Taylor hopes to return to Packers also

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Taylor hopes to return to Packers

By Tom Pelissero
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Often-injured linebacker Ben Taylor continues to work out in Green Bay in hopes of re-signing with the Packers after the NFL draft.

"I know they've kept the door open, which is good," Bob Lattinville, Taylor's agent, said Thursday afternoon.

Packers linebackers coach Winston Moss left Taylor a message this week encouraging the former fourth-round draft pick to stay in shape, Lattinville said. Taylor remains interested in returning to the Packers despite a steep dropoff last season from the career numbers he posted with Cleveland in 2005.

The Packers hoped Taylor would compete for a starting spot when they signed him to a one-year contract worth roughly $665,000 last March. He'd started all 16 games at weakside linebacker for Cleveland in '05, recording 139 tackles (76 solo). But after the Packers made A.J. Hawk their No. 1 pick, Taylor couldn't beat out Brady Poppinga on the strong side, missed six games with a hamstring injury and had only two tackles on defense all season.

Injuries have plagued Taylor since he left Virginia Tech. In five NFL seasons, he's missed 31 games with hamstring, back, elbow and pectoral injuries and landed on injured reserve twice, in 2002 and '04.

Returning to Green Bay is appealing to Taylor in part because he knows the system and could back up all three linebacker positions. The Washington Redskins also have shown substantial interest this offseason, Lattinville said, noting his client probably won't sign anywhere until next month.


Europass

Guard Adam Stenavich, re-signed by the Packers in January after spending time on the practice squad last season, was the Amsterdam Admirals' first-round pick in last month's NFL Europa allocation draft. The Marshfield native and former Michigan left tackle is expected to be in uniform when play begins next Saturday.

Other Packers in the NFL's development league are receiver Carlton Brewster and linebacker Tim Goodwell, who are teammates on the Berlin Thunder, and safety Alvin Nnabuife (Cologne). The fifth Packer allocated, cornerback Antonio Malone, is on injured reserve for the Rhein Fire. None spent time on the Packers' 53-man roster last season.

Former Packers quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, now with the Chicago Bears, is back with the Frankfurt Galaxy, the team he led to a World Bowl berth in 2004.



Allen may get fresh start with Detroit

By Tom Pelissero
[email protected]

It's not Ryan Longwell signing with Minnesota, but another Green Bay Packer is leaning toward playing for an NFC North rival.

Unrestricted free-agent Kenderick Allen is focusing on talks with the Detroit Lions, his agent said Wednesday, likely ending the defensive tackle's injury-marked, one-year stay in Green Bay.

"I know they still like him," agent Harold Lewis said of the Packers, who got two games out of Allen after signing him to a one-year, $700,000 deal last April. "They said they'd get back to us before the draft.

"We're just trying to find the right opportunity. Is that Detroit? Is that Green Bay? We'll find out."

A 6-foot-5, 328-pound product of LSU, Allen had two solo tackles in his Packers debut in September, but he sustained a foot injury two weeks later and was placed on injured reserve. With Ryan Pickett and Corey Williams expected to remain in starting roles this fall, Allen would have to compete for a spot in the rotation with Johnny Jolly and Colin Cole.

Detroit has a more clear-cut opening after releasing three defensive tackles, including starter Anthony Bryant, last month. If Allen, 28, signs there, the Lions would be his fourth team in five NFL seasons. He also played for the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

Lewis wouldn't reveal specifics of the deal Allen is seeking. According to the Lions' Web site, the team has not brought in any free-agent defensive tackles for visits.

The Packers have 10 defensive linemen under contract, including Jenkins and Cole, who both re-signed in the offseason. Pickett is signed through 2009, and the Packers have discussed an extension for Williams.

The team's other unsigned free agents are quarterback Todd Bouman and linebacker Ben Taylor. All three are listed on the team's online roster.

Salary terms: According to the players' association Web site, the one-year deal receiver Carlyle Holiday signed Monday has a base salary of $435,000 — the same qualifying offer running back Noah Herron, another exclusive-rights free agent, received in February. Cole ($595,000) received the largest base salary among the team's exclusive-rights free agents; tight end Tory Humphrey ($360,000) got the smallest. Qualifying offers are determined by tenure.
 

RainX

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I hope we can sign Talyor again. He provides a solid backup in case Poppinga were to go down.

Kendrick Allen I'm kind of meh on. With Corey Williams, Ryan Pickett, Colin Cole, and John Jolly providing a relatively solid DT rotation, I don't think it's critical that we rush out and re-sign him.
 

retiredgrampa

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Yup, re-sign him. Even one injury to a LBer could be hurtful and change it to a position of need. He obviously has talent even if he played for the Browns. We've got the money so why not?
 

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