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Griffith remains in picture
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
By Wednesday night it wasn't clear whether the Green Bay Packers' first player visit of the free-agent season was near yielding a contract with fullback Justin Griffith.
The Packers are considering signing Griffith, who is entering his fifth NFL season, to compete with holdover Brandon Miree for the starting fullback job in their zone-blocking run game. The 232-pound Griffith played in the same system the last three years at Atlanta but became expendable when the Falcons changed head coaches this offseason and switched to a more power-oriented run game that requires a bigger fullback.
Griffith also has visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The sides were believed to be engaged in negotiations Wednesday, though there was no indication how serious the talks were as the day went on. Griffith's agent, Mike McCartney, wasn't available for comment, and Packers General Manager Ted Thompson wouldn't comment on the visit or how far along talks were.
Also, an NFL source said the Packers appear to have a genuine interest in free-agent safety Deon Grant of Jacksonville and are considering bringing him in for a visit within the next week.
Grant (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is an eighth-year pro who turns 28 on March 14. He missed his rookie year of 2000 in Carolina because of a hip injury and has started every game since — 48 straight for the Panthers and then the next 48 for Jacksonville. He has a career total of 18 interceptions and would be a candidate to replace Marquand Manuel as a starting safety.
Also in free agency, the Packers' interest in former Saints receiver Joe Horn ended after Horn agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. The Packers were considering bringing Horn in for a visit and trying to sign the 35-year-old, who played for Packers coach Mike McCarthy when both were with the Saints from 2000 to 2004. Details of his deal with Atlanta were unavailable.
In the meantime, the Packers officially cut ties with fullback William Henderson.
The Packers recently told the 36-year-old Henderson they were not bringing him back after 12 seasons with the team and released him Wednesday.
Henderson has spent his entire career with the Packers and was part of former General Manager Ron Wolf's strong 1995 draft class that included landing three starters on the 1996 Super Bowl team in the third round alone: Henderson, receiver Antonio Freeman and linebacker Brian Williams.
Henderson missed only four games in his 12 seasons with the Packers and started 112 times. He was primarily a blocking back and never had more than 14 carries in a season but caught 320 passes for 2,409 yards. Through his last season with the Packers he continued to play a regular role on special teams as well.
"(Henderson) has meant the world to us," Thompson said. "He was part of an outstanding third-round draft class (in 1995). He's come in and been a professional in every sense, a mature, developed human being, far surpassing most anybody I've seen in the National Football League, and has continued to grow in that role. He's remarkable. It's a very difficult decision for us to make. We decided that we need to go in a little different direction and take another step there, and he'd like to continue to play."
Henderson told Thompson he'd like to keep playing in the right situation.
The Packers also re-signed linebacker Tracy White. White, a backup linebacker, was a special-teams core player last season and led the Packers' special teams with 17 tackles.
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
By Wednesday night it wasn't clear whether the Green Bay Packers' first player visit of the free-agent season was near yielding a contract with fullback Justin Griffith.
The Packers are considering signing Griffith, who is entering his fifth NFL season, to compete with holdover Brandon Miree for the starting fullback job in their zone-blocking run game. The 232-pound Griffith played in the same system the last three years at Atlanta but became expendable when the Falcons changed head coaches this offseason and switched to a more power-oriented run game that requires a bigger fullback.
Griffith also has visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The sides were believed to be engaged in negotiations Wednesday, though there was no indication how serious the talks were as the day went on. Griffith's agent, Mike McCartney, wasn't available for comment, and Packers General Manager Ted Thompson wouldn't comment on the visit or how far along talks were.
Also, an NFL source said the Packers appear to have a genuine interest in free-agent safety Deon Grant of Jacksonville and are considering bringing him in for a visit within the next week.
Grant (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is an eighth-year pro who turns 28 on March 14. He missed his rookie year of 2000 in Carolina because of a hip injury and has started every game since — 48 straight for the Panthers and then the next 48 for Jacksonville. He has a career total of 18 interceptions and would be a candidate to replace Marquand Manuel as a starting safety.
Also in free agency, the Packers' interest in former Saints receiver Joe Horn ended after Horn agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. The Packers were considering bringing Horn in for a visit and trying to sign the 35-year-old, who played for Packers coach Mike McCarthy when both were with the Saints from 2000 to 2004. Details of his deal with Atlanta were unavailable.
In the meantime, the Packers officially cut ties with fullback William Henderson.
The Packers recently told the 36-year-old Henderson they were not bringing him back after 12 seasons with the team and released him Wednesday.
Henderson has spent his entire career with the Packers and was part of former General Manager Ron Wolf's strong 1995 draft class that included landing three starters on the 1996 Super Bowl team in the third round alone: Henderson, receiver Antonio Freeman and linebacker Brian Williams.
Henderson missed only four games in his 12 seasons with the Packers and started 112 times. He was primarily a blocking back and never had more than 14 carries in a season but caught 320 passes for 2,409 yards. Through his last season with the Packers he continued to play a regular role on special teams as well.
"(Henderson) has meant the world to us," Thompson said. "He was part of an outstanding third-round draft class (in 1995). He's come in and been a professional in every sense, a mature, developed human being, far surpassing most anybody I've seen in the National Football League, and has continued to grow in that role. He's remarkable. It's a very difficult decision for us to make. We decided that we need to go in a little different direction and take another step there, and he'd like to continue to play."
Henderson told Thompson he'd like to keep playing in the right situation.
The Packers also re-signed linebacker Tracy White. White, a backup linebacker, was a special-teams core player last season and led the Packers' special teams with 17 tackles.
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