably isn't old enough to be familiar with the NFL adage about how short a plummet it is from the penthouse to the outhouse but, just three days after his first regular-season starting assignment, Green Bay tailback Rondell Mealey has lived the experience.

The Packers on Thursday waived Mealey, who started in Sunday's victory at Detroit, stunning the third-year veteran with a move he didn't see coming.

"Shocked," said Mealey, a seventh-round choice in the 2000 draft. "There's no other way to put it."

In replacing injured starter Ahman Green last week, Mealey rushed for just 7 yards on five carries. Rookie fullback Najeh Davenport eventually had to take over at tailback, and the Packers officially moved him to that position on Thursday. They also switched second-year middle linebacker Torrance Marshall to fullback.

Mealey, 25, missed his entire rookie campaign with a knee injury. He played in 11 games in 2001, rushing 11 times for 37 yards. In three games this year, he logged 11 attempts for 36 yards and one touchdown and also had seven catches for 45 yards.

It appears that Green, who sat out last week's game with a quadriceps strain, could return to the lineup on Sunday, when Green Bay hosts Carolina.

In another roster move, the Packers officially signed veteran offensive tackle Barrett Brooks. The six-year veteran, who originally entered the league as a second-round draft choice of Philadelphia in 1995, was out of football last season. Brooks has played in 95 games and started 82 of them.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.