The Coordinator
Cheesehead
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- Jan 25, 2009
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Packers pursuing Dallas DE Canty
The Green Bay Packers are trying to bring in defensive end Chris Canty of the Dallas Cowboys for a free-agent visit but are competing for him with at least a couple of other teams on the opening day of free agency.
Canty, who is attractive to the Packers as an excellent fit at defensive end for their new 3-4 defense, is one of the more coveted players available in free agency this offseason. He’s scheduled to visit the New York Giants on Saturday, and Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and Monday, said his agent, Brad Blank, this afternoon.
The Packers, San Francisco and Tennessee also want to bring in Canty for a visit, but Blank said Canty probably will take only one or maybe two other visits after this weekend. He’ll determine where else Canty will go after getting firm contract parameters and determing which of those teams are most interested. There's also a chance Canty will sign while in New York or San Francisco.
The Packers contacted Blank at the start of free agency late Thursday night to express their interest, though they also warned they generally don’t move early in free agency. However, their interest has escalated, and they called again today to set up a visit for Canty early next week.
Blank said he gave the Packers a general idea of the contract Canty appears in line for and the team’s co-director of football operations, Reggie McKenzie, said the Packers still want him to visit as soon as possible after Seattle. The Packers in recent years have not pursued a free agent who has drawn this level of interest at the start of free agency, so if they bring Canty in they’ll be breaking new ground under General Manager Ted Thompson.
“It’s a perfect situation for him because of the 3-4,” Blank said of the Packers. “These other teams are 4-3.”
Canty appeared headed for the Washington Redskins today, but after the sides made extensive progress in negotiations Thursday night at the start of free agency, the Redskins early this morning canceled Canty’s trip to Washington because they’d signed defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a blockbuster deal. Canty’s near-deal with the Redskins included guaranteed money of about $20 million. That suggests he could be in a for a deal that averages $7 million to $8 million and has guarantees in the $15 million to $20 million range.
Canty, 26, was a fourth-round draft pick by Dallas in 2005. At 6-7 and 304, he’s been a defensive end in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme. He had three sacks last season and nine sacks for his four-year career.
-- Pete Dougherty, [email protected]
Sounds like we are playing second fiddle to other teams in pursute of him. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Will be lucky if he last long enough in FA for that visit.
The Green Bay Packers are trying to bring in defensive end Chris Canty of the Dallas Cowboys for a free-agent visit but are competing for him with at least a couple of other teams on the opening day of free agency.
Canty, who is attractive to the Packers as an excellent fit at defensive end for their new 3-4 defense, is one of the more coveted players available in free agency this offseason. He’s scheduled to visit the New York Giants on Saturday, and Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and Monday, said his agent, Brad Blank, this afternoon.
The Packers, San Francisco and Tennessee also want to bring in Canty for a visit, but Blank said Canty probably will take only one or maybe two other visits after this weekend. He’ll determine where else Canty will go after getting firm contract parameters and determing which of those teams are most interested. There's also a chance Canty will sign while in New York or San Francisco.
The Packers contacted Blank at the start of free agency late Thursday night to express their interest, though they also warned they generally don’t move early in free agency. However, their interest has escalated, and they called again today to set up a visit for Canty early next week.
Blank said he gave the Packers a general idea of the contract Canty appears in line for and the team’s co-director of football operations, Reggie McKenzie, said the Packers still want him to visit as soon as possible after Seattle. The Packers in recent years have not pursued a free agent who has drawn this level of interest at the start of free agency, so if they bring Canty in they’ll be breaking new ground under General Manager Ted Thompson.
“It’s a perfect situation for him because of the 3-4,” Blank said of the Packers. “These other teams are 4-3.”
Canty appeared headed for the Washington Redskins today, but after the sides made extensive progress in negotiations Thursday night at the start of free agency, the Redskins early this morning canceled Canty’s trip to Washington because they’d signed defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a blockbuster deal. Canty’s near-deal with the Redskins included guaranteed money of about $20 million. That suggests he could be in a for a deal that averages $7 million to $8 million and has guarantees in the $15 million to $20 million range.
Canty, 26, was a fourth-round draft pick by Dallas in 2005. At 6-7 and 304, he’s been a defensive end in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme. He had three sacks last season and nine sacks for his four-year career.
-- Pete Dougherty, [email protected]
Sounds like we are playing second fiddle to other teams in pursute of him. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Will be lucky if he last long enough in FA for that visit.
