GREEN BAY — After one final — we think — tweak of the roster, the Green Bay Packers are good to go for their opener against Minnesota Monday.

To sum up their offseason, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy didn't make many personnel changes but the ones they did make are fraught with risk.

Indeed, for two guys who have eschewed wild gambles in free agency or trades since they arrived in Green Bay, Thompson and McCarthy are rolling the dice this season. Some of their moves carry great risk, more so than any made by the Packers since coach Forrest Gregg zipped long-time starters Lynn Dickey and Paul Coffman a week before the 1986 opener (and went from 8-8 to 4-12).

Perhaps it's because they are emboldened by new five-year contracts and a 2007 season in which Thompson was named NFL Executive of the Year and McCarthy was runner-up for coach of the year, but the Packers' decision-makers are taking some major chances this season:

• They traded ironman quarterback Brett Favre and elevated Aaron Rodgers, who has zero starts and two major injuries in his three seasons. In doing so, the Packers went from knowing exactly what they were going to get at quarterback to hoping they get what they want at the position.

• They declined to sign a veteran backup for Rodgers and went with rookies Brian Brohm (second round) and Matt Flynn (seventh). Flynn, the 209th player drafted, outplayed Brohm in the preseason and will back up the injury-prone Rodgers.

• They replaced strong-legged punter Jon Ryan at the 11th hour with Derrick Frost, who we're told is more versatile and consistent. Not only is it debatable whether Frost is better, but kicker Mason Crosby, who was outstanding as a rookie with Ryan holding, has only a week to develop a rapport with Frost and long-snapper Brett Goode, both of whom were signed Monday.

• They declined to bring in another defensive tackle and will enter the season with three —three fewer than last season. Remember, Thompson has said the defensive line is a place where you can never have enough quality players. And while Cullen Jenkins can slide over to tackle, that would weaken the end rotation considerably.

• They let some veterans sit out the exhibition season, ostensibly due to injury but more likely because they were being cautious. Defensive linemen Ryan Pickett and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila will go into the opener without playing a down and halfback Ryan Grant took only one snap.

McCarthy said Tuesday the roster has improved in a number of areas and cautioned that it takes time to develop young quarterbacks.

"I don't think we took a lot of risk," he said. "It's about acquiring any players that you feel you can build a team from, and from that you pick the 53 the way you think the season is going to go and how guys are going to play."

With so many boom-or-bust situations, however, Green Bay is a hard team to figure.

Based on what transpires in the next four months, Thompson and McCarthy are going to look like geniuses or two guys who let last season's success go to their heads.