News
NFL Notebook: Favre 'tempted' to go to Green Bay's camp
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: July 16, 2008
■ Brett Favre said he's tempted to show up at the Green Bay Packers' training camp just to call the team's "bluff."
In the second part of an interview with Fox News, Favre said he knows his arrival in camp would cause a media circus, but that might not stop him. Packers players are scheduled to report July 27.
"It's tempting just to, as everyone said, you know, call their bluff or whatever," Favre said, according to an excerpt provided to The Associated Press. "I think it's going to be a circus in itself already, whether I go there, whatever."
The interview on the show On the Record with Greta Van Susteren was broadcast last night.
Favre, a three-time MVP quarterback, said he feels "a little bit" bad for would-be successor Aaron Rodgers . Favre, 38, conceded that the latest in his long line of reversals on his football future has been tough on Rodgers, the Packers' first-round pick in 2005.
"The one thing in this, I do feel bad for Aaron a little bit," Favre said. "I think he'll do a fine job, to be totally honest with you, I do. He has been injured. I mean, the two injuries are not his fault…. I know this has been tough on him. I think he'll do a fine job. And this has nothing to do with him, this whole deal."
■ The Carolina Panthers yesterday signed their fifth-round draft pick, tight end Gary Barnidge from Louisville.
Barnidge (6-5, 247) played in 47 games, starting 29, and had 108 receptions for 1,491 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Cardinals. He was a first-team All-Big East selection last season and was second on the team with 53 catches for 655 yards and seven touchdowns.
Barnidge is the second of the Panthers nine draft choices to sign, joining sixth-round selection Nick Hayden.
The team also announced that it waived three rookie free agents -- fullback Breyone Evans (Massachusetts), defensive back Cortney Grixby (Nebraska) and wide receiver Damon Morton (Colorado State).
■ The New Orleans Saints signed fifth-round draft choice DeMario Pressley to a three-year contract yesterday.
Pressley, a defensive tackle out of N.C. State, is the first of the Saints' six draft picks to agree to contract terms.
Pressley, a 6-3, 301-pound native of Greensboro, was the first of the Saints' two fifth-round selections.
, picked 144th overall. Pressley started 31 of 42 games for the Wolfpack, finishing his college career with 145 tackles, 4½ sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
■ The Tennessee Titans and All Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract by yesterday's deadline for franchised players.
Team officials and Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, talked most of Monday and up to yesterday's 4 p.m. deadline without reaching an extension to keep Haynesworth past the 2008 season. Both sides can keep talking, but no long-term contract could be signed until after the Titans finish the season.
Now Haynesworth must decide when, and if, to sign the tender paying him $7.25 million for the season with the Titans opening camp July 25.
Tennessee had not used the franchise tag on a player since safety Blaine Bishop in 1997.
Haynesworth is coming off his best season after getting six sacks, 23 quarterback pressures and getting All Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career.
■ The Oakland Raiders and star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha failed to agree on a long-term contract before yesterday's deadline for franchised players.
The Raiders put the exclusive franchise tag on Asomugha in February, which guaranteed Asomugha more than $9 million in 2008 and did not allow him to negotiate with any other team.
Asomugha has not signed the tender and has been unable to practice with the team during offseason workouts. He will be guaranteed $9.765 million for this season as soon as he signs.
Asomugha has already informed the Raiders that he will not miss any regular-season games in a holdout, but it is uncertain whether he will report to training camp when it opens next week.
Asomugha will be eligible for free agency again after the coming season. But the Raiders could try to sign him to a long-term deal after the season or choose to use the franchise tag again, which would guarantee Asomugha about $11.7 million in 2009.
■ Safety Ken Hamlin of the Dallas Cowboys won't have to wait until after the season for a long-term contract.
The Cowboys and Hamlin agreed yesterday on a $39-million, six-year deal with about $15 million guaranteed, according to the team's Web site. The agreement was first reported by The Dallas Morning News.
As the team's designated franchise player, Hamlin had until yesterday to reach a long-term deal or otherwise play the 2008 season under a one-year contract for $4.4 million. He had a career-high five interceptions and 102 tackles last season, his first in Dallas after four years in Seattle.
/
■ Quarterback Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts had routine surgery Monday to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee and is expected to miss most of training camp.
Bill Polian, the Colts president, said that the team's medical staff expects Manning to have "a full and complete return to action" in four to six weeks. The Colts will opening training camp July 25. Polian said that Manning has been receiving "conservative" treatment for the inflamed bursa sac since February and that the treatment was effective until Manning experienced increased pain and early signs of infection.
■ The Chicago Bears signed running back Kevin Jones to a one-year contract yesterday.
Jones played four seasons in Detroit and rushed for 3,067 yards and 24 touchdowns on 761 carries, including 581 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns last season. The Lions drafted him out of Virginia Tech in 2004.
■ Running back Ahmad Bradshaw of the New York Giants still could face a suspension if the NFL determines that he violated its player-conduct policy by violating his probation.
Bradshaw was released from the Abingdon (Va.) Regional Jail on Sunday after serving most of a 30-day sentence. His attorney, Charles A. Stacy, said that the underlying charge for which Bradshaw was on probation stems from an incident while Bradshaw was a juvenile.
Bradshaw originally enrolled at Virginia but was dismissed from the football team without playing a game after pleading guilty to resisting arrest and underage drinking and being put on probation. He played three seasons at Marshall but had another arrest on a charge of stealing a PlayStation 2 video game. He pleaded guilty in that case to misdemeanor petit larceny and was given two years probation. A 12-month jail sentence was suspended.
■ The Arizona Cardinals have signed third-round draft choice Early Doucet to a three-year deal.
Terms weren't disclosed.
Doucet, a wide receiver, led the national champion LSU Tigers last year with 57 receptions for 525 yards and five touchdowns. He made 22 starts in his college career, finishing with 160 catches and 20 touchdowns.
He is Arizona's fifth draft choice to be signed to a contract this year.
■ The Cincinnati Bengals signed fifth-round draft choice Jason Shirley to a four-year contract yesterday.
Shirley, a defensive tackle from Fresno State, is the first of Cincinnati's 10 draft selections to come to terms.
■ A Las Vegas judge named new lawyers and set a new court date for two men accused of abducting, beating and robbing wide receiver Javon Walker of the Oakland Raiders last month.
Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo yesterday combined the cases and scheduled a July 29 evidence and bail hearing for Deshawn L. Thomas and Arfat Fadel, who each face felony kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy charges. Thomas, 40, was arrested July 8 and is being held on $1 million bail. Fadel, 30, was arrested June 20 and later charged in the Walker robbery. He's being held on $73,000 bail.
ADVERTISEMENT
N.C. Politics
Federal Politics
Advertisement
