Zero2Cool
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JASON WILDE
608-252-6176
[email protected]
GREEN BAY - The Washington Redskins have signed wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, safety Adam Archuleta, defensive end-outside linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Christian Fauria, and have traded for receiver Brandon Lloyd.
The Cleveland Browns have signed center LeCharles Bentley, nose tackle Ted Washington, punter Dave Zastudil, left tackle Kevin Shaffer and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius.
And the arch-rival Minnesota Vikings have signed running back Chester Taylor, kicker Ryan Longwell and linebacker Ben Leber, have retained receiver Koren Robinson and safety Willie Offord and have signed Seattle Seahawks transition-tagged guard Steve Hutchinson to a seven-year, $49 million offer sheet that includes $16 million in guaranteed money.
And what have the Green Bay Packers done so far in NFL free agency?
They have re-signed injured halfback Ahman Green to a one-year, incentive-laden deal; have re-upped with defensive end Aaron Kampman, their No. 1 re-signing priority; and have signed ex-Seattle safety Marquand Manuel to a five-year, $10 million contract ($2 million signing bonus), a deal that was finally officially announced Monday night.
Oh, and they claimed wide receiver Harry Williams, who played in one game as a rookie last season, on waivers from the New York Jets.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson understands that a few among the green-and-gold faithful might look at the headline-grabbing moves other teams have made and be a little envious.
But contrary to popular belief, Thompson said, he isn't anti-free agency. He's just against making expensive mistakes - even though he entered the signing period with $30 million in salary cap room.
"It's not fantasy football," Thompson said Monday. "When you go into free agency, you're making a commitment to a player and oftentimes you don't have enough information to justify that. That's why I think (teams) do (make mistakes in free agency), because you don't know as much about these players as you do your own players.
"Every time you think you can help your team, you do your best to help your team. We evaluate every player. Just because one team might rate a player as an elite player (and pay him that kind of money) and we don't, that doesn't make us right and them wrong or vice versa. This is just the way we go about it."
So far, that's meant hosting St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and adding Manuel, who figures to start opposite second-year safety Nick Collins. While running the Seahawks' personnel department, Thompson claimed Manuel on waivers from Cincinnati in 2003 and said he has since evolved into "a solid football player."
"That's the profile we're looking for" in free agents, Thompson said.
To replace Longwell, Thompson said "there's always options," and didn't rule out spending big money on a high-profile kicker, such as New England's Adam Vinatieri or Indianapolis' Mike Vanderjagt - as unlikely as that may seem to some.
"(A) kicker is incredibly important, and it's most important when you don't have one," Thompson said. "A lot of people assume they know what I think of free agency. The truth is, I think it's a very useful tool. Just because we're not signing somebody every day doesn't mean we're not busting our tails. But we're going to go through the process."
JASON WILDE
608-252-6176
[email protected]
GREEN BAY - The Washington Redskins have signed wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, safety Adam Archuleta, defensive end-outside linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Christian Fauria, and have traded for receiver Brandon Lloyd.
The Cleveland Browns have signed center LeCharles Bentley, nose tackle Ted Washington, punter Dave Zastudil, left tackle Kevin Shaffer and wide receiver Joe Jurevicius.
And the arch-rival Minnesota Vikings have signed running back Chester Taylor, kicker Ryan Longwell and linebacker Ben Leber, have retained receiver Koren Robinson and safety Willie Offord and have signed Seattle Seahawks transition-tagged guard Steve Hutchinson to a seven-year, $49 million offer sheet that includes $16 million in guaranteed money.
And what have the Green Bay Packers done so far in NFL free agency?
They have re-signed injured halfback Ahman Green to a one-year, incentive-laden deal; have re-upped with defensive end Aaron Kampman, their No. 1 re-signing priority; and have signed ex-Seattle safety Marquand Manuel to a five-year, $10 million contract ($2 million signing bonus), a deal that was finally officially announced Monday night.
Oh, and they claimed wide receiver Harry Williams, who played in one game as a rookie last season, on waivers from the New York Jets.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson understands that a few among the green-and-gold faithful might look at the headline-grabbing moves other teams have made and be a little envious.
But contrary to popular belief, Thompson said, he isn't anti-free agency. He's just against making expensive mistakes - even though he entered the signing period with $30 million in salary cap room.
"It's not fantasy football," Thompson said Monday. "When you go into free agency, you're making a commitment to a player and oftentimes you don't have enough information to justify that. That's why I think (teams) do (make mistakes in free agency), because you don't know as much about these players as you do your own players.
"Every time you think you can help your team, you do your best to help your team. We evaluate every player. Just because one team might rate a player as an elite player (and pay him that kind of money) and we don't, that doesn't make us right and them wrong or vice versa. This is just the way we go about it."
So far, that's meant hosting St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and adding Manuel, who figures to start opposite second-year safety Nick Collins. While running the Seahawks' personnel department, Thompson claimed Manuel on waivers from Cincinnati in 2003 and said he has since evolved into "a solid football player."
"That's the profile we're looking for" in free agents, Thompson said.
To replace Longwell, Thompson said "there's always options," and didn't rule out spending big money on a high-profile kicker, such as New England's Adam Vinatieri or Indianapolis' Mike Vanderjagt - as unlikely as that may seem to some.
"(A) kicker is incredibly important, and it's most important when you don't have one," Thompson said. "A lot of people assume they know what I think of free agency. The truth is, I think it's a very useful tool. Just because we're not signing somebody every day doesn't mean we're not busting our tails. But we're going to go through the process."
