Packers claim DT Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison on waivers before week 17

In 2010, the Green Bay Packers claimed a big, run-stuffing nose tackle on waivers. That player, Howard Green, ended up making a significant impact as a rotational player over the second half of the season and was partially responsible for a massive play in Super Bowl XLV. Green’s hit on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger forced a bad pass, which safety Nick Collins intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

It’s a long shot for today’s roster transaction to have a similar impact as that move more than ten years ago, but it’s not hard to imagine some similarities.

On Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers reportedly put in a waiver claim on Damon “Snacks” Harrison, who was recently waived by the Seattle Seahawks. According to the NFL’s transaction wire, as reported by multiple media sources, the Packers will be awarded Harrison through the waiver process, as no other teams with worse records evidently placed a claim.

Whether Harrison chooses to play for the Packers is in question, as he tweeted earlier in the day that he “won’t be claimed.” Furthermore, he appears to want to choose his destination, as he said he would not be “doing the waiver thing.” Harrison also refused a contract offer from the Packers a few weeks ago when he was on the Seahawks’ practice squad, instead choosing to stick with Seattle for the stretch run. However, when he was a healthy scratch on game day on Sunday, he requested his release, which the team granted on Tuesday.

Still, if he does come to Green Bay, he will join a team on the cusp of earning the top seed in the NFC. Harrison was a full-time starter for seven years before going unsigned as a free agent this spring. He has played in six games for Seattle in 2020, lining up on around 35 percent of the team’s defensive snaps over those games. He has recorded one forced fumble and nine tackles over that span, including a posting six assists and that forced fumble in one game against the New York Jets in Week 14.

UPDATE: It sounds like Harrison is willing to join the Packers after all. This Twitter exchange effectively confirms that the Packers are one of the teams that Harrison is interested in playing for: